Reverb, the largest online marketplace dedicated to buying and selling used and new musical instruments, announced on February 22 that its Q4 gross merchandise sales (GMS) grew in the mid single digits year-over-year. Sellers on the platform had a successful holiday season, as they met the demand for instruments that fit within buyers’ budgets with used, B-Stock, refurbished, and other competitively priced music gear.
Over the past decade, Reverb’s global community of millions of music makers have turned to Reverb sellers for affordable used musical instruments, and in 2023, Reverb saw a record number of orders for used music gear. Used gear sales, coupled with more than 30% year-over-year growth in Q4 for outlet gear—which includes B-Stock, refurbished, floor models, and more—contributed to sellers’ Q4 sales on Reverb growing nearly 50% from the pre-pandemic levels of Q4 2019.
“Used, B-Stock, and refurbished musical instruments help players get incredible-sounding gear at a wider variety of price points that fit within their budgets. Access to this type of gear allows music makers to continue playing, experimenting, and changing their sound, even when wallets are tight,” said Reverb’s CEO David Mandelbrot. “Sellers that embrace this type of gear within their inventory mix can not only drive more sales, but help keep the entire industry playing and growing.”
According to Mandelbrot, sellers have also seen international sales grow. During Q4 of 2023, Reverb saw an 8% increase in transactions where the buyer and the seller were located in different countries compared to the previous quarter. Over the past few years, buyers have grown increasingly comfortable with purchasing gear from outside of their own country, especially when searching for something particularly unique, thanks in part to Reverb’s investment in trust and safety in recent years, improved search functionality, and access to one-of-a-kind gear you can’t find anywhere else. For sellers who can ship internationally, this represents an opportunity to reach a new set of music makers on Reverb outside of their local areas.
To learn more about how to connect with the millions of music makers on Reverb looking for competitively priced music gear, contact sellerengagement@reverb.com.
