too bad Audiogon seems to have morphed to fussy, picky buyers

Been here since early 2000s and I feel there’s always been this element to the user base, and it’s not really that much worse these days. I think maybe you had a lucky streak for a while and then hit an unlucky streak.

I’ve had really good transactions in my time here, but as I buyer I rarely haggle, never tire kick, and hold back minor complaints (this is USED gear after all); as a seller I’m picky in whom I choose to respond to. I judge them on the style and content of their initial communication, and often don’t feel the need to take things further.

It is a hassle to sell used audio equipment.  And it is getting harder to sell high-end components at a fair price because the market for high end equipment is shrinking.

I hear and feel the pain
Been on ebay since the early days 2000 or so and it has NEVER been as depressing and volatile as a seller as the last couple of years have wrought.
So many "buyers" who think they can just claim they never received it ( despite tracking info!) or it was defective etc.
Paypal instant refund to them and they dont even have to ship it back!

Now I have been VERY lucky here, a lot of good sellers and buyers I have dealt with but.....
This year for sure had some VERY dubious potential buyers wanting a very fairly priced item for peanuts to start with AND giving bad vibes right from the start. This has happened 3 times and all 3 I have just told them I prefer not to sell anything to them as just not worth my time and potential hassle.
A couple got enraged over that and had to end up blocking them and reporting them to admin.

For sure it is a buyers market, always has been to some extent but the rudeness and arrogance that is increasingly common now is very hard to deal with.

I spent 40 years in the Real Estate business. It always amazed me when buyers wanted to start nitpicking and renegotiating their deal half way through escrow. It was especially bad during my last ten years in the business. I just chalked it up to the constant slide downward that our civil society has taken.

The days of doing business on a hand shake are long gone. 

Frank

I agree with the sad state of the used market sellers.

I've been a part of this site since it began almost 20 years ago.  Buying and selling always went smoothly, and with almost zero issues.  I've even met people who've become friends by way of transactions.  Audiogon used to serve as a central cog in the market, funding additional new and used purchases by a large number of folks.  Two to three years ago, I noticed something happened, and the entire thing mostly shut down.  I have no idea how the manufacturers have survived, as again, this site primed the pump for the engine.

Haven't sold much over the past few years, but wanted to dump a bunch of gear over the past couple of months.  The audacity of some of the lowballers surprised me even as I've received hundreds of lowball offers over the years.  How about a $50 offer for a current production component that retails for close to $5k, with several other $200 and $300 offers?  No thanks.  As others have said, I'd give it to a friend, family member, or young person with some interest, or even on Craigslist before that.

One person actually began contacting me, and continues to do so.  He explained that no matter what the ad lists, even if it's below market value, he won't go beyond 70% of that asking price.  His initial bid is always 20-25%, and he's willing to work up from there.  Ironically, he ended up paying over $4000 for an item I listed initially for $2500, as I found a buyer I felt more comfortable with.

Best was a guy with ZERO feedback, and a member for just a few months who lowballed me, eventually came together on a price, never sent payment, berated me, disappeared, reappeared with another lowball offer when I reduced my asking price, I demurred as he gave me a bad feeling at every juncture, then sent me a lengthy email claiming I'm a fraud, and my "stellar" 18 years of feedback was a complete fabrication, made up of shills, fictional transactions, and some folks I conned and some I paid for