Hey look... Audiogon raised their prices again!

[AMP]

As of today it would appear that Audiogon has, once again, adjusted their fee structure.

Now premium listings (which were $25 with no fees) are tiered based on item listing price:



The basic listing fee now tops out at $195 (or at a $9750 selling price).

More details on their page:

http://hub.audiogon.com/2013/12/audiogon-com-release-notes-12-09-13/

 

[1rsw]

I was just reading this....and fuming. Last straw for me, I'm done with them. Not only did they raise prices but they have also now blocked all other payment forms other than Paypal for standard ads. This is in the paragraph right below the one that says the only thing changing is the price. It's shady, greedy and in the end unwise but that will be for them to discover. It's so sad to see what has become of our once fine community.

 

[edorr]

As of today it would appear that Audiogon has, once again, adjusted their fee structure.

Now premium listings (which were $25 with no fees) are tiered based on item listing price:

View attachment 12896

The basic listing fee now tops out at $195 (or at a $9750 selling price).

More details on their page:

http://hub.audiogon.com/2013/12/audiogon-com-release-notes-12-09-13/

I have a bit of love hate relationship with Audiogon, but this strikes me as quite reasonable fee structure. For expensive items certainly cheaper than alternative channels.

 

[asiufy]

I don't think it's reasonable. If they took any part of the actual transaction (like providing an escrow service), than I can see them charging their fee based on the actual product.

Their participation on the deals are the same, regardless of the item price, so their fee shoud be the same.

Again, seems to me like the case of "something for nothing".

alexandre

 

[microstrip]

(...) It's so sad to see what has become of our once fine community.

+1

 

[jazdoc]

I've never listed on Audiogon...what was the previous pricing structure?

 

[AMP]

I don't necessarily have an issue with the pricing structure as they've now set it, BUT this smells more like a business without a plan than anything else. When they released the premium listings they were, frankly, far too cheap and I think a lot of users took advantage of that. After a few months they realized that they were losing money on the new fee structure and simply raised the prices with no warning to their user base.

The new fees could be a bargain (given the size of the marketplace), but Audiogon's desire to control everything makes using the service extremely difficult at times. Limiting communication between buyers and sellers under the guise of user protection does nothing more than cause severe frustration.

 

[MylesBAstor]

Bottom line is that I've never sold anything - while listing on many sites- except on Audiogon.

 

[audioguy]

When you are, for the most part, the only serious game in town, (and like it or not, they are), they get to charge whatever the market will bear. And while there are other sites on which you can sell stuff, Audiogon is still the best option.

When I want to sell a piece of audio equipment, they always get my business.

As I have said before, if someone is willing to make the investment (will be very large) and take them head on and market the crap out of the Agon replacement service, then and only then will we have a real option.

 

[MylesBAstor]

I have a bit of love hate relationship with Audiogon, but this strikes me as quite reasonable fee structure. For expensive items certainly cheaper than alternative channels.

What Audiogon is trying to do is make sure they get paid. In the past, people would sell something and then not pay the fee. Now it's all up front, no fuss no muss.

 

[thedudeabides]

Myles,

The fee can paid up front as a condition of listing the item.

I confirmed this afternoon that the seller must have a paypal account now as the method of payment. That means I have to open up a paypal account, which I have no desire in doing. Plus it adds an additional 3% for the transfer. Reminds me of the "Ticket Master" scam (controlling ticket sales) that occurs with those who wish to attend a mainline concert.

IMHO, specifying the "money manager" sucks and is blatantly unfair to any reputable seller.

Gordon

 

[MylesBAstor]

Myles,

The fee can paid up front as a condition of listing the item.

I confirmed this afternoon that the seller must have a paypal account now as the method of payment. That means I have to open up a paypal account, which I have no desire in doing. Plus it adds an additional 3% for the transfer. Reminds me of the "Ticket Master" scam (controlling ticket sales) that occurs with those who wish to attend a mainline concert.

IMHO, specifying the "money manager" sucks and is blatantly unfair to any reputable seller.

Gordon

OK didn't remember that option.

Don't sellers currently ask a premium for the use of Paypal? Of course now, that may be harder to do.

 

[jfrech]

supply and demand...makes you think twice about flipping something now...I remember the days it was $4 for anything....I think the thing that is starting to work against em is I used to list something and in 24 hours would have 3 or 4 offers...I recently old a tonearm and that took 2 weeks and now the guy is thanking me for the "trial period" he sent the money, I shipped the product...not sure what trial he's referring to...

...unless they have have a new "feature" I don't know about...

 

[Kingsrule]

Bottom line is that I've never sold anything - while listing on many sites- except on Audiogon.

Unfortunately +1

 

[Brian Walsh]

People have been complaining about Agon for quite a while. Until someone builds a better mousetrap where stuff sells quickly -- I've had zero luck with other sites -- I'm sticking with them, for better or worse. Don't get me wrong, I don't like them and wouldn't shed a tear if someone else came in and took away their share, but for now they're still the best game in town.

 

[puroagave]

Myles,

The fee can paid up front as a condition of listing the item.

I confirmed this afternoon that the seller must have a paypal account now as the method of payment. That means I have to open up a paypal account, which I have no desire in doing. Plus it adds an additional 3% for the transfer. Reminds me of the "Ticket Master" scam (controlling ticket sales) that occurs with those who wish to attend a mainline concert.

IMHO, specifying the "money manager" sucks and is blatantly unfair to any reputable seller.

Gordon

they may require you to have a paypal account but you don't have to accept it as a form of payment. it's set up so A'gon gets their fee taken out when the buyer transfers funds to the seller via paypal, you also have the option to add seller's fees in the transaction to cover the 3% and a'gon's 2% for that matter. I almost always take checks anyhow and loose nothing to paypal and thus control the payments for A'gon's fee on my terms.

 

[1rsw]

If I'm being completely honest, my response to this change comes with some bias, bias based in resentment. The core of this comes from how the revamped site/process changed the way I experience my hobby. This change was not subtle. Although the name remains the same, the site is far from what I know Audiogon to be. The former site had a spirit to it, this is 100% gone. Everything about my experience as an audiophile has changed as a result. The main outcome of this is I no longer buy and sell gear near the rate I once did so I don't get the same taste and feel of what is out there. My purchases/sales are maybe 5% of what they used to be. So thats the real tangible thing but there is a social aspect lost as well. I made many a good friend there in the past, some of my better friends to day, actually. Since the changes...I have not even interacted with anyone beyond that very basic business of a sale/buy let alone developed any relationships. These are just a few small samples, there are many other consequences related to that change...and yes I resent it. The site that goes by Audiogon but it is a very different animal compared to the site that previously used that name. So that is me getting real honest about the subject in general.

As for this new fee structure, it surprises me that anyone would see it as reasonable. What percentage increase is it (once you do that math show me any other business that has had such an increase)? Have any changes helped you as a customer? How often do you sell a big dollar item in the first listing cycle? How often did you into guys that prefer other payment methods? How do you go about selling an item in the $100 range? I can think of literally hundreds of issues with this structure/process and it shocks me that someone running a site like this would ..... actually....after seeing what they have done over the last year it does not....

 

[Steve Williams]

tough to argue with those comments as they are so true

 

[taters]

Bottom line is that I've never sold anything - while listing on many sites- except on Audiogon.

+1

 

[zermatt]

Looks like the Audiogon site has died, its been like this all day. Maybe the NSA pulled plug on there server!