for those of you who have sold used saddles

[asterix]

Any thoughts on what works best? My local consignment shop is not a place I like (they actually do not ever tell you if your saddle has sold -- you have to go over there and ask them:eek:)...
So...
online ads yourself (COTH, local USEA area, craigslist)?
send to a big consignment shop like trumbull mtn or ricks?

I've got two nice-ish but not crazy fancy/spiffy saddles to sell, one dressage and one jump, and I need to sell them fairly quickly to, er, finance the saddle I've already committed to buying. (yes, we love saddle fitting adventures...)

[QHEventr]

I recently had very good luck selling quickly on the area 8 website. I might try various area sites.

Johanna

[pharmgirl]

Well, you can find someone you know that is built similarly to you (*cough* in my case OneDaySoon *cough*:D ), that has a horse that might work for it and suggest they buy it from you ;)
(OneDaySoon-Seriously, no pressure.I honestly just thought about it possibly working for you since you have long legs like me)

You can also try the bits and barter board. I believe ads there are still free, so to me it's no big just to put something up there and see if you get responses.
http://bitsandbarter.proboards.com/

[Lilykoi]

For the less expensive saddles, I've done pretty well selling them on Ebay. I think the average price was around $500. I have sold a few expensive ones, upwards of $1K but
I think I had to relist a couple times.

[asterix]

yeah, I've put an ad on area ii...lilykoi, i'm above the 500 mark but not really north of 1000 so, hmm....
keep those suggestions coming. And, yeah, anyone built like me, hmm pharmgirl, let's see....

[WorthTheWait95]

I'm a H/J but have sold many, many top quality saddles on ebay with great results. All of them sold for over $2500, one went for $3200. :D You do have to pay small commissions on them to ebay and again to paypal but with such high end items it's just a small drop in the bucket.

[vbunny]

I have had a lot of luck with tacktrader.com and horsetopia. Plus they are free so no harm in trying ever.

[horsepix76]

I've had good luck with eBay. One saddle I did have to list twice. To date, I've sold three on eBay. All were in the $500 - $600 range.

[Brigitte]

I had quick response on 2 saddles I consigned thru Pelham Saddlery. One was around $800 and around $1700. It was worth paying the commission, they moved them fairly quickly and payed me promptly.

[JER]

eBay. I've sold half a dozen or so saddles via eBay and always had good experiences.

[yellowbritches]

We've had VERY good luck selling through the Tack Exchange in Middleburg. We've sold a lot of saddles through them, including some "hard sells", like the 19"- yep 19- Steuben that was given to the tiniest waif of a teenager (she was barely 5' and literally struggled to stay at 98lbs! It took a lot of prodding of mom and dad to let us sell it since it was a "gift". They didn't get that while it was a nice gesture, it was totally inappropriate!!!). Anyway, the Tack Exchange I think has a lot of traffic, so they seem, for the most part, to have decent turnover of the saddles. And the woman who determines the pricing is very knowledgeable, if a little abrupt sometimes.

[Dr. Doolittle]

We've had VERY good luck selling through the Tack Exchange in Middleburg. We've sold a lot of saddles through them, including some "hard sells", like the 19"- yep 19- Steuben that was given to the tiniest waif of a teenager (she was barely 5' and literally struggled to stay at 98lbs! It took a lot of prodding of mom and dad to let us sell it since it was a "gift". They didn't get that while it was a nice gesture, it was totally inappropriate!!!). Anyway, the Tack Exchange I think has a lot of traffic, so they seem, for the most part, to have decent turnover of the saddles. And the woman who determines the pricing is very knowledgeable, if a little abrupt sometimes.


:lol:

I had to laugh at your last sentence; yes (ahem), "a little abrupt" is a good description ;)

Ironically, I was *literally* just in there (a few hours ago) dropping off some stuff that I need to "offload", and of course I HAD to check out the used saddles, since I've been toying with the idea of changing out both my dressage *and* jumping saddles (in the case of my dressage saddle, it was bought for my last, late horse--and fits my mare okay, but I can definitely do better...)

