What is this Reverb scam?

[Anxiety Serum]

They no longer pay to have a phone number customer service department but pay employees to monitor all private messages which aren’t private at all, anytime they please. What a shady fucking company. I guess that’s what you get for a free platform. Oh wait.

They are like real estate again. Takes no more effort by them to sell your $50 cable than it does your $5000 guitar. But they will take 100x the fee for the latter.

I wish they just charged a flat $10 listing fee or capped the commission.

 

[glpg80]

They are like real estate again. Takes no more effort by them to sell your $50 cable than it does your $5000 guitar. But they will take 100x the fee for the latter.

I wish they just charged a flat $10 listing fee or capped the commission.

It’s exactly why people hate the platform. Some love the protection and I’ll be honest it was nice knowing reverb had my back selling the very first serial number metroplex but I had to sell at $5,000 to break even in the $3800 range due to all of the additional costs.

 

[napalmdeath]

Appreciate the feedback. On the above: I often message an offer first before I actually make it on Reverb. Sometimes I am thinking of offering on multiple items and don't want to wait 24hrs to be passively rejected before I make my next offer (and don't want 3 offers out there at once if only planning to buy 1 of them).

Messaging to see if they would take my offer: 1. Lets me see if they are quick responder 2. allows me to not wait the 24 hours if they are can quickly reject over messaging. You won't believe how many people will sit on an offer an just let it expire (either not watching their add, just pissed you "low balled" them by god-forbid offering 10% lower, or they want to hold the offer hoping a better one comes in. I've even messaged people asking for more pics and never ever heard back.

So I wouldn't write of messaged offers too quick. Just my two cents.

Unfortunately, most messaged offers I've received, (if not all), are low-ball offers. Much more than 10% less.

And, (unfortunately for you), those majorities typically wouldn't pay if it was accepted. Some clowns just like to play games to see what they can get away with, and really aren't serious buyers.

I make legit offers, and wait it out. If I want to see how responsive a seller is, I'll send a message and start some dialog. Personally, I think Reverb should cut the response time on offers in half to 12 hours. It is indeed frustrating waiting for a response, only to not get one. But, most responsible "preferred sellers" with 5-star feedback, "quick responder", and "quick shipper" status are typically receptive. Joe Blow's Gear Garage with 5 transactions may not be.

 

[Clig Herdunkachuk]

Appreciate the feedback. On the above: I often message an offer first before I actually make it on Reverb. Sometimes I am thinking of offering on multiple items and don't want to wait 24hrs to be passively rejected before I make my next offer (and don't want 3 offers out there at once if only planning to buy 1 of them).

Messaging to see if they would take my offer: 1. Lets me see if they are quick responder 2. allows me to not wait the 24 hours if they are can quickly reject over messaging. You won't believe how many people will sit on an offer an just let it expire (either not watching their add, just pissed you "low balled" them by god-forbid offering 10% lower, or they want to hold the offer hoping a better one comes in. I've even messaged people asking for more pics and never ever heard back.

So I wouldn't write of messaged offers too quick. Just my two cents.

Wow. I have hundreds of sales transactions. You definitely have a buyers perspective.

I have never been pissed off over an offer. But I typically let them expire if I do not immediately accept.

There are three types of offers as far as I am concerned.

1) Offers that I will accept immediately. Which I do just that
2) Offers that I would never accept (think 35% or more below ask). I leave them to expire.
3) Offers I will consider, but do not accept outright

Especially if my item is just listed, if I get an offer I am going to hold and see what happens. Why? The listing has not had time time get out there. I have sold many items on the day of listing for full ask when I had one or more offers on the table.

Outside of that frankly I will sometimes just forget about the offer if I was not motivated by it. Why? I don’t sit on Reverb managing a listing.

As emails come in I make decisions.

If it is an offer I will accept I log on immediately and accept. I also typically ship within 18 hours of shippong being released.

If it is an offer I will not accept, I just delete the email and forget about it.

