Guitar Center pricing question on "used" gear???

[bognerman]

Hey guys, I was just at GC and found a used '59 Les Paul that I like.
They have it at $3275 I think, and I seemed to be able to talk him
down to "maybe" $3080. He said "that's his cost on it", but how
could that be??? I doubt they would pay that much for a used '59,
and if it was a trade-in towards something else, how can they really
say that that's their "cost" on it?

He also said some BS about "sales final" if he gives me that price,
but I thought they have a 30-day on most all items?

I'm tempted to call his bluff and find another sales guy, maybe from
another store or something?

Need advice needed on getting best possible price.

 

[Mudder]

GC (and any pawn shop) pays about 40-50% of what the item will sell for. So they probably gave $1500 on that 59. The $3080 may just be their floor for that guitar.

 

[bognerman]

GC (and any pawn shop) pays about 40-50% of what the item will sell for. So they probably gave $1500 on that 59. The $3080 may just be their floor for that guitar.

You think the store manager would be able to overturn that?
Say I bring in $2700 cash? I just don't deal with these guys enough
to know their real profit margins.

 

[Ethn Hayabusa]

Find another salesman. I go to every GC around here regularly, and get different quotes from every salesperson I talk to. I find it easiest to deal with a manager, when possible. Their return policy as I understand it is never "the sale is final".

 

[racerevlon]

Mudder is right. The GC policy is that they give you 50% of what they're going to sell it for, so they probably screwed, uh... gave the previous owner around $1500 for that LP. Get the manager and wave the Benjamins under his nose (cash is ALWAYS better than check/CC). You know there's at LEAST $1500 markup on that guitar, so don't get taken to the cleaners. They have to make money too, but 100% markup is usury.

Cheers,

 

[cml694]

This threads always make me smile because I've gotten some INSANE trade in deals from them....

 

[jcj]

This threads always make me smile because I've gotten some INSANE trade in deals from them....

I've had them go really high on a few things for me, as well.

I doubt they're really in it 3k, but I'm doubting someone let their R9 go for $1500, either.

Offer the $2700 cash....you'll know how badly they want to move it soon enough.

 

[ACShreds]

offer them the cash and when they say no just start walking away, they'll change their mind real fast.....trust me

 

[Heritage Softail]

I am pretty sure they usually offer you around 40% less than what the items are closing for on ebay. Lots of people look at the asking prices and then think they should get close to that when trading in. Setting yourself up for a let down.

In haggling with salesmen, have ran across guys that straight up say that they will be able to get the higher price from someone else. Not everyone going in that store know best values and prices. Lots of moms and teenagers getting jr. a new toy. Had that happen when shopping a used SLO they had. They would not come off 2800 for the used head. I bought elsewhere for less. The head is still there.

 

[Mudder]

I doubt they're really in it 3k, but I'm doubting someone let their R9 go for $1500, either.
.

Have you watched that show Pawn Stars? People will sell their stuff if they need the cash for half price. It happens almost every show, someone will come in with a $20k item and take $11k for it.

 

[MARK1970]

I have dealt with them a couple of times. They wanted to give me 1/3 the value and a little bit higher for store credit. I would offer $2,400. cash inn there face. They will still make a big proft.

 

[Heritage Softail]

Most operations are measured by sales as a percentage of cost. They need a consistent mark-up percentage. If the target is 70%, and you are offering 50%, that is a fair bit less. Some guy is looking at how he will be reviewed for keeping his job or getting a promotion. Not at a $ ammount only without regard to the profit percentage.

You only get to give great deals so many times before you get to work somewhere else....

 

[skoora]

I've had GC put high amounts into stuff I sold them before. I had to pass on the matching cab for a '71 superlead I got from them once because some joker salesman literally put 800 into it and it was tagged at $899. It had celestion 75's in it too. Also if you have more than one GC in reasonable distance, don't stop at one. My nearest one is a serious lowballer on trades so I always go to the another one which has consistantly given me more. Granted the lowballer location who I sold to a few times did tag everything at a fair markup from what they paid me.

If the guy who traded the R9 was getting something nice in return they would have put a fair bit into it to make the deal happen. Ultimately you make an offer, they say yes or counter offer or say no. Simple as that.

 

[blackba]

I doubt they're really in it 3k, but I'm doubting someone let their R9 go for $1500, either.
.

Have you watched that show Pawn Stars? People will sell their stuff if they need the cash for half price. It happens almost every show, someone will come in with a $20k item and take $11k for it.

Pawn Stars is a cool show. The old man mentioned one episode that their target profit is 30% or 33%. (cen't remember exactly)

Most people know when they go into GC or a pawn shop to sell something used, they are not getting what they can out of the item, but not all do (As is evident by watching Pawn Stars).

 

[xmorgan socialx]

I'll start off by saying, I work at a GC. (flame suit on). Basically one of two things is happening here, either he is lying to you about it being their cost, or it is cost.

