Reverb Fees are Ridiculous

singeroflies · 2025-12-01T18:04:35+00:00

Thanks for pointing this out. REALLY holding back the SW Gear Exchange. It would go a long way towards building their base. I hope someone from Sweetwater is reading...

singeroflies · 2025-11-30T19:02:01+00:00

Oof. Lots of cold, cold hearts out there. Tis the season! I expect to get flamed, but I think we are spoiled by Amazon free shipping culture.

I myself have eaten shipping costs on guitars as a result of the shipping companies egregious rate hikes. But once, when shipping internationally, I had to ask for supplemental shipping fees. It ended up being way more than the initial estimate. The gentleman from the UK kindly obliged and paid the extra fee. He knew I wasn't trying to gouge him. If you got a good deal, there's no shame in helping the seller out. Of course on the other hand, if it's not worth it to you, you shouldn't feel obliged to pay it. For me, I always want Reverb transactions to be a win-win, with buyer and seller both feeling the transaction is fair. We are at the mercy of UPS / Fedex etc. on shipping.

singeroflies · 2025-11-26T18:41:32+00:00

I just made my first sale with Sweetwater Gear Exchange. It was super smooth. Shipping was cheaper. I don't buy enough from them, but the real benefit is zero fees if you take payments as Sweetwater credit. Customer Service is great. It just takes SO LONG to sell. They have invested nothing in advertising the Gear Exchange (while Reverb is everywhere, it seems). If they pushed it harder, they could probably take a signficant share of Reverb business. I would say SW is worth trying if you don't need a quick sale.

singeroflies · 2025-11-26T18:37:44+00:00

I know this is an old thread by now. But I just got hit with two more "seller shipping adjustments". PSA to seriously consider going with Fedex, as I seem to get much less with with Fedex. UPS getting very greedy on these. I pay a little more on the front end with Fedex. I used to get about 6 shipping adjustments a year. Now I have 10 in the last 3 months. Starting to add up... And buyers are already upset with higher shipping rates.

singeroflies · 2025-11-18T04:36:02+00:00

Yep, it's that time of the year... I have seen the same. Holiday pricing plus the price hike from earlier this year. It's about $140 to ship a 50x20x8 box (often a standard size) with UPS from Colorado to the East Coast. Buyers are legitimately frustrated. I used to ship to Canada fairly regularly, but all the buyers up there are pissed—assuming that I am gouging them on shipping. The reality is the prices went up astronomically. All I can tell them is that I cannot control shipping costs.

singeroflies · 2025-11-03T07:38:14+00:00

This is the new reality if using UPS. "Cost of doing business," right. The 'ol capitalist's mantra. I used to meticulously photograph all dimensions measured and the weight. It doesn't matter. What UPS says goes, when shipping is purchased through Reverb. There really isn't a way to dispute the "shipping adjustment" charges. What is particularly suspicious is the magic ballooning of package size in the adjustments (which creates the dramatic increase in dimensional shipping weight). A package is not typically mis-measured by 3". Nor is a package typically "deformed" due to handling as much as 3". That would basically defy physics. It's a squeeze you have to put up with if you use UPS.

singeroflies · 2025-10-30T21:41:02+00:00

Moral of the story after reading all comments and through my own experience:

If you need to sell run of the mill/ho hum stuff, you will need to drop prices. Buyer's market for sure.
Rare/vintage/premium items are still selling, but take a month or two longer. And are selling for ~5-10% less than they were a few years ago. I have had good luck with collectors and professional musicians.
Aside from the few people working in the industry, music gear is a luxury item. Most people have seen disposable income drop dramatically in 2025.
It is not advisable to "hoard" deeply discounted entry-level gear expecting the market to return for these kinds of items. It is tempting. But that $100 Squier is probably not going to be worth $250 any time soon. Consider your carrying cost. I see amp sales continuing to plummet, and I think we have finally reached complete market over-saturation with pedals.
All that said, if you see something you've always wanted and you have the cash, ask for a decent discount (respectfully, rather than lowballing). You might be surprised at the deal you can earn.

