Why? Because if you people aren't interested in it, the resale value is S***!

Mostly true!

There's Whiteblaze and PCT-L for those that don't live next to those trails.

Oddly, I buy cottage for function unavailable elsewhere.

I've had worse experience with resale of big name brand items.

YMMV, obviously.

Edited by grampa on 05/14/2012 20:48:11 MDT.

"I've had worse experience with resale of big name brand items."

+1 I think it depends on the reputation/quality of the cottage gear maker. I've found that MLD and Tarptent in particular move very quickly and at a decent price.

I don't buy things to re-sell, I buy them to use

"I don't buy things to re-sell, I buy them to use"

+1

I can't believe your MLD stuff hasn't sold already as well. Sorry it did not work out for you and now you have to go through this.

I know I'm very conservative, financially, but I don't really count on resale for anything smaller than a car.

That said, any sale is about "serviceable, available, market." The available market is the total number of people who what what you have, and the serviceable part is the fraction you can reach. BPL's gear swap is amazing for making a relatively small available market serviceable for you ... but cottage products aren't about big markets.

Never occurred to me when buying gear that I will be selling it again.

As Jerry noted, I buy my gear to use...not to collect.

The gear I use eventually wears out and needs to be replaced. Be it cottage gear, mainstream gear or my skis.

As a side note, I do have one exception: I did sell a Gatewood Cape I no longer use for what I think was a fair price to both me and the buyer.

I was going to say the same thing....I don't buy gear based on the thought of resale. I tend to keep my gear in most cases even when I buy new gear.
Buying based upon resale makes no sense. Buy gear to use it, not keep all perfect just in case you buy even more gear......

Another "that said" ... the pictured Tarptent Moment was purchased here in the Gear Swap, and I love it ...

Never liked cottage cheese anyway.

While I don't buy gear with the the intention of reselling it later, sometimes the piece doesn't always work out like I had hoped. It can be frustrating to buy a piece of cottage gear for a premium price and when it doesn't work out ending up eating it on resale as well. Fortunately most cottage manufacturers I have dealt with have excellent customer service and return policies.

I did buy it with plans of using it...a lot. I wasn't expecting to land the job that I did. Well not as quickly as I did. Initially it was supposed to be a start in the fall job. That changed to can you start in 2 weeks. New job = less time backpacking/cancelled trips.

The reason I went with MLD was because of recommendations on here. And as usual, the ever-present "if it doesn't work out, you could always sell it on here" which seems to be said most to new people who are looking to transition to UL backpacking.

It would be awesome if people on here wouldn't make assumptions. Not cool people. I buy gear to use, not resale. I guess I should have expected this though.

I've even tried to post this on the MLD Facebook page and it was taken down by Ron. He sent me an email saying: I am going to delete the buy/ sell post- we don't really have a place for used gear sales on the MLD group and it's never come up before. I am sure it would sell fast on the BPL forum. Peace.

Edited by rps76 on 05/15/2012 08:21:58 MDT.

LOL - Dude, it's not the manufacturer, it's the product(s). Here's your problem - there are a **lot** of people in the UL space who have embraced MYOG. Therefore, by definition, you're just not going to have the kind of market for re-sale that one might normally expect.

Here are some key points:
1. Out of the big three MYOG projects (tarp, quilt & pack), tarps are the easiest. For $60-70, even a beginner can construct a nice, functional tarp out of silnylon 1sts built to their *specific size & requirements*.

2. The bug bivy is a sort of special purpose, luxury item. Again, if you're dealing with experienced UL people, they are either going to (a) sew on around $10 of netting to the perimeter of the tarp; (b) take a headnet; (c) take a (real) bivy; or (d) go sans netting (my option - just takes lots of DEET).

You are no different from millions of other consumers who have walked into a retail situation, bought @ full price, and then discovered that (true) re-sale value is around 50% of retail. (Heck, REI's entire business model is based on this premise.)

Instead of criticizing a first-rate builder like MLD, perhaps you should first look to yourself. Here's an idea - keep the gear. It will last for years.

Edited by Hobbesatronic on 05/15/2012 09:34:27 MDT.

I'm not trying to be snarky of flippant, but according to your post history you posted the original ad in GS at 2:30pm on Saturday, today is Tuesday morning, less than 96 hours later, be patient man. No need to fly off the handle just yet.

"You are no different from millions of other consumers who have walked into a retail situation, bought @ full price, and then discovered that (true) re-sale value is around 50% of retail."


Errr.... yes!

I've always sold things on here for 50-60% of what I bought them for (after using them for a bit or a while) and that always seemed reasonable to me. If it was a Sierra Designs tent or North Face backpack, I don't think it would sell for a better percentage elsewhere.

Sometimes it takes a bit of bumping and fortuitous timing, as FS items tend to sink fast in the forum and the search function isn't the greatest. Sometimes people who want an item just don't see it as it sinks past. Keep at it.

You won't get what you paid for it, no matter how gently used. [1]

Be it cars, gear, electronics, etc.


Bummer..but true.

Then there's the whole housing market bubble. ;)


[1] obvious exception such as rare art and so on

Daniel, they've actually been up for sale for more than a month (see http://www.backpackinglight.com/cgi-bin/backpackinglight/forums/thread_display.html?forum_thread_id=62765&skip_to_post=537253#537253) and the price has been dropped significantly. Personally, I would have expected them to go before now.

