It's official, Reverb increasing seller's fee to 5%

dreadnut

Gone But Not Forgotten
Gone But Not Forgotten
Joined
Jun 15, 2005
Messages
16,082
Reaction score
6,442
Location
Grand Rapids, MI
Guild Total
2
Up from 3.5% to 5% effective Aug 4, 2020. I just got the email from Reverb.
 

GGJaguar

Reverential Member
Joined
Jan 17, 2011
Messages
21,309
Reaction score
31,396
Location
Skylands
Guild Total
49
Maybe another site will come along with lower fees.
 

GAD

Reverential Morlock
Über-Morlock
Joined
Feb 11, 2009
Messages
22,583
Reaction score
17,802
Location
NJ (The nice part)
Guild Total
112
I see people all over complaining about this. Lets do some math.

Current fees on a $1000 guitar would go from $35 to $50.

What would it cost you to put it on consignment at your local store that probably no longer exists and gets zero foot traffic if it does? Probably 20%. For the math challenged that’s $200 on a $1000 guitar. And it won’t sell unless the store lists it on freaking Reverb and Ebay which is what they’ll do.

Oh, and there is another world-wide marketplace with lower fees: Ebay, which is still 3.5%.

I get that everyone hates an increase and I get that customer service ain’t what it used to be, but holy cow maybe take stock of how good we’ve got it.

I could assemble a team and build a Reverb and I‘M here to tell you that I wouldn’t do it for less than 10%. Maybe 15.

When everyone walks away and Reverb falls Ebay will just put their fees back to where they were when Reverb disrupted the market.
 

Rayk

Enlightened Member
Joined
Apr 19, 2015
Messages
5,769
Reaction score
1,173
Yeah we shouldn't complain about that what we should complain about is the cost of new cars and trucks ! 😡 Lol
 

Opsimath

Senior Member
Joined
Apr 20, 2015
Messages
4,527
Reaction score
4,062
Location
North Florida
Or price of fixing the old ones (says the owner of a 2004 which is in the shop).

Hi Ray - how ya been?
 

fronobulax

Bassist, GAD and the Hot Mess Mods
Joined
May 3, 2007
Messages
24,708
Reaction score
8,836
Location
Central Virginia, USA
Guild Total
5
I get that everyone hates an increase and I get that customer service ain’t what it used to be, but holy cow maybe take stock of how good we’ve got it.

Given what happens every time someone realizes the technology to collect sales taxes (that have been on the books for decades) has finally arrived and is being deployed, are you surprised?
 

GAD

Reverential Morlock
Über-Morlock
Joined
Feb 11, 2009
Messages
22,583
Reaction score
17,802
Location
NJ (The nice part)
Guild Total
112
Given what happens every time someone realizes the technology to collect sales taxes (that have been on the books for decades) has finally arrived and is being deployed, are you surprised?

Let’s not start that again. ;)
 

Rambozo96

Senior Member
Joined
Mar 14, 2020
Messages
1,659
Reaction score
1,192
Location
Texas
Guild Total
5
GAD makes an excellent point. I myself never saw it that way though I wasn’t fixing to ditch Reverb over this price hike. When a deal goes south they always did good to resolve it when I had issues with a transaction. eBay seems to side with the buyer all the time. Also I seem to have decent success selling on the site with serious buyers, not so with Facebook marketplace, should be renamed Flakebook Marketplace.
 

Rambozo96

Senior Member
Joined
Mar 14, 2020
Messages
1,659
Reaction score
1,192
Location
Texas
Guild Total
5
I see people all over complaining about this. Lets do some math.

Current fees on a $1000 guitar would go from $35 to $50.

What would it cost you to put it on consignment at your local store that probably no longer exists and gets zero foot traffic if it does? Probably 20%. For the math challenged that’s $200 on a $1000 guitar. And it won’t sell unless the store lists it on freaking Reverb and Ebay which is what they’ll do.

Oh, and there is another world-wide marketplace with lower fees: Ebay, which is still 3.5%.

I get that everyone hates an increase and I get that customer service ain’t what it used to be, but holy cow maybe take stock of how good we’ve got it.

I could assemble a team and build a Reverb and I‘M here to tell you that I wouldn’t do it for less than 10%. Maybe 15.

When everyone walks away and Reverb falls Ebay will just put their fees back to where they were when Reverb disrupted the market.
IIRC my local music store charges like 30% consignment...
 

awagner

Senior Member
Platinum Supporting
Joined
Oct 18, 2012
Messages
1,722
Reaction score
2,106
Location
Westchester, NY
Guild Total
40
Does anyone remember what eBay charged before Reverb came along?

I think it was 15%, which is still less than what consignment shops charge.

They have a right to make money for providing a service, and 5% seems pretty reasonable to me.
 

dreadnut

Gone But Not Forgotten
Gone But Not Forgotten
Joined
Jun 15, 2005
Messages
16,082
Reaction score
6,442
Location
Grand Rapids, MI
Guild Total
2
Not complaining, just reporting the facts. Just the facts, Ma'am.

Actually, i think 5% commission is still very reasonable.
 

Velvet Phelts

Member
Joined
May 10, 2020
Messages
128
Reaction score
49
Although I have sold a few. Never online. Have bought online now and then. Have traded away more than I have sold. Maybe for a good mic, or maybe a preamp for the studio.
 

dreadnut

Gone But Not Forgotten
Gone But Not Forgotten
Joined
Jun 15, 2005
Messages
16,082
Reaction score
6,442
Location
Grand Rapids, MI
Guild Total
2
Yeah, I'm glad we sold most of my buddy's estate late last year. Reverb worked really well.
 
Top