Best way to sell a saddle?

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poiuytrewq

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I have a really lovely Albion saddle I need to sell. It doesn’t fit my new horse and I’m hoping he’s my last ever “forever” horse so it’s no good to hang onto.
I could do in the usual preloved, Facebook selling pages, eBay snd sit and wait weeks with no interest (so far I’ve done nothing due to the mere thought of this!!)
Or I can keep it 6 months and part exchange it for a nicer long term saddle for my new horse.
Or, I take it to my local saddlery and see how them selling it for me works? Would I loose a fortune going down this route?
I know one of the last two sounds easier but I don’t want to only get peanuts for it.
 
Ive got 3 to sell! :( I cant bear the thought of advertising them, then struggling to find a box if I do manage to sell. Id much rather part ex towards one that fits but I know Im going to get much less than they are worth. So its looking like advertising them, and if they dont sell I can see if the saddler will take any of them in part ex.
 
It’s a bit of a nightmare isn’t it! I’ve actually got two but ones older and doesn’t really owe me anything. This one does!
I just looked at Sheepham saddles. They take 23% commission which I thought a lot!
Otherwise they will quote online if you provide correct photos. I think Saddles direct do the same. I may try that first just incase.
 
I’ve recently sold an Albion and a Bates through Saddles Direct. One was bought outright and the other sold on commission. I found them easy to deal with deal and got reasonable money for both.
 
Our local saddlers take 20% I think. Part exchange prices will vary depending on the price of your new saddle. To get the most money sell locally or by website that doesn’t charge commission. Both ways need endless patience as you wait for the right buyer.
 
i am also in the same position but i have given up horses as i am too crocked to do the looking after but mentally its killing me as i have had horses for over 50 years and selling my 2 saddles is very final...i have got an albion legend dressage saddle so its an old one but in good condition and i cant see me getting much for it as i cant go down the exchange route, so not sure what i will do with it, my other saddle is a gp and only 2 years old so i may have better luck but was thinking of trying saddles direct for a quick sale and no hassle. i worry that if i sold it privately and posted it the buyer may try and say its damaged etc...its a problem..:(
 
We should set-up a tread to match saddles wanted with ones for sale from members!

Im still trying to sell my saddle company saddle, since my horse passed away 18 months ago and i wont be getting another horse any time soon. ive tried the normal way, but im too scared to post it (you hear to many horror stories) plus i dont have a bx big enough.

Its for sale in the 'normal' places as collection only.
 
splashgirl45 said:
i am also in the same position but i have given up horses as i am too crocked to do the looking after but mentally its killing me as i have had horses for over 50 years and selling my 2 saddles is very final...i have got an albion legend dressage saddle so its an old one but in good condition and i cant see me getting much for it as i cant go down the exchange route, so not sure what i will do with it, my other saddle is a gp and only 2 years old so i may have better luck but was thinking of trying saddles direct for a quick sale and no hassle. i worry that if i sold it privately and posted it the buyer may try and say its damaged etc...its a problem..:(
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Take lots of photos as you pack it and do not refund until the ‘damaged’ saddle is returned.
 
we already have a place for sale items, you can put them on the regional pages but not on tack room etc....i did put mine on some time ago and may try again as it is a better time of year.
 
Also it’s worth paying the extra for a decent courier. My Hermes are ok for cheap items but I did once send a saddle with them and it arrived in a totally bashed up box (buyer photographed before opening) with corresponding damage to the saddle.
Try explaining to Hermes that scratches and cosmetic damage can vastly alter the value of a saddle 😩
 
I am not selling anything on eBay again, sold a saddle and the courier has lost it. Paypal refunded the buyer immediately without even fully investigating leaving me to chase the couriers for my insurance money.
 
buddylove said:
I am not selling anything on eBay again, sold a saddle and the courier has lost it. Paypal refunded the buyer immediately without even fully investigating leaving me to chase the couriers for my insurance money.
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Oh my god! Did you get your money back? That’s awful and actually very off putting
 
poiuytrewq said:
Oh my god! Did you get your money back? That’s awful and actually very off putting
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Not yet, I will be making a nuisance of myself until I do though. The annoying thing was that the courier company confirmed to the intended recipient that they had lost it 2 days before they fessed up to me. So I asked PayPal to hold refunding the buyer until I had confirmation. They didn't take a blind bit of notice, even when there was a real risk it could all have been a big con and just debited my PayPal account for the full whack!
 
