Pondering The Classifieds

[PORSCHE928S4]

I don't have social media, so I get to be a wise guy with you peeps.

That is a solid plan brother !

 

[Ginocide]

Do people attempt to sell ammo at stupid prices because they have not researched the current market. Or, are they hoping to snare a buyer, that has not researched the market?

Yes.

 

[CountryGent]

In all honesty, I think a lot of people are here only for the classifieds.

A decent percentage, for sure.

 

[The Heretic]

Complain?
No.
I find it interesting and sometimes a bit comical - just like most human behavior.

 

[thorborg]

Please read the original post again.
I did not grumble or complain, I merely posed a question, that was intended to elicit a little thoughtful and intelligent conversation.
If I have exceeded your interest or tolerance/comfort level, please put me on your ignore list.
Best,
Gary

OK, sorry for the thoughtless and unintelligent observation, it wasn't meant to offend, that's why the stupid and thoughtless pink guy was added at the end.
I did not "quote" you as a way to not single you out. (obviously now a thoughtless plan)
Frankly, I do not see pondering the issue as a serious intelligent thought so assumed you were moving towards humor (another obvious unintelligent assumption) since any real solution to predicting another's actions, or controlling minds to be all alike, would ruin life completely. (in my world)
Humor today always seems to offend someone... So, Mea culpa, my offensiveness.
In the future I'll try to only respond to threads where I'll be preaching (or joking) to the choir.

 

[Bacon Camp]

Is there a rule against shilling here?

No?

Make sure to check out my classifieds.

 

[Member 53328]

I don't have social media, so I get to be a wise guy with you peeps.

Same. This is my reality T.V. Show.

 

[CountryGent]

I find it interesting and sometimes a bit comical - just like most human behavior.

Same.

 

[Old Dog]

Every now and then, I detect someone local to me (just below, or above the bridges) selling a quantify of ammo for a reasonable price, and I'll pounce.

Otherwise, I'm on a first-name basis with the guy and gal wearing shorts who drive the brown truck.

But yeah, when I see some astronomical price for, say, 115 grain Blazer 9mm, I chuckle to myself and then go into my closet and gaze at thirty-thousand rounds of 9mm ball in green metal boxes arranged ever so prettily against the wall...

I didn't stress when I saw an ad for a 2006 Malibu with 237,000 miles on it for $9,500 either.

 

[OldBroad44]

Just pondering.
Do people attempt to sell ammo at stupid prices because they have not researched the current market. Or, are they hoping to snare a buyer, that has not researched the market?
I just cruised the classifieds here, and I am seeing Rimfire Ammo priced at five to seven cents per round over the market price.

I know that a willing buyer, and a willing seller are the two factors that establish a selling price in a completed transaction.
It is a wet and windy day, I am inside cleaning guns, and just pondering.

Best,
Gary

Interesting question, Gary. (@K-22 ) It's also interesting to flip it upside down and ask why I or some other buyer might pay much more for an item than the going rate. One possibility is I don't have any way of knowing the going rate. Another possibility is I don't care enough or have enough time to research and find out the going rate. Another possibility is being tricked by misleading listings.

I just recently bought a batch of a couple dozen ball-point pens. I just chose one of the more popular Amazon prime listings without doing serious comparisons. Can't really compare meaningfully since some might run out of ink faster than others. All run out faster than ballpoint pens did when I was a kid. I just figure cheaper is probably better since I lose them more often than I use them up. Even 24 didn't cost much. And buying one kind this time doesn't trap me into buying the same brand next time. So it doesn't really matter much whether I got the best deal on pens this time. Could probably save more by figuring out ways to not lose so many.

