Pricing Used DIYs for Sale?

[lowpolyjoe]

I'm stopping short of a 'what's it worth' thread, but I may need to sell one or two pairs of my speakers soon so was looking for some advice.

Can anyone comment on typical listing prices for used DIY projects relative to their original cost? I don't spend enough time in Free Classifieds to notice a trend. I realize labor is largely a lost expense, but how much does the price of the drivers depreciate? Can you expect to recover any of the building materials expenses (like exotic veneer)? I noticed Paul K's for-sale thread and was somewhat saddened by the list prices :o. He has beautiful stuff going for what I consider very cheap.

I hate selling anything, especially if shipping is involved. I'd also hate to sell anything at a garage sale where nobody would know what they're looking at.

Thanks.

[DanP]

Re: Pricing Used DIYs for Sale?

I have posted some speakers on Etsy with the premise that I just want to get back what I paid in (speakers, xo, and all materials included). I get my money back and the customer takes a chance on an unknown entity. Just sold my first pair last month.

Unfortunately, unless someone greatly values owning a unique home brew speaker, there are many more risks than rewards to the situation. I've often thought how cool it would be to open a boutique audio store where I could sell our DIY designs and showcase them properly and offer service, support, etc to remove some risk from the transaction. Until then, or until your name as a designer carries some weight, I think getting your money back is a pretty reasonable goal.

Dan

[Paul K.]

Re: Pricing Used DIYs for Sale?

I sure wish others would consider my asking prices as "cheap" and buy the two remaining pairs I'm offering! Speaker building is a hobby for me and I enjoy the building part immensely. I settled on my asking prices so I would have a better chance to plow money back into my hobby. Not recovering all of my out-of-pocket costs, just the "big ticket" costs, is satisfactory.
Paul

I'm stopping short of a 'what's it worth' thread, but I may need to sell one or two pairs of my speakers soon so was looking for some advice.

Can anyone comment on typical listing prices for used DIY projects relative to their original cost? I don't spend enough time in Free Classifieds to notice a trend. I realize labor is largely a lost expense, but how much does the price of the drivers depreciate? Can you expect to recover any of the building materials expenses (like exotic veneer)? I noticed Paul K's for-sale thread and was somewhat saddened by the list prices :o. He has beautiful stuff going for what I consider very cheap.

I hate selling anything, especially if shipping is involved. I'd also hate to sell anything at a garage sale where nobody would know what they're looking at.

Thanks.

[generic]

Re: Pricing Used DIYs for Sale?

I'd imagine it would depend on how well the speakers are known. Who designed them, how proven the design is, etc. The second factor would be, how well are they built and finished?

As far as drivers go. It just depends on how desirable they are. Some might only loose 10-15% value used while others are just unknown or no one cares.

[Millstonemike]

Re: Pricing Used DIYs for Sale?

I've often thought how cool it would be to open a boutique audio store where I could sell our DIY designs and showcase them properly and offer service, support, etc to remove some risk from the transaction.
Dan

A older, wiser engineer once said to me "Never make the mistake of mixing vocation with your avocation." Over many years I've had the opportunity to seen the wisdom in that adage.

Regards,

Michael

[lowpolyjoe]

Re: Pricing Used DIYs for Sale?

Thanks for the feedback everyone. I go back and forth about how to price my stuff, where to try to sell it and whether I should sell it at all. But I'm kind of running out of room and have several pairs of unused speakers at this point.

I did consider Etsy a while back but then completely forgot about it - thanks Dan.

Paul, your Cavatina's are beautiful. They use what I consider high end drivers and looks like they have a 1st place ribbon on them. I can't believe nobody has picked them up at your listed price. It really makes me wonder if I should even bother trying to sell at all :(.

Generic - fit and finish is definitely a big deal Veneer or paint color/style is also a factor, but also somewhat subjective I guess.

[DanP]

Re: Pricing Used DIYs for Sale?

A older, wiser engineer once said to me "Never make the mistake of mixing vocation with your avocation." Over many years I've had the opportunity to seen the wisdom in that adage.

Regards,

Michael

I agree completely. Make money doing something that makes money and have fun doing something fun. However, in the case I described, the store would be an extension of the hobby and cool in it's own right, not necessarily a revenue generator. Maybe something I'd explore when I could afford to break even hanging out in a shop all day listening to DIY speakers.

Dan

[Paul K.]

Re: Pricing Used DIYs for Sale?

