Guide on Selling Musical Instruments Online

Guide on Selling Musical Instruments Online

£25 (excl. VAT) per month + selling fees
An Amazon seller showing his excitement on this new sale

Selling musical instruments online

The rapid growth of e-commerce has provided lucrative avenues for sellers and buyers looking for all kinds of equipment, including musical instruments. While many may not think there’s a big enough market to sell musical instruments online, the reality shows otherwise. A lot of musicians – and even people who are just learning music – are on the lookout for instruments being sold online. This includes popular instruments like guitars, keyboards or drums, but also accessories like cymbals, picks, drumsticks, microphones, amplifiers, and so on.

So, whether you are a passionate music aficionado looking to sell guitars online – or sell drums, pianos, keyboards, etc. – or you’re involved in the music business and want to explore where to sell musical instruments online, this is an increasingly popular market you can try to tap into.

This article will serve as an introductory guide to both established as well as new sellers who are exploring different ways to set up an online store to sell music instruments. It will cover everything from how to get started to details of how to list products, potential pros and cons of selling this kind of equipment online, as well as understanding fulfilment, inventory management and fees.

So, without further ado, let the music begin!
Selling Guitar on Amazon

How to start selling music instruments online

The good thing about e-commerce is that an online music instruments store – properly set up and strategically marketed – can help you reach a local and global audience, which can potentially help you increase buyers, boost sales, and possibly increase your overall revenue. The process of setting one up isn’t complicated either – in fact, it’s rather straightforward.

To start with, decide whether you want to set up your own site or use an existing one like Amazon. You can also just market yourself on social media to sell directly to customers.

Using established e-commerce websites to sell musical instruments could prove to be helpful in many ways: they provide sellers with access to an existing customer base, which can sometimes be quiet extensive. Next, the back-end – the website, hosting, servers, the various features you need on your online store page or individual product pages – are already set up, tested and working. You can also easily list your products, and take advantage of various additional tools and programmes. All that being said, existing sites tend to have a standard template and design. If you want something highly customised or aligned to your specific preferences, it is difficult to find that kind of flexibility. There may also be restrictions on what you can and cannot do on the site that you’re a seller on. If these are non-negotiables for you, then you can explore setting up your own website.

Sellers who choose to create their own ecommerce website to sell musical instruments have more control over the user interface, branding, and messaging. Everything can be tailored exactly the way you want it. However, be aware that setting up a website and maintaining it could take away from time that would best go to key business activities. It could also potentially cost a lot more than just signing up to an existing site. Last but not least, when you run your own site, any issues that crop up will be your responsibility to handle – you may not have access to an established IT support crew that can step in to solve issues for you.

Finally, sellers can utilise social media platforms to sell musical instruments or musical accessories. This has the advantage of reaching an international audience quickly and with few restrictions, making use of algorithms, trends, and more. Keep in mind, however, that social media sites are saturated with sellers – so, unless you already have a large following or are popular in your field, it may be quite difficult to gain enough traction to turn a profit.

Overall, each method you choose to sell musical gear online comes with different benefits and challenges. So, take some time to consider where to sell musical instruments, as well as the different aspects of each option before making a choice – make sure that whatever you choose aligns with your specific needs, budget, preferences, and convenience.

Why sell musical instruments on Amazon

Selling products on Amazon can be an easy, flexible and convenient option for sellers just starting out, including people who want to sell music instruments or sell equipment online. Amazon is a trusted website that is renowned worldwide, connecting sellers to millions of potential buyers. It also offers sellers a large number of programmes and services to help boost their sales, advertise their products, and many other benefits.

Signing up to sell on the website is very straightforward and designed to be beginner-friendly. All anyone interested in becoming a seller on Amazon has to do to get started is to sign up on Seller Central. This is Amazon’s dedicated site for sellers, which provides a host of information and services. Once the sign-up process is done, the seller then needs to provide required information, like personal and business details, tax information, and bank account details.

