Has Anyone Sent Pipes to Smokingpipes for Credit?

[WVOldFart]

I was thinking about sending some little used pipes to Smokingpipes for credit. I have no idea how much they give you for the pipes, but anything would be useful in getting newer pipes or tobacco. Has anyone in the forum ever taken advantage of their offer.

 

[solideogloria86]

I was thinking about sending some little used pipes to Smokingpipes for credit. I have no idea how much they give you for the pipes, but anything would be useful in getting newer pipes or tobacco. Has anyone in the forum ever taken advantage of their offer.

55% of resell value as store credit

 

[solideogloria86]

Estate Purchasing Policy

www.smokingpipes.com

 

[North Pole piper]

I was thinking about sending some little used pipes to Smokingpipes for credit. I have no idea how much they give you for the pipes, but anything would be useful in getting newer pipes or tobacco. Has anyone in the forum ever taken advantage of their offer.

Yep. You’ll have to determine for yourself if you think what they offer is worth it, but for me it was. I traded in about 4 or 5 pipes this year and stocked up on some tobacco. The pipes were just collecting dust and no longer being smoked.

 

[mso489]

I found trading in four or five middle grade pipes at SP gave me a discount on one new pipe I really wanted, which for me beat the time and labor of peddling the pipe online. It was less than I expected, but counting the need for them to clean and sanitize the pipes and sell them, it was probably fair deal. I'd do it again. If I had a pipe that represented a larger investment, I might work with someone to sell it on commission; I think I'd want a bigger cut of the deal. But compared to trashing pipes or giving them away (unless you really want to gift someone) it's not a bad plan. From this experience, I'd guess they sell mostly the pricier pipes online, with pictures and write-ups, with a few lower cost pipes sprinkled in for variety. But most of the lower cost pipes taken in for store credit, I believe they sell as basket pipes in the store, or otherwise re-sell them off line.

 

[bluegrassbrian]

I've utilized it when they have a pipe I really want and don't have the cash to cover it immediately.

 

[weezell]

I've done it with good results. Just be realistic on your expectations...

 

[craiginthecorn]

55% is for higher valued pipes. 50% cash. This compares with 65-70% of the sales price from the better eBay resellers. The question is, "Is 50% of Smokingpipes' retail price more than 65% of a top-notch eBay reseller?". Probably a close call.

 

[mso489]

I will say this for the SP estate pipe pages, they are a going concern. If you buy a pipe, it is taken off the page. It is continuously maintained. To my bewilderment, and mentioning no names, some of the other major online pipe retailers who sell estate pipes have whole pages of pipes they've already sold (with sold signs) and some have no pipes other than the sold pipes on the page. What in the world is that about? Not to mention the sites that have whole brands and series of pipes that they list but have no inventory pictured at all. A retail web site is a commitment, and it is just peculiar to have a digital retail store with huge stretches of empty shelves. This is the digital age; we're stuck with it. Wake up, pipe dealers.

In addition, SP gives comprehensive information on their estate pipes including flaws in some detail, which establishes their credibility.

 

[macaroni]

I love SP and the way they handled my, "estate," pipes. I've sent them several boxes this year and am happy in every way. They rate at the top tier among the companies I've used this year for reselling things--Rock Island Auctions, and Arizona Knives.. Kudos to SP.
kindly
mike

 

[TheIronMonkey]

I haven't traded in any pipes (I try to choose ones that really appeal to me that I want and plan to keep, so far, anyway). 55% seems like a reasonable amount for a retailer to offer. In the world of rare books, it's common for a dealer to pay 50% of retail. It isn't as high as what you might get if you sold it yourself, but do you have the time to do it? My thinking is if you can take several things you don't use and turn them into something you want and will use, it's a good thing.

 

[captainsousie]

I plan to try it soon as I have a few dozen mid-grade pipes I need to clean and sell and honestly, selling them with only a cursory restoration for the same price as I can get for a full restoration sale (as long as you know your brand, etc.) May save me several hours of work and net me a bit more of a cellar.

 

[kcghost]

SP is a real reputable out fit and if they need 55% to run the estates then that is what it is.

 

[tmcg81]

I've sent them several pipes and I always thought I should have gotten more money for them, but at the end of the day it's way more convenient than trying to do all the necessary BS it would take to get top dollar on eBay. I've used the store credit I've gotten to offset the price of cellaring tobacco, and once to buy a pipe that was more expensive than I was comfortable spending at the time.

 

[Simmerdown☕️]

I just sent them 5 pipes. Gonna take credit towards my quarterly re-ups of a pound of Haunted Bookshop and whatever else. ️

 

[hoosierpipeguy]

I would still them here at a very reasonable price. You should make as much,if not a little more, than by sending them into SP. Let the sale run for 3 days then ship everything at once.

 

[Johnny_Pipecleaner]

You'll always come away with a better deal if you sell to the end user, rather than to another seller.
In other words, take good pictures and post them here for sale with proper description and dimensions/specs.

That said, I have sent pipes to SmokingPipes and they offered me almost exactly what I expected based on their prices and the details of their estate pipe buying policy. I took the trade value rather than the cash, and bought tobacco with it. Not a bad deal if you can't find a buyer here.

I would avoid eBay and such because of the fees, but that's me. Good luck!

 

[The Clay King]

I'm in the UK so it might cost me more to send the pipes than I'd get for them...
I've only got 2 non clay pipes and hardly ever use them!

 

[Elric]

I sold a bunch I had bought early in my pipe career and was quite happy with the result.

 

[Streeper541]

To my bewilderment, and mentioning no names, some of the other major online pipe retailers who sell estate pipes have whole pages of pipes they've already sold (with sold signs) and some have no pipes other than the sold pipes on the page. What in the world is that about? Not to mention the sites that have whole brands and series of pipes that they list but have no inventory pictured at all. A retail web site is a commitment, and it is just peculiar to have a digital retail store with huge stretches of empty shelves. This is the digital age; we're stuck with it. Wake up, pipe dealers.

Boy howdy! It irks me so bad when I enter a search on some sites and get a bunch of responses that are displayed as "sold" or "out of stock." There is even a search option on one particular site for selecting "in stock" and "out of stock" pipes. Seriously? Why in the world would I want to know what you don't have when I'm looking to purchase something?

Like you said... wake up pipe dealers. This is the digital age.