So there it was, just waiting for me--the perfect used dressage saddle: a County Connection, nice condition, nice soft panels, well balanced, nice wide gullet, medium/wide tree, SHORT FLAPS :D, and when I sat in it, bliss. I took it right out to the barn and rode in it, and it was "all good"--both for me AND the horse :)

So, um, now I have to figure out what to do with my Theo Sommer (Egon Von Neindorf) single flap dressage saddle...

I have a friend/student who is an ebay "whiz" (and has even bought sold horse trailers via ebay!!), so my first thought was to ask HER to sell it for me on ebay (too bad there's not a store that does this, a la The Forty Year Old Viirgin), and that way it would have a wider potential market. I'm thinking I'll just set a relatively low price (that I can live with), and then let her price it a little above that, and keep any profit she gets!

As for the Tack Exchange, I sold a saddle there in one day, but I've also known people whose saddles have "languished" for many months; it's a bit of a crap shoot. (Plus they take 20%, of course...)

Anyway, I would be interested to hear what you wind up doing, asterix, since I am now in a similar boat!

[yellowbritches]

I had to laugh at your last sentence; yes (ahem), "a little abrupt" is a good description ;)
She literally laughed at me one day on one of my first experiences there. I took my old saddle (my FIRST saddle) into sell. It was an old flat as a pancake Barnsby that I was TOLD was probably about as old as I was (so, 20ish years at that time). It had been a very good saddle and I loved it, but after riding in a "real" saddle a few times after starting to work here, I realized it wasn't appropriate for the job. I took it in, showed it to her, realizing I wasn't going to get much for it, and told her how old it was. She LAUGHED at me, like in my face, and said it was AT LEAST 40 years old and there was no way she could sell it. What did I know?? I was 15 when I bought it and was basically told by my instructor "here. This fits you, fits Neigh for the most part, now give me a check." :lol: Anyway, she is abrupt, but she knows her stuff. :yes: The 20% is worth it in my book because she KNOWS what stuff is worth it and won't fool around.

Oh, I DID sell my ancient pancake...for 100 bucks at Poolesville Tack and Supply...didn't take too long, either! :lol:

[Firefox]

I have had really good luck with ebay, and I think the key is start the bidding low so people think that there maybe a deal there :)

[Dr. Doolittle]

She literally laughed at me one day on one of my first experiences there. I took my old saddle (my FIRST saddle) into sell. It was an old flat as a pancake Barnsby that I was TOLD was probably about as old as I was (so, 20ish years at that time). It had been a very good saddle and I loved it, but after riding in a "real" saddle a few times after starting to work here, I realized it wasn't appropriate for the job. I took it in, showed it to her, realizing I wasn't going to get much for it, and told her how old it was. She LAUGHED at me, like in my face, and said it was AT LEAST 40 years old and there was no way she could sell it. What did I know?? I was 15 when I bought it and was basically told by my instructor "here. This fits you, fits Neigh for the most part, now give me a check." :lol: Anyway, she is abrupt, but she knows her stuff. :yes: The 20% is worth it in my book because she KNOWS what stuff is worth it and won't fool around.

Oh, I DID sell my ancient pancake...for 100 bucks at Poolesville Tack and Supply...didn't take too long, either! :lol:

That's a great story; I imagine it was a bit overwhelming at the time :p

(I saw her go through the same speil with a woman over some boots the woman had brought in while I was there today--they were hunting boots, but apparently French tops are SO "not done" in the hunt field ;)--hence they were unsaleable. In her opinion, they are a "recent trend" in any case--she doesn't remember seeing them 7+ years ago! :D Hmmm, I had those same French tops on my Vogel boots in 1974...of course I was doing the hunters then, but I actually wore them for eventing as well. Never foxhunted in them, however...;))

[Hampton Bay]

I have had a good bit of luck on Ebay with saddles in the $1k range. The commission is so much lower on Ebay than it is at any consignment shop. Just do some research to see what things are selling for and make sure you list it competitively. Also, setting your bottom price as the starting bid and NOT putting a reserve on it tends to attract a bit more attention IMO.