Once your account is all set up, the next step is to choose a sales plan. This crucial decision can help you shape the way you run your store. Amazon offers two primary selling plans, the Individual plan, and the Professional plan. Choosing between the two has to do mostly with the volume of sales.

The basic difference is that the Individual selling plan on Amazon charges sellers a fixed fee per item sold per month, which makes it more suitable for sellers with smaller inventory, or those who make few sales per month. The Professional selling plan charges a set amount per month regardless of how many units are sold. This makes it better suited for sellers that make more sales per month.

Listing musical instruments on Amazon

Once you have chosen your sales plan, the next step is to list the products you’re selling. You can do this by either using an existing listing, or creating a new listing. Using an existing listing could help you gain more traffic to your products, because the very existence of the listing means someone has sold similar items before.

On the other hand, if you are selling something different or unique, or the product you want to sell has no prior listing, then clearly it involves creating a new listing. This makes it easier to list differences, unique features, and more details about the products you’re selling – and this may be required for some of the more niche kinds of musical instruments or gear.

In either case, a product listing should include the product tile, a description, as well as clear images from different angles. Users with a Professional selling plan have the added perk of listing products in large batches, while users with an individual plan can only list one item at a time.

It’s important to optimise your listings so that they can be found more easily by customers. Consider using useful and relevant keywords in your listing. Listings should include the SKU (stock keeping unit), title, description, and images to improve visibility for your audience. You can find relevant keywords in different ways, including thinking of what words a buyer would type to search the website for your product, or you can check out popular products similar to the ones you’re selling, and note the words used in their titles and descriptions.

Selling itikes piano on Amazon

Amazon programmes to boost sales and growth

Amazon provides sellers with a host of programmes to make selling products, finding customers, and growing your business easier. Many of them focus on adding convenience, providing perks, and making the selling process more straightforward.

As a seller on Amazon, you can benefit from exciting tools, services, and programmes, like Amazon Business, which connects sellers to businesses, creating an opportunity for sellers to expand their market. There’s also Amazon Custom, which was built for sellers to offer custom products and allow shoppers to customise certain specifications. This can be useful for those selling customised musical instruments, or musical instrument accessories, like guitar picks, straps, drum heads, and so on. Sellers offering big musical instruments or ones that weigh a lot can benefit from Amazon’s Heavy And Bulky programme, which provides fulfilment solutions for bigger items.

Sellers looking to build their own brand image can find helpful features with Amazon brand benefits. This programme was built to help brand owners express their image and sell their unique products, benefiting from numerous helpful analytical tools.

The website also offers Amazon Lending, which was created to give entrepreneurs and sellers on Amazon the opportunity to expand their business with flexible loans. This programme was built to boost eligible small and medium-sized businesses.

Sellers can make the most of these programmes to improve sales, find more customers, and utilise analytics, data, and customer reviews to enhance their products or selling process. Amazon’s benefits can be a real game-changer for sellers looking to expand their business and increase sales.

What musical gear can I sell on Amazon?

There is a sizeable opportunity to build a lucrative venture if you sell musical gear on Amazon. The website’s huge customer base allows sellers to reach musicians anywhere, with access to millions of active users every day, including musicians, learners, enthusiasts, and more. Whether you’re looking to sell high-end professional gear, budget-friendly options, or customised accessories, Amazon’s global reach can help you tap into your target market.

A major part of selling musical instruments is identifying customer needs and market trends. Trends can shift rapidly, so being able to identify shifts can give you an edge over competition. Sellers can conduct their own research of different websites, or find existing market research on market trends and seasonal trends. Visiting the best sellers page in musical instruments on Amazon can help sellers find out more about the highest selling products, emerging trends, new products, and more.

You can sell instruments like guitars, keyboards, digital pianos, wind instruments, or any associated accessories, as well as products like electronic music gear, or even DJ equipment. You could benefit from finding a more niche market with less sellers, or selling more unique, customised, or specialised instruments. This can include custom equipment, handcrafted accessories, rare items, or accessories like drumsticks, tuners, and more.

Additionally, you could choose to sell specialised musical equipment or instruments that cater to lesser-used playing styles, which could appeal to highly dedicated and niche genre musicians.