Watching with interest. My daughter has been out of ponies for three years. I really need to get rid of all the pony size competition saddles. Plus her new hunter bust out of his "adjustable head" black country in less then a year so I have that to sell as well!
 
I'm selling mine at the moment, it is not a main stream make (Humphries and Swain holistic) so I have it on with a saddler who specialises in those types and will take 10% commission. Going to give it a month or two and then pop on FB etc if no luck. Saddle bank are another good company, they do buy some types of saddles outright.
 
I've heard some dreadful stories of people who've sold saddles on e-bay and the courier has "lost" their saddle in transit, or damaged it beyond belief, and they've had to fork out to the buyer. Makes you wonder if there isn't a huge trade in illicitly-gained saddles sent by courier going on somewhere and that someone somewhere knows there's a nice bit of easy cash to be made! - it makes me suspicious anyway.

I had a lovely saddle that had hardly had any use, which I didn't want to sell on e-bay (for above reasons, PLUS the blighters take a helluva lot of commission); and put it on Preloved for a decent price. It was a specialist make and didn't want to exactly give it away. It stayed there for a year-minus-a-day!! I was about to take it down and lug it off to the nearest second-hand tack shop, when I was contacted by a lady who is a fitter for this particular make of saddle, who wanted it for her client in the North of Scotland! (I'm in Devon). She didn't quibble re. the price. Would I post it?? Mmmm... reluctantly I agreed. She recommended the firm she uses all the time (Parcelforce) and with heart in mouth, off my beautiful saddle went! It arrived no problems. I was happy, she was happy, client was presumably happy.

I've actually got a treeless saddle I need to sell at the moment; so am following this thread with interest. Our local second-hand tack shop charges 20% plus a small handling fee of about a fiver if I remember right. I really can't be arsed to package the darn thing up and send it off - plus the risk involved, so will probably pay the commission and look sweet just to get rid.

Of course (edited) if you are still thinking of selling on e-bay OR Preloved, you can stipulate "collection only" and/or offer to meet someone half way and do the business; however having done this once I did feel a bit guilty and shady exchanging the saddle and pocketing cash at a motorway service station!! Just didn't feel right. If you DO go this route, get pictures of the condition of the saddle (especially if you've given them the permission to return the saddle if it doesn't fit), get receipts etc etc.
 
If there are reputable saddle fitters in your area, it's worth letting them know about the saddle even if they don't carry second-hand stocks. My Albion got its first sniff of interest through that route. (Being fitted some time this week, and fingers crossed it'll be gone!)

If Saddles Direct had offered me even half of what I was asking for it, I'd have sent it to them just for the convenience, but I refused to take pennies for a year-old, £1500 saddle in excellent condition. You may find they offer more for more widely-known models, though.
 
Pippity said:
If there are reputable saddle fitters in your area, it's worth letting them know about the saddle even if they don't carry second-hand stocks. My Albion got its first sniff of interest through that route. (Being fitted some time this week, and fingers crossed it'll be gone!)

If Saddles Direct had offered me even half of what I was asking for it, I'd have sent it to them just for the convenience, but I refused to take pennies for a year-old, £1500 saddle in excellent condition. You may find they offer more for more widely-known models, though.
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Saddles Direct pay well for popular saddles in colour and size they think will sell quickly. If you think your saddle is popular often worth getting a quote off them. Or Sheepham saddles

I have sold via facebook groups (are many local and specialist saddle buying / selling groups), preloved, and ebay. I do post or offer to drive an hour in their direction. I've probably sold 15 plus saddles this way over last 15 years, as part of having multiple horses and differing saddle needs. My strategy is research the market to know what a sensible price is for the secondhand saddle (it is generally 40-60% depending on condition and age, unless is so new a model are few second hand on the market). Advertise it as buy it now at this price with good photos, of saddle clean and in good light, provide all measurements, and serial number (on request), and all make model, style details. And wait. Everything I have done with this sells eventually. Though I think I have only had fairly popular brands.

I also keep a saddle sized box and bubble wrap and packing foam in the attic, and when see right box, grab it and hang on to it, so posting is low hassle.
 
Part exchanged my saddle with the saddler as I knew I would probably never get around to selling it (like most stuff in my house I need to get rid of) - not a brilliant price but it was worth it just to have it gone.

However, daughter did sell a saddle via Preloved to Scotland and the buyer organised her own postage. I packed up the saddle and told her the weight and she emailed us the label. I've posted on a thread about this before and someone didn't think this was a good idea but it worked for us.

