Suggestions to help you sell your equipment on Audiogon

Based on my selling of 5 pieces of audio equipment over the last 90+ days on Audiogon, I have these suggestions to help you sell your audio equipment on Audiogon:

1) Please INCLUDE many pictures of your equipment to include the back of the unit, both side views, top of the unit, original packing box to include the insides, Unit brochure, Company Sales Unit brochure, remote, etc.  If your unit has special feet (or anything else unique), please include these pictures. Most ads not include enough pictures.   

2)  Please include background information on the company.  You can copy some information from their web site to help people know who the company is.  A short paragraph should do the job so use your imagination.

3) Your unit is a wonderful great sounding audio component and you need to include information on its features and benefits.  More descriptive info on your unit is suggested (most ads are too brief).

4) Include details on how you are going to pack the unit amp for shipping.   If possible, include pictures of the packing box, inside the box and other details.  You need to give the buyer confidence the unit will arrive safely.   It is very important for your buyer to understand how your unit will be packed and shipped (FEDEX, UPS, USPS, Freight, etc).   Explain how the shipping and insurance is going to work (including the units insurance value) and who pays for it.   

5)  Pricing is always an issue and each product need a strategy for selling.   For me, I suggest a starting price at 55% of list (meaning $1,100 when the list price is $2,000).   If your company is a well know name, and/or the product is in demand, you could start higher at 58% of list, or 60%+ if you want (increase % or decrease %, as needed).   If the company is not a well know name, and neither is the product, you could start at 48% of list (meaning $960 when the list price is $2,000).   There are no set rules so check around to see what other similar units are selling for.  If you have no clue, you can always start your asking price at 50% of the units list price ($1,000 for a list price of $2,200).

6)  Regardless of what you want for your unit, you are ONLY going to receive what buyers are willing to pay.  For example, I suggest you round the above price to $1,049 (or $1,149).  For one of my ads, I was told I was priced TOO high and should use the $1,949 price and NOT the $1,995 price to make the asking price more attractive to the seller.   My unit sold within one week (and, yes, this was a miracle).

7)  Do NOT be afraid to counter offer any low ball offers received.  I receive a low-ball offer on my unit and dropped my price by $200 and the buyer INCREASED his offer to an acceptable number and I sold it.  

8)   This is my opinion and others will have a different plan.   If your item does not sell in 30 days, you probably should lower its asking price and maybe even improve your descriptions and pictures.  Or, after 2 weeks, you could lower the price, etc.  The lowering of your price depends on how badly you want to the sell the unit and what responses you are getting on your ad.   If zero responses (meaning no questions), maybe it is time to lower its price, change the pictures and descriptions.   If no sale within 30 days, you can always re-list and see what happens.  There are no rules for this so use your best judgment or ask your friends for advice.

9)  You must promptly answer ALL questions received with accurate and informative answers.  You can always include additional information, if appropriate, trying to be a consultant to your possible buyer.  Sometimes it is useful to exchange phone numbers if a discussion is required (you decide).    

Hopefully, these suggestions will get you a quick sale this coming week.  Please add other suggestions for selling equipment on Audiogon.  Your experiences of what worked, and did not work, are requested   Cheers,   Howard