I appreciate the compliments on the Cavatinas. As far as being able to sell your creations, it's pretty difficult to sell to fellow DIYers because designing and building speakers is a hobby for them, too, and they wouldn't be able to enjoy the creative processes if they buy something already built, no matter how well they perform and how desirable the drivers are.
Paul

Thanks for the feedback everyone. I go back and forth about how to price my stuff, where to try to sell it and whether I should sell it at all. But I'm kind of running out of room and have several pairs of unused speakers at this point.

I did consider Etsy a while back but then completely forgot about it - thanks Dan.

Paul, your Cavatina's are beautiful. They use what I consider high end drivers and looks like they have a 1st place ribbon on them. I can't believe nobody has picked them up at your listed price. It really makes me wonder if I should even bother trying to sell at all :(.

Generic - fit and finish is definitely a big deal Veneer or paint color/style is also a factor, but also somewhat subjective I guess.

[JasonP]

Re: Pricing Used DIYs for Sale?

I sure wish others would consider my asking prices as "cheap" and buy the two remaining pairs I'm offering! Speaker building is a hobby for me and I enjoy the building part immensely. I settled on my asking prices so I would have a better chance to plow money back into my hobby. Not recovering all of my out-of-pocket costs, just the "big ticket" costs, is satisfactory.
Paul

You priced your speakers very attractively. If I wasn't funneling all my cash into builds, I'd have bought your RS Duet without hesitation, for instance.

[Millstonemike]

Re: Pricing Used DIYs for Sale?

I agree completely. Make money doing something that makes money and have fun doing something fun. However, in the case I described, the store would be an extension of the hobby and cool in it's own right, not necessarily a revenue generator. Maybe something I'd explore when I could afford to break even hanging out in a shop all day listening to DIY speakers.

Dan

When the older, wiser engineer said the adage, we were staring at vendors at an '80s model train meet in a high school gym (e.g., Lionel, etc). He added, "All these guys started collecting as a hobby. Now they spend every weekend sitting there hoping to make a sale."

Seems to me it's different, and yet the same. Who's going to man the store with regular weekend hours. Pay rent?

I build a lot of unique items for my weekend beach get-togethers (building the next sound system with your guys help right now). I get a lot of "You could sell those here on the beach." I just repeat the older, wiser quote and most understand right off.

I hate myself for throwing out the potential negatives and I'm not trying to Poo-Poo your idea. I'm just trying to insure the downsides are brought to the forefront.

Now I did see a successful version. Model airplane builders in the late '70s. Several got together and chipped in and rented a cheap shop to build their planes. They did all their building there ... whenever they felt like it sometimes with the company of their friends, sometimes alone. But is was limited to the club, no general public. They ate the cost of the rent as part of the hobby and they never, ever, sold a anything to make money or recoup expenses (they crashed a lot so they were always building for themselves really).

[andy19191]

Re: Pricing Used DIYs for Sale?

If you can get the cost of materials for a second hand pair of speakers I think you will be doing well. A well known and liked design with a good finish might do it for the right buyer. If I was buying second hand DIY speakers I would start with a price around half the price of the drivers and adjust up and down depending on age, condition, what else might be of use, etc... Obviously this is as a DIYer that would strip the speakers for parts rather than as someone that would keep and use the speakers.

[bwaslo]

Re: Pricing Used DIYs for Sale?

The only DIY items I've been able to sell (other than ones made specifically for the buyer) have been to people wanting to use the parts in them for something else.

The problem is that DIY is for most others an unknown quantity -- did the diyer know what in hell he was doing? The only ones who might really know would be those who can DIY for themselves and those probably would rather DIY their own than buy someone elses (better bragging rights at least).

On the positive side, DIY equipment can be highly immune to theft, as its pawnshop resale value usually is approaching zero!

[edlafontaine]

Re: Pricing Used DIYs for Sale?

How does one recover $700 for drivers and crossover parts?

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?f...size=403%2C604

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?f...size=604%2C403

[Paul K.]

Re: Pricing Used DIYs for Sale?

I've sold 8 pairs of speakers over the last 12-13 years and have recovered driver and crossover parts cost on the average. That's how I priced the 3 pairs of speakers in my current PE ad, one pair which I've sold. Good to see you posting Ed.
Paul

How does one recover $700 for drivers and crossover parts?

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?f...size=403%2C604

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?f...size=604%2C403

[ontariomaximus]

Re: Pricing Used DIYs for Sale?

Those look great Ed. If they are the RS180-8 version, I can vouge for them, as I have been using that version for a number of years in my family room.