UCB Parents Recommendations
Buying on Ebay
Advice and recommendations from the UCB Parents mailing list.
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Buying Musical Instruments
2001
We are looking for a standard clarinet for my daughter, and I am very
confused about the price differences between ebay.com and the local music
stores. For example a Le Blanc Plus brand new clarinet costs around $2000
at the music store, but the starting bid at ebay is only $300. Anyone
recommend buying instruments from ebay? Thank you.
I haven't bought any clarinets but I've bought ~30 guitars from ebay.
I've also found that the prices people are asking (and the prices I've paid)
don't correspond to those in a standard retail store. I think it's because
some people are just getting rid of stuff and others sell stuff on ebay
as a business.
If you can get a $2000 clarinet for $300, and if there's nothing wrong with
the clarinet, then I'd say go for it. But, the last one is a big if. Unless
you know a lot about clarinets you need to be very careful. You'd definately
need some kind of examination period during which you can get your money back.
Whether you can get this or not depends on the seller, but you can always
ask.
Jon
You might want to check out this month's issue of Consumer Reports. They have
an extensive article about buying from on-line auctions, including tips to avoid
getting ripped off.
Helena
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UC Berkeley Parents Network and
should not be taken as a position of or endorsement by the
University of California, Berkeley.