[asterix]

Thanks for all the great advice, guys!
Dr. D, you are KILLING ME. The dressage saddle I am selling IS a County Connection, wide tree skid row, ok, not short flaps, but, hey, short billets, way easier to tighten your girth from on top. Phoeey. I woulda given you SUCH a deal.

sigh.

Ok, as an ebay virgin -- I have bought but never sold -- is selling without a "record" a problem?

[FootPerfect]

Ebay or TackTrader.com has worked well for me in the past. But with this economy don't get frustrated. I don't think anyone is buying anything these days.

[pharmgirl]

re: ebay. I am not an expert by any means but here are my thoughts. If you have bought via ebay you still have a record, just not as a seller. I think that still matters and is helpful in showing that you are honest and legit. What seems to help the most is being able to accept paypal cc payments. That will get things sold (and paid for) the fastest, IMHO.

[Nipntuck]

Yes, I think trying to sell a big ticket item without a history will drop your potential selling price. You could either buy and sell some lower $ stuff first or find a friend with a good history to list it for you. I've done that for a former boarder as a favor.

Ah, I didn't see that you had a selling history. Well worth a shot then, with accepting PayPal.

[asterix]

Well, to the person who said no one is buying, I am!!! that's why I have to sell...and as we can see Dr D just bought a saddle JUST like the one I'm selling. It's like dating -- the right guy is out there, the trick is to find him!

Ok, second dumb ebay question -- if, say, my sister is an ebay whiz but has never sold anything remotely horsey, is that a problem, or is her record/experience worth the same...

thanks, pharmgirl, on paypal. I have an account, will check on credit card stuff...

[pharmgirl]

WRT history and types of items, I think that is a personal preference in what each buyer looks for. Personally, I would probably be more inclined to go with someone who has had similar classes of items (even if just buying), just b/c it shows me that is what they are known for. If it's not something they normally would have, I might wonder...(again, just my personal preference)

[Sudi's Girl]

Depending on what you're looking for, they do consignment as well as trade in towards one of their saddles...I traded in two older saddles that didn't fit either of my horses, and got $1000 towards a new one. Worked well for me, and I thought they were very nice!!! :)

[asterix]

I didn't realize they did consignment as well as tradein -- I don't need to buy a saddle from them, just sell. thanks!

[jn4jenny]

I sell a few saddles every for friends. I used to sell for myself by "flipping" saddles, but the economy is too risky now to be doing that. But I get my target price every time.

My two cents? If you can possibly stand to sit on the money for 4 weeks, perhaps by temporarily shunting money out of shavings or charging the new saddle, do it for the following reasons:

1. The saddle market sucks in general this year, but it is SUPER bad in the winter. But one of the best times all year to move tack is mid-March thru mid-April when everyone is thinking about show season. Remember that a lot of folks have given their horses the winter off and/or are JUST starting to warm them up for the show season, and those people aren't even thinking about tack right now. If you're going to start an Ebay bidding war, you need multiple people with interest in your item. That won't happen in February; in February, you want to be looking for the single buyer out there who is desperate to find EXACTLY this saddle.

2. We're coming to the end of one of Ebay's financial quarters, and when they're looking at ugly numbers due to the economy, they often have a listing fee sale. While you're waiting for that listing sale, you can get your sh-- together by taking fabulous pictures and "practicing" for your Ebay listing on other sites. For a County Connection--which I sold last year for a friend with very similar specs to yours--Ewarmbloods.net is your best bet. I am a big fan of the scorched earth strategy and put saddle ads up everywhere that I can possibly put a free ad (Tacktrader, Bits and Barter, Ewarmbloods, Horsegroomingsupplies, The Outside Course, you name it), and I always offer a link when possible to a longer page with additional photos. This saddle I'm about to link to is long again sold (and I believe may even be on the market again from its new owner), but here's a sample: http://jenmichaels.wordpress.com/saddle4sale/

3. Because of how County builds its business model, most people who are shopping for a County Connection have already sat in one, put one on their horse, etc. You therefore have little reason to sacrifice 25% of your profit in commission fees to have someone handle the hassle and risk of sending your saddle out on trial to people. If you had a more rare piece of tack or one that wasn't hot on the market, I'd encourage you to consign it. But the County Connection is pretty darn popular, and if you're going to offer it at a sub-$2000 price, you have a very good chance of moving it quickly.

