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Sellers can sell to remote buyers without shipping it themselves.

Buyer sends payment to seller. Could be USPS money order, which most banks deposit just like checks. Many bank apps let you deposit it on a smartphone. Or send cash Registered Mail.

Buyer pays seller's nearby FFL to ship it to buyer's FFL.

After seller is confident the payment is clear, drive gun to nearby FFL and drop it off. FFL mails the gun to buyer's FFL.

No more hassle for seller than selling it in person at the same FFL.

Also, ShipMyGun is still an option even after UPS's rule changes. UPS has a contract with Bud's Gun Shop (which is Ship My Gun) that makes exceptions to some general rules about gun shipments.
 
Um...yea. Everything you listed is still more complications for the seller. For example, not every FFL is willing to ship guns for you so now you gotta go find one that will.

Then there's the possibility that once your gun gets to the Buyers FFL in his state, that the Buyer fails his background check. Now you've got your gun sitting in another state and you have to figure out a) how to get it back and b) who will be paying for that shipping.

Or your buyer claims there is a some minor scratch that didn't show up in the photos...or some other BS reason...and now says he doesn't want it and won't accept it. And your gun is now in another state and you have to figure out a) how to get it back and b) who will be paying for that shipping.

Face to face is ALWAYS going to be easier than shipping. ALWAYS.
 
There's a lot more security in a face to face sale, so its always going to be preferred.

With selling online, the buyer undergoes alot more added expenses. Could be up to or around $100 on top of the price of the gun.

Its not really worth it unless the gun is rare or some other specific circumstances.
 
Um...yea. Everything you listed is still more complications for the seller. For example, not every FFL is willing to ship guns for you so now you gotta go find one that will.

Then there's the possibility that once your gun gets to the Buyers FFL in his state, that the Buyer fails his background check. Now you've got your gun sitting in another state and you have to figure out a) how to get it back and b) who will be paying for that shipping.

Or your buyer claims there is a some minor scratch that didn't show up in the photos...or some other BS reason...and now says he doesn't want it and won't accept it. And your gun is now in another state and you have to figure out a) how to get it back and b) who will be paying for that shipping.

Face to face is ALWAYS going to be easier than shipping. ALWAYS.
This ^^^
This is reality.
Post #1 is not.
 
Just as easy. Lol!

I recently sold and shipped a gun to VA for a member here I know we'll enough to go through the hassle for. If it wasn't him, I'd likely never have done it.

First.

It took two days for ship my gun to verify the FFL in VA as it wasn't their preferred.

Second.

My local FFL has all put closed shop due to 114, as with a few others in the area. I am not even sure if any of the others in my area perform shipments for private sales. I'd have to find one, then figure out the costs associated with that and relay them to the buyer or eat the cost. This can take time if you aren't already strapped for time.

Third.

If he and I hadn't already known each other, I'd be dealing with a complete stranger over the web using electronic payments or snail mail for payment. Face to face, I end up with cash in hand. I've witnessed on this very website, scammers buy guns from here on the east coast, have the seller ship to the FFL, then the buyer pull a, "Look PayPal they shipped my item to the wrong address. Gets PayPal to refund them based on tracking alone. Then they can go to the FFL and process the 4473. Then that seller was out his gun, and $$$. It was a common scam some time ago.

4th.

I drive to drop off my gun that was sporting a prepaid ups label from ship my gun to a ups hub. Well, they permanently closed the Hillsboro hub. So strike one, drove all the way to the Tigard hub to drop it off. Only to be harassed by UPS staff for bringing in a gun. 30 minutes later after many threats from ups to open and examine the gun, I was able to get a drop off receipt.

5th.

After all that, the gun sat in prepaid shipment status for 4 freaking days. In other words UPS didn't even show it was accepted yet, though I received a drop off receipt. I was freaking out by the 4th day without update.

All of that, and likely more I've left out.

Sure it can be done, but expecting others to want to ship because you think it's not that bad is a stretch.
 
Out of curiosity why do the complaints generally seem to be from WA residents. Why aren't Oregon buyers more often upset that WA sellers won't ship firearms down here. Is WA a food firearm desert?
 
I ship! never had a problem after many, many guns and years. I find it can be easier and less time consuming than f2f.
I suspect you have your act together and your ducks in a row. Myself? I only sell a gun about every other year. I don't know any FFLs on a first name basis and have been successful enough at selling locally that I don't have any interest in mastering the art of selling and shipping firearms. The extra markup I would require, plus the precautions I would take to make sure I wasn't being swindled, would leave me wondering why someone wouldn't just buy the same gun brand new locally.
 
Um...yea. Everything you listed is still more complications for the seller. For example, not every FFL is willing to ship guns for you so now you gotta go find one that will.

Then there's the possibility that once your gun gets to the Buyers FFL in his state, that the Buyer fails his background check. Now you've got your gun sitting in another state and you have to figure out a) how to get it back and b) who will be paying for that shipping.

Or your buyer claims there is a some minor scratch that didn't show up in the photos...or some other BS reason...and now says he doesn't want it and won't accept it. And your gun is now in another state and you have to figure out a) how to get it back and b) who will be paying for that shipping.

Face to face is ALWAYS going to be easier than shipping. ALWAYS.
If the buyer fails the BGC I'm out of the picture. I have my funds, the FFL has the firearm so now it's up to the FFL and the buyer as to how they want to proceed. The buyer may want to put the firearm on consignment with the receiving FFL or whatever but I'm out of the picture.
 

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