I use a lot of paper towels. Always Brawny. I figure anything around $2/roll for big rolls is a good price. A better comparison would be to weigh the rolls, since different brands have different sizes and weights of sheets. But I would buy Brawnys even if there are cheaper brands. Why that brand? Well, I use them as tp and Kleenex as well as for seed germination tests, not just as paper towels. They are tough but nonabrasive enough for all those purposes. They dont stink of mold when wet as many brands do. That stink suggests biological chemicals that might interfere with my seed germination tests and that I maybe don't want to rub on my personal mucous membranes. Back when I was a grad student, one of the research groups in my departnent studying juvenile hormone in insects suddenly found all their butterflies refusing to mature into adults, instead going through added abnormal instars as caterpillars. (I may have the wrong insect; might not have been a butterfly.) They suddenly couldn't repeat anything the lab group had done for years. Much anguish for months while every chemical in the lab was checked for contamination, etc. Turned out someone had switched from Brawny paper towels to a different brand in the growth jars for the caterpillars. The new paper towels had juvenile hormone in them from the trees they were made from. The trees were presumably making something with juvenile hormone activity as biological warfare against insect pests. So different brands of paper towels can have different biologically active chemicals in them. Various plant hormones can effect seed germination. So I buy one particular brand of paper towels only and don't change brands because of pricing. People can want a particular thing for weird individual reasons, and may not be price sensitive. And they may need it now at whatever price, not later at a better price.

Someone might buy an overpriced batch of ammo because they didn't take the time to research prices. But its conceivable that they have a finicky gun they know to be reliable with the ammo in question, so want exactly that, overpriced or not. Or maybe they just are familiar with that ammo and know it works in their guns, and don't have time or facilities now to explore other brands. A new gun owner might be thinking of the ammo as a one time purchase sufficient for a lifetime, thus just grab the first ammo they see without knowing or caring about price.

I don't shoot .22 these days. Just centerfire. For these I have specific loads of certain bullet weights and designs used for "real", that is hunting or self defense against people or SD against bear and cougars (which we have in our neighborhood). Three basic roles for each caliber or in some cases individual handgun. These loads are usually matched with a cheaper practice round of similar bullet weight, point of aim, and trajectory. Ammo is expensive, and once I have familiar loads I am sorta stuck with them, as buying a different load would require establishing POA etc all over. So its worth my time to research prices thoroughly while establishing my ammo choices for any gun or caliber.

Sometimes location really matters. I might pay somewhat above what I consider the going rate for a gun offered by someone nearby than by someone off in Portland. We can actually meet in person rather than having to ship guns.

Amazon listings have become the wild west since Covid. Some listings make it easy to suppose you are getting four or six cans but are actually getting one. By the time you get the can you can easily have forgotten what you thought you were ordering and paid for it. And the manufacturers have been shrinking the cans in some cases too. I have at least a couple times paid for what I thought was three packages of cookies only to get just one for about the same price they usually sold three for. Just didn't examine listings close enough each and every time I bought.

I'm guessing there are three basic styles of setting prices. Some people try to offer a deal that they would feel good about being on either side of. One that is a reasonably good deal for both parties but fantastic for neither. They are not inclined to dicker much unless they get new info implying they misevaluated or cant get that price and need to sell. The advantage of this style is that those knowledgeable about the goods for sale who have a similar style may give full asking price without discussion. The disadvantage is some people will always ask for a better deal, even if they realize the original offer is reasonable. With such folks the seller must do a lot of explaining and justifying his price. And for those who love dickering this style can spoil part of their fun.

Some people offer a deal that is substantially but not overwhelmingly in their own favor, leaving room for and expecting to negotiate. They expect to get substantially less than their asking price so "overprice" accordingly. They hope to end up with a deal either reasonable for both parties or at least somewhat in their favor. In many countries where every price is negotiable, dickering is an essential skill and enjoyable process with a good bit of theatrics.

And some people want the highest price they can get in the amount of time they can afford. They make an offer that is overwhelmingly in their own favor. They may or may not be prepared to dicker all the way down to something competitive with the going rate. They may be waiting for fools or beginners. Or merely for someone who cares more about getting the item now than at what price. Where they have plenty of time they may start with an offer way above anything they have ever seen that item go for, and simply reduce the price little by little until they get a buyer, hopefully from their perspective, at a price still overwhelmingly in their favor. I see a lot of this pattern on gunbroker.com, where an individual item will often be offered at a very high price, then run through several auctions with no bidders before the price is lowered a little. Etc.

Cheers,
Carol