Selling used or second-hand musical instruments online

Selling second-hand musical instruments on Amazon is definitely allowed, and can even be a potentially viable business opportunity. Sellers have the chance to sell second-hand or refurbished musical instruments with the Amazon Renewed programme. To do this, sellers may have to comply with specific rules, depending on the product.

This includes rules related to functionality, usability, condition, and more. Selling used musical instruments on Amazon UK requires that sellers provide accurate and detailed information when listing products. This includes disclosing that the product is used, and the specific condition it is in. Used or renewed musical instruments on Amazon have to be listed as being in one of the following conditions:
  • Used – like new: these musical instruments work perfectly and show no signs of use and wear, so very similar to a new item.
  • Used – very good: the instruments have small appearance damage, but remain fully functional.
  • Used – good: visible defects, however it works well and is functional.
  • Used – acceptable: the instrument has significant wear and tear, but it remains operational.
Accurate descriptions, disclaimers, and product photos help build trust and loyalty with buyers, increasing customer satisfaction, and retention.

Selling renewed items comes with a bit more to the process. There are regulations that require careful attention, and refurbished or renewed instruments have to be sent to Amazon for inspection. Sellers can benefit from selling used or renewed items for competitive prices and discounts, increasing traffic and visibility to customers.
Selling second-hand appeals to buyers looking for cheaper or more budget-friendly options for musical instruments or accessories, and making use of this opportunity can mean success for sellers.

Finding second hand or used musical instruments could be done on certain specialised websites, by visiting outlets, contacting suppliers, second-hand stores, visiting local flea markets and estate sales, and more.

Building an inventory for your e-commerce music store

Building an inventory of musical instruments and accessories is a critical component of launching your online musical instrument store, and it can be done through various sources. Whether you want to sell guitars, sell drums, or sell instrument accessories, where and how you source your products can significantly impact your ability to meet customer demand and maintain your profitability. There’s more than one approach to inventory building, each with different advantages and challenges.

One of the most common ways to build an inventory to sell musical gear is to contact suppliers, wholesalers, or manufacturers to build your stock. Each of these options has different strengths, and understanding them can help you craft your ideal inventory.

Finding suppliers who specialise in musical instruments can help sellers build a comprehensive and varied inventory, catering to a wider audience and attracting more clients.

Wholesale suppliers could help you build a larger inventory at a lower cost, which has potential for higher returns; however, this may be better suited for seasoned sellers, or those looking to expand their business.

You could also source your musical instruments straight from the manufacturer. This could give you better prices per unit, and help you find more unique products. This is also something that can be more useful for seasoned sellers who can move larger inventories, as manufacturers usually have larger minimum order quantities.

It’s important for sellers to thoroughly research suppliers, wholesalers, and manufacturers, relying on reviews, forums, and conducting independent research. You should also examine the quality of the products you’re sourcing to ensure it’s all up to standard. A supplier’s efficiency and consistency in delivering stock is another important point for sellers to consider.

You can also search in local stores, outlets, or source musical instruments and accessories from online stores. Be sure to stock high-quality items that are in demand. With proper research, preparation, and planning, sellers can craft a solid foundation for their ecommerce store, enhancing their inventory and finding stability in the competitive world of ecommerce.

As your business grows, be sure to find ways to maintain and expand your inventory. Stay on top of rising trends, offer bundle deals, sell new products, or even custom-made items to remain different from market competition. If you approach inventory sourcing and management in the right ways, you could witness significant and stable growth with your business, so take your time to research, plan, and address challenges before setting up your inventory.

Shipping and fulfilment for musical instruments

Effective and efficient fulfilment solutions can make a world of difference when it comes to customer satisfaction. Sellers on Amazon can choose from a variety of different fulfilment options, each with different features. It’s vital for sellers to understand their needs and preferences, and how each option may cater to them, so they can make the best possible choice for the growth of their business.

Sellers should weigh different options carefully, considering perks and needs, as well as pricing and budget. Fulfilment options on Amazon include third-party logistics, fulfilment by Amazon, seller-fulfilled prime, multi-channel fulfilment, and more.