The woman then readvertised the saddle for a lot more than we sold it for but that's another story.........
 
asmp said:
Part exchanged my saddle with the saddler as I knew I would probably never get around to selling it (like most stuff in my house I need to get rid of) - not a brilliant price but it was worth it just to have it gone.

However, daughter did sell a saddle via Preloved to Scotland and the buyer organised her own postage. I packed up the saddle and told her the weight and she emailed us the label. I've posted on a thread about this before and someone didn't think this was a good idea but it worked for us.

The woman then readvertised the saddle for a lot more than we sold it for but that's another story.........
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I’ve done all sorts of weird things to sell saddles!

I have sold a few through preloved, where people were happy to bank transfer and then I posted.

These weren’t people I had met! I packed well and posted, and they were very happy. Not high value saddle, but still, maybe I am cynical, as I am not sure I would have done that.

I have also done paypal, and paypal with a clear invoice stating what I was sending.

I will do bank transfers to buy equipment from strangers from facebook / preloved, but only up to about £60, and only if I think it is genuine. Not sure I’d transfer more for a saddle to be posted.

I also drove 60 minutes to a petrol station in the dark, to hand a saddle over to stranger, for £1,000 cash. All went fine, and saddle went to Germany, where are very happy with it. But was a bit nerve wracking!
 
Depends on how much hassle you want IMO - eBay etc. are a real PITA as you get so many dishonest buyers and eBay is so totally geared towards the buyers that honest sellers get shafted.

I think I'd much rather lose X% to a saddler than have the stress/potential loss, however I just PX'd my last one.
 
asmp said:
Part exchanged my saddle with the saddler as I knew I would probably never get around to selling it (like most stuff in my house I need to get rid of) - not a brilliant price but it was worth it just to have it gone.

However, daughter did sell a saddle via Preloved to Scotland and the buyer organised her own postage. I packed up the saddle and told her the weight and she emailed us the label. I've posted on a thread about this before and someone didn't think this was a good idea but it worked for us.

The woman then readvertised the saddle for a lot more than we sold it for but that's another story.........
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Ready to be corrected but I think if the buyer arranges postage you have no insurance if the parcel is lost as the postage is in the buyer’s name.
 
I have a number of saddles that I have collected over the years that I really do need to move on - all good makes (Albion, Kieffer, Vega, Ideal and Barrie Swain semiflex) but I just haven't got around to doing anything. It seems to be that all the saddlers in my area won't part exchange a saddle but will take it to sell on commission. I have shifted three in that way. I wouldn't use eBay anymore but did sell a saddle on Preloved although even though it was an Equipe Emporio it took quite a while to sell. I lost count of the number of people who contacted me so say they were interested but could I send it up to them to try on their horse first ….
 
Meredith said:
Ready to be corrected but I think if the buyer arranges postage you have no insurance if the parcel is lost as the postage is in the buyer’s name.
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But if the saddle got lost, the purchaser could claim her money back from the insurance as she had already paid me? I obviously had proof of postage.
 
My saddler takes a bit cut so always do Facebook market place and preloved, sold my saddle a few months ago on Facebook very straight forward!
 
asmp said:
But if the saddle got lost, the purchaser could claim her money back from the insurance as she had already paid me? I obviously had proof of postage.
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This is right, I only post anything I sell, fully insured for full value I am selling it at. Tracked and signed for. And purchaser pays the postage costs. I as a seller, have claimed for the odd lost or damaged item, and had no problems getting refunded.
 
I managed to sell two through ebay last year after having no interest on FB etc and the amount after commission from saddlers etc being too low.

One was sold to someone local and I drove it over so she could try it on her horse. The other went to Ireland and I fully insured the parcel and took as many photos, and a video, of it being packaged as I could and had a couple of sleepless nights but it arrived ok, thankfully.

Both were sold when ebay did 1% fees offers so I got pretty much the full price for them.

It's a real shame that there's these problems as it ruins the secondhand market for both sellers and purchasers and forces many of us to buy extortionately expensive new ones.
 
Squeak said:
It's a real shame that there's these problems as it ruins the secondhand market for both sellers and purchasers and forces many of us to buy extortionately expensive new ones.
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I don't really understand what is ruining the market for buyers or sellers. There are great saddles being bought and sold secondhand. It requires more leg work and initiative. But the saddle second hand market is very vibrant.
 
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