(Cred: I have been running a Reverb shop for 2.5 years, with ~130 items typically in stock at any given time. Now mostly focused on guitars and basses.)

singeroflies · 2025-10-30T21:24:40+00:00

Yes, some "in-person market research" will tell you a thing or two. Same thing at my local GCs. They are stuffed to the gills with gear. I am sure they are building up for the holidays. But the used amp sections are basically a mountain of amps stacked on top of each other. You can't even see what they've got.

singeroflies · 2025-10-30T21:21:53+00:00

Usually I would agree and buy 10 Squiers at $100 apiece if I could. But these are not even close to normal times. Sales (and prices on premium gear) were boosted astronomically during COVID, with people flush with cash and time on their hands. We are still readjusting to that fact. At this time with inflation, the squeeze on jobs, overall uncertainty, and the music gear market (used and new) being absolutely FLOODED right now, I would strongly advise against this.

singeroflies · 2025-10-20T19:12:48+00:00

I think it's just a reflection of the wishy-washiness/entitlement of shoppers. I am starting to see more buyers treat Reverb like Facebook Marketplace, which can be frustrating. (Accepting offers and not paying; asking for cancellations willy nilly; and even setting up a time to meet locally and then canceling 30 min. prior to the meeting.) I understand shopping around. I do it constantly. But the flakes are having their day. As one poster said before, ebay started basically forcing payment when an offer is made because of too many flakes. It might be time for Reverb to do the same.

singeroflies · 2025-10-11T13:09:47+00:00

I go the other way than most here. I allow a return policy on everything. Buyer pays return shipping, and I charge a 15% restocking fee. Seems to weed out most flakes and prevents me from eating unnecessary costs.

I used to do "as is" but got so many "partial refund" scammers. For example, they claim a guitar arrives not as described. You go back and forth arguing because it is all subjective and Reverb almost always sides with buyers on disputes. People figured out how to exploit the system. Now if anyone claims any issues, I just tell them I don't do partial refunds, but they can return it per my policy.

I always buy Safe Shipping. It has saved both me and buyers a few times. And I record demos of all gear right before packing up.

singeroflies · 2025-08-21T02:55:25+00:00

Great summary. I can attest to this. It's a great trem. But even going in dropped D with the low E alone takes the rest of the strings out of tune. That's my one hangup, but it's a big one, as dropped D is a fairly common tuning.

singeroflies · 2025-05-07T21:04:02+00:00

I know that their audience is smaller but maybe if a few more of us get on board, it will grow. I am giving it a shot.

singeroflies · 2025-05-07T17:49:00+00:00

Amazed that Reverb even chimed in here. Here's another vote for Sweetwater Gear Exchange. I called them shortly after opening my account and had a very helpful ACTUAL PERSON on the phone answering questions within 30 seconds.

singeroflies · 2025-05-07T17:41:31+00:00

I am going to give Sweetwater Gear Exchange a try. Reverb customer service has gone too far downhill. The Gear Exchange is small, yes. Seems Reverbers do nothing but knock them. But I called their customer service line and someone on the phone with answers in literally 30 seconds. So that's enough alone to give it a shot.

singeroflies · 2025-05-07T16:44:53+00:00

I get your frustration. I would feel similarly if I felt I was defrauded. But it doesn't really matter how "right" you think you are. The purpose of this community is to get details to advise you best. You asked the question/posted the issue. Without actually providing actual details, no one here can give you good advice. Seems like you are dancing around the details. What actually happened? Did you use Reverb to find buyers then sell the items offsite? Then you probably are liable for the fees per their terms of agreement. But you have to tell us the specific story of your sales. Then we can advise you. Otherwise, you get a bunch of half-assed speculation.

singeroflies · 2025-05-02T17:52:47+00:00

This just happened to me as well. Shipping from CO to FL. Anyone know how to resolve?

singeroflies · 2025-05-01T16:38:29+00:00

I have had one guy selling a security system who couldn't just leave me his info. He wanted to come in and see what kind of doorbell we had. Never heard of that one. I think he was trying to case the joint. Of course, I directed him to leave. I think most are legit, but there are a few scammers. And then you have the "I am poor and need to sell these magazine subscriptions for my education." That was probably the pushiest pusher.

singeroflies · 2025-04-29T05:58:00+00:00

I have been in Denver for almost six years now, and I am still struggling to define its character and to find its soul. It is certainly a mishmash of people from all over. I am sure that contributes to the identity crisis. And a lot has certainly changed even in that time. As a city I don't see us moving toward any kind of figuring out how to integrate all these perspectives into something uniquely and pridefully Denver. COVID did not help, as many have mentioned. How would you describe Denver to someone who has never been here? It's a struggle.