Third-party fulfilment or 3PL (standing for third-party logistics) is when the fulfilment process is outsourced to a third-party provider, unrelated to Amazon. Third-party fulfilment providers could offer comprehensive fulfilment solutions, including storage, packing, shipping, delivery, returns, and customer service, or they could offer only a few. The choice depends on the seller’s needs for their business, and what they’re more comfortable prioritising. Comprehensive fulfilment solutions can be helpful for sellers who want to direct their time and energy into other aspects of running their business, and need fulfilment to be entirely handled. Choosing a few services on the other hand could be helpful for sellers who need a limited number of services, or those who are looking to cut down on costs.

Fulfilment with Amazon

Sellers on Amazon can find many perks within Amazon’s own fulfilment programmes. These include:
  • Fulfilment by Amazon: this programme provides comprehensive fulfilment solutions. This includes storage, picking, packing, shipping, delivery, and returns. This allows sellers to focus on other aspects of growing and expanding their business, and allows for easy scaling for growing businesses. FBA also has certain policies and requirements that sellers need to adhere to, as well as restrictions and requirements for the sales of certain products.
  • Seller-fulfilled Prime: this programme allows sellers to use their own storage facilities or storage location to ship to domestic prime customers. Seller fulfilled prime helps sellers sell to Prime customers, benefiting from Amazon delivery services.
  • Fulfil in Europe: fulfil in Europe can help sellers cut down on the costs associated with selling in Europe from the UK.
  • Fulfil between the UK and the EU: fulfil between the UK and the EU can help sellers by making customs and cross-border taxing simpler, and helping sellers reduce costs when selling across borders.
  • Multi-channel fulfilment: this programme allows sellers to use Amazon’s fulfilment services from multiple sales channels, including off-Amazon channels. This includes other websites, platforms, marketplaces, or even a seller’s own independent ecommerce store.
Regardless of the fulfilment method sellers choose, there are guidelines and policies that apply to selling on Amazon, including some products and categories that require approval. It’s important to stay familiar with these rules to avoid possible issues for both sellers and buyers.

Payments and fees on Amazon

Selling on Amazon comes with fees that sellers need to be aware of for proper budgeting and pricing – not doing so can impact your profitability. Selling fees on Amazon can differ for different sellers, depending on sales plan, number of items being sold, category of items, as well as other factors, including optional fees. Generally, fees on Amazon can be incurred from one of the following:
  • Sales plans
  • Referral fees
  • Optional fees
  • Occasional fees
  • Other fees
Referral fees are the fees that Amazon charges for each item sold. These differ based on different factors like the category of the item, and are usually calculated as a percentage of the total sales price of an item.

Optional fees have to do with optional Amazon programmes that a seller may be signed up with. Sellers have to also consider occasional fees, which may be charged for high-volume listings, refund processing, and others.

There are also fulfilment fees associated with the type of fulfilment programme a seller chooses. Whether it’s fulfilled by Amazon or a third-party option, these fees have to be factored into a seller’s budget.

Payment methods to feature on your online store

Amazon gives sellers the choice to choose from different payment methods available to buyers. This can include card payments, gift card payments, and cash on delivery. Offering more payment methods generally makes it easier for more buyers to purchase from a store, and sellers are recommended to offer as many different payment methods as possible.

Once a customer makes the payment for a product they have bought from a seller on Amazon, there’s a brief processing period for each payment. After this, the fees required, as well as tax, will be deducted from the amount paid, then the remaining will be sent to the seller.

Taxation in the UK

VAT or value added tax applies to almost every item sold on Amazon in the UK and in the EU. This includes musical instruments, accessories, and related products. It’s essential for sellers to understand tax laws and the added VAT to each product. This is a valuable aspect of selling online, pricing items, and setting a budget. VAT is another expense that sellers have to pay attention to as it can affect overall profitability. As always, careful planning in the selling process is crucial, and failing to account for tax can mean losses for sellers.