If and when you put it on Ebay, take about a billion pictures in good sunlight. Include shots with a tape measure to prove that your flap, seat size, tree size, etc. measurements are accurate. Pay extra for a 10-day auction to maximize the odds that someone will see your auction.

Good luck. I wouldn't want to be you right now!

[Bogie]

I've had very good success selling on E-bay although before I list it there, I generally try to sell it using one of the on-line bulletin board/forums. I sold a hard to sell saddle on www.equinesite.com last fall, for example. No commission, so you can list it for less.

I think that the woman at the Middleburgh Tack Exchange knows her stuff. She's given me great advice in the past. I also love the folks at Trumbull Mountain. However, they all take a commission and you have to decide if you want the convenience of sending the saddle to them and letting them market it, or spend the time themselves.

If you do sell on eBay, take lots of photos including those that show the measurement of the seat, tree width, flaps, etc. Make sure your saddle is scrupulously clean before taking pics, too.

[mvp]

Lightning G Horseman's Shop in New York might be able to help. They are on-line-- as usedsaddles.com, I think. The deal might work especially well for you if you want to buy a new saddle from them. They take a percent off their commission price in that case, and their new saddles are usually priced pretty well.

I agree that with a County Connection, you will have little trouble selling it on eBay. Prices now are not what they were last year, or may be later this spring.

Add plenty of pictures. Ask for payment via paypal within 2 or 3 days of the auction's end (of course don't ship without it). If you can offer pictures of the gullet, the tree size and picture with a measuring tape held in the front of the saddle, showing the space between the tufts of wool at the top of the panels, most people will have all the information they need.

Most e-bay sellers won't allow returns. While I won't buy a something as important, expensive and unique as a saddle this way, I see why sellers do use that policy. If you offer enough information and have a popular saddle in nice condition, I think you will find plenty of buyers willing to buy your saddle quickly.

-mvp

[Camp Girl]

I've sold via ebay without issue... and one locally through Tacktrader.com. You may not get the price you want with the way the economy is, so put a reserve on and you may have to relist once or twice. I'd recommend hold them until people get their taxes back and have a little extra spending money... or when the weather warms and people who haven't been riding during the winter start getting the bug. Things seem to go better then.

[Trixie]

I sold my last one at the Middleburg Tack Exchange, had no hassle, and made a profit. It was an easy transaction.

[Koko]

Another good place to market dressage saddles is on ewarmbloods.com. Lots of dressage folks look there.

[islandrider]

Ebay or tacktrader. I like tacktrader, it seems less mysterious than ebay.

[easyklc]

Ebay! I've sold five saddles there and only once did I have to relist, and that was only because someone used the "Buy It Now" option and then freaked out, because I use Paypal only for big transactions. Every other sale has been ideal. No issues whatsoever. The fees are reasonable, and really people buy used saddles like crazy on ebay, especially the well-known brands like County. People shopping usually know what they want and the whole process is easy from start to finish. I do hate boxing up saddles though! I have used UPS for shipping.

[Dr. Doolittle]

asterix, you have a PM...

[Ray]

sold mine on COTH web classified, went quickly, no problems

[asterix]

see, this is why I love COTH! jn4jenny, thanks SO much for all that great info.
I think this will go quicker than I originally thought, but I'm going to work on ads at all the free places first, and then brave ebay (only bc I don't have a lot of experience there!) if that doesn't work.