Just wanted to post a quick note that will make me feel better if nothing else - and may perhaps be read by any other interested parties on the site.
I recently posted an advert under 'Pianos for sale by General Public' on this site but received notification yesterday that two complaints had been received by the site moderators stating that I am a piano dealer / somehow or other 'in the trade', and that I am selling loads of pianos 'from my living room' whilst posing as a member of the public.
Here, for anyone vaguely interested, are the facts.
I posted my recent advert as I'm wishing to sell a grand piano that I have owned and played for over 4 years (and I have receipts to prove this is the case as well as the easy ability to check with my tuner/tech who has been looking after it all this time, and with whom I discussed, only last week, a reasonable asking price for it.) I have one or two other instruments in mind which would suit me better and which I have seen and played at piano dealers, and upon enquiring about possible trade-in or part-exchange, I have been advised my best option by far is to sell my piano privately. This is what I'm attempting to do.
I have previously advertised and sold my Ritmuller upright piano on this site, in late 2007. This piano was bought from a local retailer in 2001, so was owned by me for 6 years - it moved house with me twice - and it was only sold as it was not being played after I bought my grand. (Not that it is anything especially relevant, except to the accusation that I am a dealer, but this piano was advertised here and sold for several hundred pounds less than I had bought it for.)
As a favour to my mother-in-law, I recently advertised the Bentley upright she has owned from new (mid 1970s!) on eBay on her behalf. She doesn't use eBay and lives 400 miles from me, and wanted to sell her piano by a particular date as she was moving house. The piano was sold for a shade over £100 and has never been anywhere near my home, it was never 'my' piano and the sum raised on the auction was paid directly to my mother-in-law by the buyer! No commission - I even paid the eBay auction fees for her, generous soul that I am.
Lastly I bought a Lipp upright, on a whim, on eBay in 2008 as it was a beautiful refurbished instrument, by a maker whose instruments I admire, at a bargain price. It is currently sitting in my dining room, gets played occasionally, and will be passed on to my daughter when she leaves home and wants a piano in her own home.
I am aware that, due to my inherent interest in the instrument and resultant 'informed amateur' status, my adverts have both been rather detailed and have contained technical information about the piano. Given this level of knowledge of the instrument I wish to sell, my hope/belief was that including it in the ad would assist potential buyers in making a decision as to whether it may be right for them. However I can see why this might cause some to be suspicious as to my status as a member of the public.
I just wanted to state that I was not aware that advertising two of my personal pianos within 3 years of each other - one of which I had owned and played for 6 years and the other 4 - made me a dealer! (Selling only one piano - and now attempting to sell another - in the space of 3 years wouldn't make me an especially successful or enterprising dealer either...) I am just a keen amateur pianist with much interest in the piano itself, who perhaps does not view a piano as having to be with one 'for life'. If I own and play an instrument for a few years and then have no more need for it, or find it no longer suits me, I feel it is entirely reasonable to sell it and get another.
For anyone still reading this, many thanks for your time and allowing me to get that off my chest. Any thoughts or comments welcomed. One of my personal characteristics is that I don't like being accused of doing something I've not done, or being thought of in a negative/dishonest light where this is unwarranted, and if anyone who has had suspicions about my status as a non-dealer happens to read this then it may - or may not, I suppose - put them a little more 'in the picture'. I very much enjoy reading this forum, and occasionally contributing to it, and am hopeful this will continue.
Cheers!
(just kidding of course)