I’m happy to give my couple cents worth as others chime in.
What platforms have you tried and not been successful with?
I have a goodly amount of experience buying and selling on eBay and some on reverb.
I think open, honest, clear, transparent (as you are comfortable willing) communication is key with a buyer.
Negotiations and dialoguing about price is often appreciated while also having a firm amount you aren’t willing to go below that includes what will be taken out as costs/fees to you is important.
Including as much rationale, story, and history and current state of the item and your own is helpful. (Buying from someone who plays and knows accordion for a while and has some sort of verifiable experience repairing or Rhein we workings vs “I found this in so and so’s attic and I know nothing about accordions” or worse in my opinion, little to no info provided.) stating who and where someone took it to be evaluated is helpful. Or providing link to a forum where others chimes in about assessment/evaluation is helpful.
I don’t think a lot of buyers understand what and when eBay and reverb charges fees and costs to sellers, so sometimes some straights forward and kind education is helpful.
While not the conventional way of doing things, I have gotten creative sometimes with sellers and buyers….moving communication off the website and then discussing possible trades with or without money (if of interest to you) and negotiating price based on willing to meet up and travel vs ship.
Though the websites don’t encourage it and seem to have structures in place to try to prevent it, sometimes my purchase experience get done done through PayPal, Venmo, Zelle, other similar mutually agreeable platform and then one could by pass the sites .
You probably saw it but there is also the thread …
Selling your accordion on eBay?
I thought it might informative if we could pool our knowledge on the costs (& more) of the various ways to sell the spare accordion you've grown out of/inherited etc. I know of Gumtree, Preloved, eBay and various outlets that will sell on commission or for a fee or free (?) but not sure what...
www.accordionists.info