Retailers, especially those with a brick-and-mortar store, have to support their overhead which includes staffing, rent, cost of goods, advertising, and all sorts of other expenses. That’s why you would typically get about 50% of what your trade-ins would sell for. Also, I gather from perusing listings on Audiogon and similar sites, retailers will tend to have slightly higher prices than individual sellers, as it is necessary to cover the above-mentioned expenses. The rest of us only have to contend with Audiogon and Paypal fees, and negotiate who pays for the shipping, all of which is a lot simpler/cheaper than supporting an ongoing business. I agree with the consensus here that you would do best to sell as an individual. Just like the real estate market though, look for comparables so you have a realistic idea what you can expect. Getting the price right can be tricky.