One of the first steps of selling on Amazon is registering for VAT and getting a VAT registration number, which is required if sellers want to sell on Amazon within the UK. After which, sellers have to charge tax on their products. It’s also important to note the difference in VAT structure for different products.

When setting prices for musical instruments, accessories, and equipment, sellers should aim to provide competitive pricing. This can help attract and retain customers. Staying on top of VAT regulations in the UK, as well as VAT regulations in the EU for sellers selling to an EU audience, is crucial for continued success. This includes maintaining accurate records, numbers, and more. Be sure to track your sales, returns, and VAT, and keep your records well-managed.

For those who sell to an international or global audience, it’s important to understand the difference in VAT structure across the countries they sell to. Different rates and exemptions can be found across different countries, with some products incurring more or less VAT in different places.

Conclusion

Selling musical instruments online and on Amazon can be an exciting opportunity for new sellers, entrepreneurs, and seasoned sellers. Ecommerce platforms continue to attract a huge audience, quickly becoming one of the preferred ways of shopping for so many people.

Whether you’re selling new, customised, or second-hand instruments, e-commerce is a great way to find your audience, whether locally or globally, connect with them, identify their needs, and provide the right products to meet the demand.

The major advantage sellers gain when selling on Amazon is the wide reach of customers. Amazon has millions of customers daily who could be potential music lovers and musical instrument buyers. Amazon can make it easier for sellers to gain visibility quickly, especially if they’re selling popular items. Sellers can also use Amazon to expand into niche markets or cater to less popular demands, and by using some of Amazon’s many programmes, sellers can begin to see growth quickly. If you sell music instruments online, sellers are capitalising on countless opportunities and positioning themselves for long-term success if these trends and opportunities continue to expand.

Sellers should understand the value of proper strategizing, budgeting, and focusing on customer demands. By using the right tools and programmes, and focusing on staying on top of competition, sellers can grow their musical instrument business.

FAQs

Where to sell guitars online?
You can sell musical instruments like guitars, as well as musical accessories, on several different ecommerce websites and platforms. You could also set up your own website to sell musical instruments, or benefit from selling on social media platforms.
How can I sell musical instruments on Amazon?
You can sell musical instruments on Amazon by signing up as a seller and providing the necessary personal and business information. After that, you can choose your preferred sales plan, and start listing the musical instruments you want to sell.
How can I price the musical instruments I’m selling?
The price of the musical instruments you’re selling should be well-researched and based on thorough budgeting. Consider the price you paid for each item, as well as the cost of the sales plan, any additional fees, fulfilment fees, taxes, etc. Once you’ve done this, you need to ensure your musical instruments are priced to turn a profit, while still being competitive.
How can I reach my target audience when selling musical instruments online?
You can reach your target audience through social media, by advertising on different websites, or by catering to your audience with products, shipping, and more.
Can I sell pre-owned musical instruments on Amazon?
You can sell pre-owned musical instruments on Amazon as long as you disclose the items are used or pre-owned. You should also disclose the condition items are in, to ensure customers stay loyal and satisfied.
What musical instruments can I sell online?
You can sell guitars online, as well as drums, pianos, keyboards, violins and other string-instruments, wind-instruments, and more. It’s best to conduct your research on trending items, and opt for selling some of those as well to cater to a wider audience.
How do I handle shipping and delivery when selling online?
You can handle shipping and delivery through third-party fulfilment and logistics partners, or by using Amazon’s fulfilment services.
What is Fulfilment by Amazon (FBA)?
Fulfilment by Amazon (FBA) is a comprehensive fulfilment programme built for sellers who sell on the website. With FBA, Amazon handles storage, picking, packing, shipping, delivery, and returns of products. This allows sellers to have more free time to focus on key aspects of running and growing their business.
How can I source musical instruments to sell online?
You can source musical instruments to sell online by contacting suppliers, wholesalers, or manufacturers, through online markets, in local stores and outlets, or in estate sales and flea markets.

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£25 (excl. VAT) per month + selling fees
Guide on Selling Musical Instruments Online
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