The Music Room is Slipping

I can understand the frustration when selling anything used. I have used TMR and other similar audio resellers plus Amazon and eBay which I classify as generic resellers.

The simple rule is the used value is the price someone will actually pay for a used item, not a percentage of new price (including shipping costs and taxes). For that very reason a number of high end audio retailers I used won’t touch trades or used transactions. It's a totally subjective business.

I have had nothing but reasonable, clearly understood transactions with TMR.  

I was just at their store yesterday. Super nice people.

I sell in other places because they have never offered me a price which worked for me, but they offer a convenience factor which is really a value to many people. 

I buy from TMR, though. That’s an easy call.

Tariffs are likely having an impact on pricing. Not their fault.

Their used gear pricing lately does seem to be getting "too spicy". I've definitely noticed that; it felt like I was seeing much better deals with them in past years. I believe they can command a premium over private sellers, but their prices are creeping over "not worth it" territory for a lot of items - more every day.

This. 

Also, they seem to get a lot of not-very-exciting gear. I think I read somewhere that TMR sells off the runoff of PS Audio's trade program; if that's true, that would explain the surfeit of PS Audio gear and all the lofi stuff like NAD.

And finally, their emails seem to be getting a little too frequent and too "loud", but maybe that's just me.

Six months ago, I sold TMR an integrated amplifier and they paid more than I expected and also paid for shipping the item. Their communication was first class and I would do business with them again,  although I have not purchased anything from them.

I've bought a few things from TMR over the years and have been satisfied.  You pay a little more than a private sale, but there is a little, sometimes a lot, more security in the transaction.  Where I have an issue is selling to them.  I had an older Audio Research tube amp which I had been hanging on to for a long time.  I did not have a complete box for it, so I was afraid to ship myself.  I contacted them and they offered $500.  Below what I expected, but not that far off what I thought I could sell it for, at best $1000.  I was already driving from Michigan to Colorado, I was visiting PS Audio, so I said I would drop it off.  I saved them some shipping charges and thought they would give slightly more when I dropped it off.  Nope.  Well, I watched the site and they listed it within three days for $1500!  I looked closely at the pictures and didn't appear they did anything to it; it was in good shape, fully functional and had a low hours set of tubes.  Sold within a few days.  No idea if it went for full price, but they typically don't discount much initially.  So I assume they made a quick $1000.  I was not happy with that and contacted them.  First contact was from a salesman saying "we can't do anything".  Second contact was to the owner and he said, "what do you want me to do?"  At that point I was pretty annoyed, why can't you just say here's a $xxx credit to make the customer happy.  I just told them I was not going to do business with them.  Haven't bought anything since, though I'm over it and may buy again.  I don't trust private sales from total strangers anymore.  If anyone is trying to sell and you don't like the offer, but you want to get rid of the item sell it on consignment.  I would have been much better off that way ...