GC allows employees to decide what they will buy used gear in for at their stores, which means in a lot of cases you get an employee who is super into a certain type of gear, be it Marshall amps, Musicman Basses, or in this case, Gibson guitars. Because they think it is the best thing in the world, they think everyone should think so, giving that piece of gear a much higher value in their eyes than to the rest of the world. so if $3080 is really their cost (which is entirely possible) then the guitar has most likely been sitting in that store for a very, very long time. The guitar could very well have been initially priced at $5,000 (which is a 40% markup from $3k), the sales guy that bought it in thinking "oh yeah, they are over 6k new, so obviously if someone see's one for a thousand less they will buy it." And we all know, because we are gear snobs/whores/elitists that the used market doesn't quite work that way, so the guitar sits, and sits... and sits until someone at GC realizes that the guitar needs to go, so they take it at 10% up from cost (which is roughly $3275) and hope it sells. When someone shows interest, they will first say they can't budge on price because that is policy, but then they look the guitar up and see that it was bought in for way too much, has been sitting in the store for 15 months and has to go, so they offer cost.

But on the other hand, he could just be feeding you a line saying "sorry dude, I would totally say less if I could, but then we would be losing money on the guitar" and in some cases, GC will sell used/clearance gear below cost and lose money, but only if it is damaged generally.

I hope that helps a little at least.

 

[xmorgan socialx]

I've had GC put high amounts into stuff I sold them before. I had to pass on the matching cab for a '71 superlead I got from them once because some joker salesman literally put 800 into it and it was tagged at $899. It had celestion 75's in it too. Also if you have more than one GC in reasonable distance, don't stop at one. My nearest one is a serious lowballer on trades so I always go to the another one which has consistantly given me more. Granted the lowballer location who I sold to a few times did tag everything at a fair markup from what they paid me.

If the guy who traded the R9 was getting something nice in return they would have put a fair bit into it to make the deal happen. Ultimately you make an offer, they say yes or counter offer or say no. Simple as that.

Which stores are you referring to? Are you in the Seattle area?

 

[Ancient Alien]

I use to work at GC as a buyer. Hey paid between 40-50% of his bottom dollar sale price.
Probably robbed someone for about $1400 for it.

 

[jcj]

I'll start off by saying, I work at a GC. (flame suit on). Basically one of two things is happening here, either he is lying to you about it being their cost, or it is cost.

GC allows employees to decide what they will buy used gear in for at their stores, which means in a lot of cases you get an employee who is super into a certain type of gear, be it Marshall amps, Musicman Basses, or in this case, Gibson guitars. Because they think it is the best thing in the world, they think everyone should think so, giving that piece of gear a much higher value in their eyes than to the rest of the world. so if $3080 is really their cost (which is entirely possible) then the guitar has most likely been sitting in that store for a very, very long time. The guitar could very well have been initially priced at $5,000 (which is a 40% markup from $3k), the sales guy that bought it in thinking "oh yeah, they are over 6k new, so obviously if someone see's one for a thousand less they will buy it." And we all know, because we are gear snobs/whores/elitists that the used market doesn't quite work that way, so the guitar sits, and sits... and sits until someone at GC realizes that the guitar needs to go, so they take it at 10% up from cost (which is roughly $3275) and hope it sells. When someone shows interest, they will first say they can't budge on price because that is policy, but then they look the guitar up and see that it was bought in for way too much, has been sitting in the store for 15 months and has to go, so they offer cost.
.

This mirrors my experience.

 

[jet66]

It definitely seems to vary from store to store. The one I browse from time to time, I have found some good deals on used stuff. Some stuff is priced a little high vs. what I've seen for sale used online, but not exorbitantly so. Picked up a used Krank Chadwick II for $650, in excellent shape, and an '83 Jackson P-body bass in obviously played, but relatively well-cared for shape, for $500. They've also had a number of used PRS at pretty decent prices, as well. This one seems to be staffed with a decent number of knowledgeable guys, and the managers have wheeled and dealed on a few things that saved me money vs. ordering from their web site. Compared to all of the GC horror/funny stories I have heard, this place doesn't seem to fit that mold, from my experiences.

I have no idea how they are on trade-in values, though. I've never tried it at this place.

 

[again with this]

When haggling...

1) ALWAYS bring CA$H. That's your leverage. Cash is king.
2) Be prepared to walk away. I mean, all the way out the door. (don't be afraid to try the next day after the sales guy hadn't sold anything the previous day)
3) memorize this phrase, "either the cash stays and the item goes, or the item goes and the cash stays. you choose." Don't be afraid to play hard-ball. They're not.
4) Only bring the exact amount of cash you are willing to spend and stick to it. Not even another $50 for a case... Make them throw it in the deal, sales tax too.
5) NEVER break out all your cash at first, let them think they talked you up a couple bucks... again, this shit goes both ways. Remember, it's tagged for more than they will settle for.
6) have fun. it's a game. If you feel like you got conned, you lose. play to win.
7) oh yeah, maybe this should actually be first... watch the thing and decide what it's worth to you and how long it's been sitting there. Don't be pissed if someone buys it out from under you. They paid too much

In all fairness, I traded in a Les Paul to GC and they gave me 50 bucks less than I'd payed for it (from Univibe) almost 4 years prior. So, I got to "rent" and play the fuck out of that guitar for 4 years, for 50 bucks.