For offer(s) I am considering, I sometimes decide within the 24 hours to accept and I log in and accept. Sometime life happens, I get busy (e.g. on my IRL job that pays the bills) and simply forget and the offer expires. Sometimes I will be on Reverb and see the listing and decline it if I have decided not to go for it. I DO NOT explicitly log onto Reverb to decline an offer Reverb takes care of that. I have 24 hours to consider and that is what I am doing.

The overwhelming majority of my items sell within 8 hours for full ask with offers on deck. The offers are backups and that simple is the reality. My quickest sale was a Titanium Floyd Rose bridge. Under 2 minutes after posting.

I sell for fair prices that are not inflated and am under no obligation to accept or even explicitly respond to offers. Why should I settle for less if exerience tells me I am very likely get a full ask sale?

Also in my experience, it is not uncommon to have a buyer get offended and message to voice their “outrage” over a denied offer. Which is a special little shit show of its own.

TLDR; From a business ot hassle perspective it is preferrable to simply let the offer expire if you don’t accept or decline the offer outright.

 

[Anxiety Serum]

Wow. I have hundreds of sales transactions. You definitely have a buyers perspective.

TLDR; From a business ot hassle perspective it is preferrable to simply let the offer expire.

All I am saying if someone messages you and says, will you take $X, if so I'll send over an official offer, I wouldn't reject it. Could be a lost sale.

But I've made offers, gotten counter offers at 23:40 hours later and lost the opportunity to buy another similar item that sold. That's why I message first. Not trying to be shady, just trying to open the line of communication before I just throw an offer out that could be wasting my time.

To each there own.

 

[Clig Herdunkachuk]

All I am saying if someone messages you and says, will you take $X, if so I'll send over an official offer, I wouldn't reject it. Could be a lost sale.

But I've made offers, gotten counter offers at 23:40 hours later and lost the opportunity to buy another similar item that sold. That's why I message first. Not trying to be shady, just trying to open the line of communication before I just throw an offer out that could be wasting my time.

To each there own.

An offer is an offer whether via “Make an Offer” or messaging. Again since an overwhelming majority of my items sell day one for first ask. Any offer regardless of how it is received is a backup and I feel no compulsion to respond.

How you manage your buying strategy is not the sellers problem nor concern. They are looking for their own best deal just like you are.

 

[Anxiety Serum]

An offer is an offer whether via “Make an Offer” or messaging.

Completely agree with you.

I was just suggesting to Napalmdeath that he shouldn't ignore messaged offers as they might be legit...after he said "If I am accepting offers and they message me one, vs. using the make offer function, that's just an an ignorant person I don't want to deal with anyway..."

Was just trying to say there is a reason people might message them instead of using "Make an Offer" Not trying to say you have to respond to all offers. Completely get holding on to offers or not wasting time logging in to respond to bad ones.

 

[napalmdeath]

Completely agree with you.

I was just suggesting to Napalmdeath that he shouldn't ignore messaged offers as they might be legit...after he said "If I am accepting offers and they message me one, vs. using the make offer function, that's just an an ignorant person I don't want to deal with anyway..."

Was just trying to say there is a reason people might message them instead of using "Make an Offer" Not trying to say you have to respond to all offers. Completely get holding on to offers or not wasting time logging in to respond to bad ones.

The few times I responded to messaged offers, the buyers disappeared. There may be a few here that are the exception to the rule, and maybe "ignorant" might be a stretch, but in my experience, more than not, those messaging offers are lowballers, tire-kickers, or both, the majority of the time.

Point being, buyers aren't obligated to pay when a messaged offer is made, and are more likely to split and flake out. A serious buyer will do it the right way from the get-go.

 

[headlessdeadguy]

Some are legit, most ARE NOT. I've been on Reverb nearly since it's inception, and have over 400 transactions, I've seen them all.

When they ask you to email them, red flag. When you respond and they can't accept messages, red flag. New user, no feedback, red flag. If I'm not accepting offers and people message me with one and their email address, I ignore them. Period. If I am accepting offers and they message me one, vs. using the make offer function, that's just an an ignorant person I don't want to deal with anyway...

There are legit users that try to conduct transactions outside of Reverb, but they're usually much smarter in their approach, and a little more obvious.

Erik Laboga asked me to email him when I made an offer on a new Mr H. I ended up getting it for much less than the reverb listing along with cables, a hat and some stickers.

