As someone who’s been buying and selling various categories of items second hand for years. The answer is simple: Having the box adds to the appeal of an item. Particularly if it’s in fresh looking condition.
Which item would you rather buy for the same price? The first item is a blurry photo taken with a terrible phone camera. It’s dingy, covered in dust atop a filthy table covered in cigarette butts. The second item is taken with a nice photo in a living room, it’s clean, looks like new, with a well taken care of box and original packaging.
I have a small closet filled with boxes from all the music gear I have, from rack mounted, mixers, speakers, modules, desktop, keyboards, everything. Suddenly I felt like it was a bad idea to keep the boxes, one, because I need more storage and I don’t know how any of you feel, but Storage in a house is very important and two, well, BOXES? so many of them. Thinking of throwing them away.
There was a little devil inside of me saying something like “don’t throw them, maybe you can sell something and ship it with the box” and I stopped for a moment.
Now I’m actually doubting to throw them away. Such a box mess.
Often, in case I sell it, saves hassle of finding a good fitting box, even though I usually double box which is often how retailers send them, so I keep both.
I keep them in the loft//attic.
Edit put smaller boxes inside the bigger ones too.
I keep them. I don’t know how others feel but when I’m shopping for a used item and the seller has the original box it makes it seem like they probably took decent care of the item that goes in it too.
I mostly keep big keyboard boxes because those are the hardest to find if I’m going to sell.
Small stuff is almost always gone within a few weeks if I like it. People will buy it without the original box (a few silly people won’t).
If I get a case for a keyboard then I might recycle the box.
Also if I decide that a synth is a keeper, I recycle the box because I might be an idiot and try to sell it. If it’s harder to sell I might remember why I recycled the box.
I did start making some room in my Garage where I’ve been keeping some boxes. Even then I go through and get rid of the ones that I know I never plan to sell.
in case I sell. Not cuz the box makes the sale easier, but the packaging just about ensures safe shipping. It’s padded appropriately. I save a ton on packing materials.
I move A LOT. And ass hat movers have busted my gear. So, again, boxing them up pre move, in the proper packaging ensures a safer move.
I hate storing all the boxes. So selling off my gear is regaining space at home.
can’t wait till I can stay in one place, or am done with trying to make tunes
Absolutely I keep the boxes, I have a loft though so I don’t have a shortage of box storage. I like to sell things on in as near to new condition as possible and if it’s anything valuable the box can make a difference to that value.
If you don’t care about selling stuff on… then I guess it doesn’t matter. Use them for something useful and reclaim some space for more synths.
I don’t think of myself as owning any gear. I’m really just leasing it from Reverb. And as such, I want to keep it in as close to original condition as possible so I get the most back from it I can (to buy even MOAR GEER!)
Having the box is an important part of that. I find my stuff routinely sells quicker and for more money with photos of it with its box.
