The Gift of Music Store

CSP Comprehensive Guide

Consumer Sales Program

A Comprehensive Guide

By Heather Willyard O’Connor, Consumer Sales Program Director

Introduction to the Consumer Sales Program (CSP)

Donated items that are unsuitable for scholastic use are sold by the Consumer Sales Program. These items include, but are not limited to: guitars, keyboards, pro audio equipment, drums & percussion, vintage instruments, intermediate and professional models, accessories, and so much more. The proceeds from the sale of these items support our mission and operations.

Supporting the Program

Profitability

We originally developed the idea of S1, S2, and S3 classes to maximize profitability and awareness of value. Associates should be aware when they are interacting with a low-value item and spend as little time cleaning, photographing, listing, or otherwise “fussing with” the item. If an item is less than $20 and ships for $10, it should get the briefest of wipe-downs, minimal photos, and a basic listing. Contrarily, a high-dollar S3 item may go through IRC for a full repad, get a full workup, research, tons of great photos, and a very detailed listing. Each item has a sweet spot for how much attention it needs to get out the door as quickly as possible with the highest possible margin.

High Volume, High Velocity Throughput: Maximizing the synergy between input and output, efficiently moving as much through the pipeline as possible.

Photography

See Product Photography Guide

Sales Channels

eBay: There are millions of users on eBay all over the world shopping and selling on eBay, and we’ve built quite an impressive reputation within our eBay store. As of the beginning of 2025, eBay remains the Gift of Music Foundation’s primary selling platform. Our customer feedback score remains 100%. We did $100,000 in sales in 2024 on eBay. The customer feedback praises our communication, packing and shipping, and fast delivery.

Reverb: Reverb is a good platform for combo instruments. Guitars and drums should be listed here. Sometimes vintage instruments perform well here too.

Facebook Marketplace: Facebook Marketplace is a good platform for local marketing for in-person pick up items that are too large to ship. (Drumsets, Digital Pianos, Tubas, etc)

Retail Stores: When items are sold on the sales floor, be sure to note where there is a red dot on the tag. It is very important to remove these items’ listings from their respective platforms if sold in the store. Failure to do so can result in overselling – selling an item we do not have in stock – this has very negative consequences on eBay. This is a TWO-PART PROCESS: To delete an active listing, you must first end it, then go to “unsold/ended listings” and delete the ended listing. If you end it, but don’t delete it, it will get relisted with other unsold/ended listings.

Shipping

By using Flat Rate Shipping policies in eBay, we are able to cover nearly 100% of our shipping efforts – the postage, shipping supplies, and labor cost. Ultimately, we’re making a bit of a profit in this area. In order to maintain this profitability, we must maintain efficiency and minimize wastefulness of both materials and time.

Shipping Supplies

Use the Dimensions Guide in the shipping area to determine what size box to use. The Shipping Supplies Guide will list the box dimensions, the Uline Part # to aid in supply reorder, and what items that size box can typically accommodate.

Support staff should periodically audit the shipping area and use the guides to indicate what supply levels are low and in need of reorder. Submit to CSP Director for supply reorder from Uline, Reverb, or Amazon.

Shipping Methods

All books and sheet music:

  • Ship in padded mailer
  • Ship via USPS Media Mail

Most packages weighing <1 lb.

  • Ship via USPS Ground Advantage

Smaller Packages <5 lbs.

  • Ship via USPS Ground Advantage/UPS Ground/UPS Ground Saver: whichever is cheaper, OK to choose UPS when cost to ship is within $.50 if saving significant time on delivery.

All Other Packages

Shipped via UPS Ground/UPS Ground Saver

  • DO NOT USE USPS
  • DO NOT USE FEDEX
  • DO NOT USE AIR

Order Fulfillment Process

  • Print Pick List from eBay, record the sales in AIM, and use the pick list to locate all items to be shipped. If you are unsure of where to find an item, use the CSP Map. Please note that if only one order is present, a pick list will not generate.
  • It is advisable to begin with the most challenging/large and work towards the most easy/small.
  • Begin with Shipstation. This will ensure that an item doesn’t get packed up before the identification of a bogus shipping address/other problem. Additionally, eBay sometimes changes their shipping policies regarding international shipping and US territories. It is advisable to cancel any “domestic” orders to Puerto Rico or any other US Territories outside the continental United States. I’ve turned this off in our settings, but US protectorates (Such as United Arab Emirates and some others) still come through on occasion.
  • Another common occurrence is the buyer’s shipping address listed as a PO Box. UPS will not deliver to PO Boxes, but it’s possible that UPS Ground Saver may work, as UPS hands off to USPS in this case.
  • For cased instruments, secure the instrument and any accessories within the case with flat packing paper. Wrap the exterior of the case in heavy duty bubble wrap, taping down any corners. Ensure any hard edges are padded.
  • Suspend the packed item in the box away from sides by surrounding the bubbled wrapped item with void-fill packing paper.
  • Include packing slip printed from Shipstation. Handwrite a “thank you” on the packing slip. It is advisable to print on half-sheets as the information only takes up a small portion of the page. Insert packing slip [and any other add-ons] into prebagged GOM Store flyer/GOM QR card bags. Tape bag to bubble-wrapped items.
  • Tape all box seams/corners. This ensures that no cold or hot air/moisture gets into the box, especially important during extreme weather conditions.
  • The GOM packing tape is merely decorative, not intended to seal the box alone. Use box width plus 4” after securing the box shut with packaging tape.
  • All packages must pass the “shake test.” There should be enough void-fill packing paper surrounding the bubble-wrapped item that nothing jiggles within the package when shaken.
  • Only use USPS for packages weighing less than 1 lb. Prioritize UPS Ground. UPS Ground Saver is also OK, but we are willing to spend $.50 or so on UPS just for the better service and faster delivery.
  • Use the appropriate stickers where necessary: fragile, heavy, reused items, etc. If reusing materials, do not mix materials, i.e. paper and bubble wrap for filler. If using a manufacturer’s box, invert the box so that the logos and labels are on the interior of the box.
  • Ship within handling time listed on eBay. Orders received before 12PM can ship out same day.