 

[mooncobra]

I mean if he pays FF, which I doubt he would. Just curious what move it. Pays you on Paypal, claims he got an empty box and demands a refund?

I did a deal with a guy and he said he never met me and that someone posing as him used his account. I had the phone number that they used to speak to him. That’s the number I spoke to him on before we met. They still refunded him his cash. So I lost me gear and they took the cash back. PayPal is the worst.

 

[creep66]

I did a deal with a guy and he said he never met me and that someone posing as him used his account. I had the phone number that they used to speak to him. That’s the number I spoke to him on before we met. They still refunded him his cash. So I lost me gear and they took the cash back. PayPal is the worst.

You should find and kill him in a highly pornographic manner.

 

[Dino 939]

I did a deal for a Marshall 2555x I found on eBay, but outside of eBay. I can't remember how we got each other's contact info, but I basically offered him cash in a parking lot deal for what he would have netted anyway. It was a two hr drive for each of us. I got a little suspicious when his emails were like, "Hi Richard! How are you doing?" Just a little too nice and friendly, but it turns out that's just the kind of guy he was. Totally legit, met at a grocery store in Blythe, CA, smooth deal, everyone came away happy. Not everyone is a scammer.

I enjoy these meet-ups.
I used to have a Musichouse in Florida.
The entire house was set-up for a full band,
including a real Moog, Nord Stage3 and a Leslie speaker, PA/everything.
Well, this wasn’t the best way to do an open hand sale.
F’n weird dude’s…some just wanting to try the amp out.
EVERY single dude that kicked the tires..
Was from TGP. Seriously.
Also many claim they can play and they clearly couldn’t pull what they claimed.. tainted
the flavor of the vibe.
What I learned is, DO NOT just play music with anyone regardless of talent.
Find the dude’s that do what you wanna do or
it’s a f’n Bugera.
I taught my son this, along with NEVER, EVER
play Nickelback covers in stinky $100 a night gigs.
I know two lifelong players that caught throat cancer from years of being are stinky cigarette infused bars.
If he’s gonna copy any artist, they gotta be bad to the bone, Randy Rhoads? YES!!! Now we’re talkin’ son!!!!

 

[Devin]

Just create a new email address with a different name etc. and use that if you're nervous about emailing him

 

[Jsu2911n]

Wow I'm new to Reverb as far as actually buying or anything other than just dreaming... I finally wanted to buy something, so I messaged the guy being he was saying local pickup only and I just wanted to see if he was willing to meat on the other side of town before I ever even offered... 75 mile drive 4 me. 25 mins through a big city 4 him. .. he was cool about it said that's a fair deal if u offer it to me I'll keep an eye out.. boom 35 mins later deal done. I can see different things being different...now i feel like i kinda did the wrong thing.. but dang there's so many stupid scammers everywhere these days. I'm glad I read this thread ..getting buyer and sellers prospective v just an old hobbies n the boonies.

 

[Ben Waylin]

.. I just wanted to see if he was willing to meat on the other side of town ..

 

[mooncobra]

You should find and kill him in a highly pornographic manner.

Inwould like to see him go to jail. I’m sure he has probably scammed quite a few others.

 

[napalmdeath]

Erik Laboga asked me to email him when I made an offer on a new Mr H. I ended up getting it for much less than the reverb listing along with cables, a hat and some stickers.

Oh, don't get me wrong, I've done some buys outside of Reverb. I found my Friedman PT-20 V2 on Reverb, which, at the time, was the only one on there. It was a reputable dealer, great feedback, and I had some dialog for a bit. I then shot over to his website, got a discount, and paid no sales tax, being a smaller brick & mortar.

 

[itsgoodnow]

I posted a few things on reverb. Woke up to offers from bullshit accounts on all my offers and a bunch of messages in my inbox telling me to email such and such or email my dad about this amp at blah. I have sold a lot on reverb and this is the first time I have been hit with a wave of scams and bullshit offers.

I have bought outside of reverb and have had others do it--these were definitely different.

I also was just on TGP and had something similar happen on the same items. Very bizarre.