Edited by WilliamC3 on 05/15/2012 10:07:06 MDT.

OK, You got a job and have less free time. Meaning you are now like most of us. But I am not following why you then need to sell said gear. Because you can't get out as much?
I have 3 kids now and get out way less (my youngest is 3 months old). But I keep my gear. Eventually life will settle and I'll get out more.
So why is it you want to sell it? That you don't like it? You need the money? But don't blame it on life changing - you could always squeeze in short trips!

Price: I feel that $200 is fair. I am open to offers.

Reason for selling: Most of my trips will now be with my fiancé. We have a tent for that. And also I figured there was someone out there who is looking for something along the lines of this shelter that did not want to wait 10 weeks for it.

Needing the money is not the issue. It doesn't make sense to have a shelter sitting in my closet when there are people out there who could use it more than me.

Wow. Slow your roll kids.

How to start an argument online: Step 1. Post a thought. Step 2. Wait.

Egh. You're right. I just remember seeing the Gear Swap thread over the weekend, and found this thread near the most recent posts:

http://www.backpackinglight.com/cgi-bin/backpackinglight/forums/thread_display.html?forum_thread_id=64000&skip_to_post=548184#548184

Mah Bad. I reconsider, a month is a long time to have a cottage shelter hanging around.

I'd probably have considered it had I not just bought a SMD Lunar Solo.

Shame your kit did nor sell Rs.

Hope it works out for you.

My suggestion would be to split the two items up instead of selling as a pair. A lot of people have tarps, but no nest. So should open up to more potential buyers assuming the price is right for each. All of us would love to get full price on anything we sell, but unfortunately that just isn't the case no matter where we sell something. Hope it sells man.

Ryan

Edited by ViolentGreen on 05/15/2012 10:52:02 MDT.

Price devaluation of new products is just a fact of life in almost all products. By a brand new car drive it off the lot.You decide you don't like the car a month later try trade it in and it worth 25 to 40 % less than you paid for it.

The problem with BPL gear swap is people have been paying way above retail for cottage made products that have long wait times to get from the manufacture. In reality they should pay at least 20% below retail price because when the product gets to your door at your home and you open the box it devaluated. But some people have been lucky to sell the rare equipment way above retail so everybody else think they can sell at the same prices.
Then theirs the people who buy stuff on clearance sale at 50% off or greater from a manufacture or retailer sit on it for a few months then try to get full retail to turn a profit.

Also have noticed on the BPL gear swap people will post a WTB product for equipment they want, Instead of people replying to the WTB posting person. You see two to six individual posting by people selling the same exact equipment , That the original WTB products poster wanted at full retail or above.
That what I see wrong with BPL gear swap it not only prevalent on this board I have seen it happen on all kinds of hobby boards also.
Terry

Edited by socal-nomad on 05/15/2012 11:02:36 MDT.

"I don't buy things to re-sell, I buy them to use"

Yah. It is gear not a stamp collection.

"I've always sold things on here for 50-60% of what I bought them for (after using them for a bit or a while) and that always seemed reasonable to me."

+1 In those cases, I consider the 50% I lost a rental fee.

"Sometimes it takes a bit of bumping and fortuitous timing, as FS items tend to sink fast in the forum and the search function isn't the greatest. Sometimes people who want an item just don't see it as it sinks past. Keep at it."

Timing, IMO, is particularly important. Not a good idea, for example, to post a FS on Saturday evening.

Awesome. Thanks for commenting on my rant. It may go on to page 30. She is gone to a good owner.

Q :How much is this worth ?
A: Are you buying or selling ?

Recently we had a long thread that started with the comment that people are asking too much for their SH gear.
In a different thread another guy that loves to rubbish a particular brand backed up his opinion by saying that obviously it does not work because you see that brand often for sale here.
The trouble with that is that it is one of the few (if not the only one...) that you see selling at around 20% less than new.
And yes it is a cottage manufacturer, no you don't have to wait 2-3 months for it and yes there are also WTB posts for it...
So as you can see some will be happy and some not so much , it all depends if you are buying or selling...
BTW, you know the saying "diamonds are forever ? " well that is because you can't sell them...
Franco

The reason I went with MLD was because of recommendations on here. And as usual, the ever-present "if it doesn't work out, you could always sell it on here" which seems to be said most to new people who are looking to transition to UL backpacking.

It would be awesome if people on here wouldn't make assumptions. Not cool people. I buy gear to use, not resale. I guess I should have expected this though.

you see this all the time ...

1. youll take a loss as some people here seem to be suggesting a bit of deep discounting

2. you can no longer resell it on here if you arent a BPL member ... where else will you resell it ????

3. youll have tons of people start telling you that you should buy gear to use not to resell ... even though they told you that you can always resell it here .... they didnt seem to mention the loss youll be taking at the time

4. if you bought it from REI, you wouldnt be having this discussion ...

and yet people keep recommending their fanboy gear especially personal fit items like packs, shoes, etc ... rah rah rah like cheerleaders ...

Edited by bearbreeder on 05/18/2012 00:44:48 MDT.

A few months ago I recommended someone on another forum become a member here to sell his cuben Lightheart tent. I told him it'd sell very quickly at his desired price on the BPL Gear Swap. I was wrong.