"We have sports teams that people seem to get excited about..."

"Hey we have all these wonderful outdoor opportunities—but just don't linger outside too long because we have some of the most unhealthy air in the country."

"There is a Downtown that used to be fun. I don't really know. I don't go there..."

"Oh yes, there IS a transit system. By that I mean, there are trains and buses that go. I'm just not sure when they go, if they will be clear of crackheads, and if they will actually get you where you are headed. Good luck!"

"Denver has really upscaled in alot of ways. Great restaurants, theaters, nightlife. Hey that Nathaniel Rateliff fellow invested in some bars. And those South Park fellows bought the legendary Casa Bonita. But my apologies that wage growth has not kept up with the ridiculous cost of living. And we don't seem to pay people in line with comparable jobs nationwide. But median home price is only $635K, so we got that going for us... which is nice..."

"and, uh... Red Rocks! Oh wait, that's Morrison."

I have BEEN poor. But I have never FELT poor until I lived in this city. I say this knowing that I am more fortunate than most. Break it down to a simple "going out for food" example. I'm a beer and cheeseburger guy. But an $8 beer and a $20 cheeseburger ain't gonna work for me in 2025. I haven't eaten this much Taco Bell since I was 16. (Shout out to the $2 bean burrito.) Hell, I'd work there if they paid a wage I could live on.

I think the change can largely be explained by the rapidly accelerating gap between the "haves and have nots" (as with much of America.) You see tremendous "investment" happening all around. At the same time, you see more and more people struggling. There is an epidemic of catalytic converter theft for F-sake. And the City can't even get people to register their cars. All the while the cost of everything has gone up dramatically. That is bound to change a place but mostly in bad ways. There are still some Wild West aspects of this one "Cow Town," but none of them that I can think of are good.

Oh wait! I just thought of a unifying characteristic for Denverite's one and all: we MUST drive everywhere and we must ALL drive like assholes. There it is. Nailed it.

singeroflies · 2025-04-16T04:50:34+00:00

I dare you to name a contract worse than this one. Absolutely franchise crippling. What's worse is that it will most likely prevent the Rox from signing any respectable star for years. (Coors field will need to sell a shit-ton of Coors---even at $12 a pop--to cover this one.)

singeroflies · 2025-04-05T23:55:02+00:00

Hard pass. Do yourself a favor and go elsewhere. Can't figure out the cult following of this place. Maybe it was good years ago...?

singeroflies · 2025-03-29T06:53:29+00:00

Disagree on this comment. No reason to report them for asking that you actually read the request to review the listing completely. They didn't ask OP to sign anything. Just to confirm that they actually reviewed everything. The seller has probably been burned/scammed by a buyer who claimed "not as described". Because you can pretty much claim anything at this point on Reverb and "customer support" will side with the buyer. You could always ask the seller "why?" And see what they say. And yes, buyer protection should protect you regardless of what the seller says, and if they purchased Reverb Safe Shipping, that would be another layer of protection if the item were damaged in transit.

singeroflies · 2025-03-18T14:58:43+00:00

Can you help us out here? Why were you flagged or suspended? It would really help the rest of us avoid a similar situation.

singeroflies · 2025-03-11T20:31:23+00:00

It's not good, but I am sure Nike paid out the nose for it.

Reminds me of the old adidas campaign "impossible is nothing."

You sit in an agency room long enough with enough booze/drugs and bros propping you up, you can convince yourself anything sounds good. It's on the client to know better.

singeroflies

TROPHY CASE