Revisiting Gun Auctions

[gmerkt]

What is your bidding strategy?

A combination of things, but items set to close on Sunday evening (when everyone is home putzing around on their computer), prices are highest. If you can follow things that close mid-day on week days, those tend to have less attention and go for lower prices.

Specific things that I'm interested in, I try to watch over time to see how average trading prices are trending. Or, you can use the advanced search feature to see what similar items have sold for.

How do you prevent yourself from overpaying by getting caught up in bidding competition?

If I have a strong yen for it, I follow it to conclusion. But if it's something that I can live without but it might be nice to have, I pick a number, post that as my bid and go away. If I have it when I come back, okay. If it sold higher, that's okay too because I didn't want to exceed the number I had in mind in the first place.

My advice is absolutely to use a credit card when buying from a dealer. Do not be tempted to save the 3-4% CC fee. It may seem counterintuitive, but I am more comfortable sending a USPS money order to a private, occasional seller than an FFL dealer. But that private seller must have an established, spotless feedback history for me to do this.

I'm starting to see $65 shipping fee for some long guns. Which I consider excessive, even in our current times of increasing shipping costs. BUT: I've also noticed that items with a high shipping fee like this often bring lower bids, at least on the relatively common items I look at.

Bid early or late? It doesn't make much difference, because Gunbroker has that 15 minute rule that potentially keeps the bidding going on indefinitely. So bidding early only drives the price up early, which isn't a deciding factor. If you wait too long to bid, you might forget, the auction ends, and you may (or may not) have missed out.

I will also pay close attention to the fine print and search out those sellers who charge reasonable shipping and who don't ding me for using card for payment.

Yeah, some of these guys have really fascistic "additional terms of sale." Some sound like such A-holes that you loose any interest in dealing with them.

I look for the proportion of reviews total to 'F' ratings.

Absolutely check feedback ratings. Where there is smoke, there is fire. My observation, it's certain FFL dealers who have tarnished feedback scores rather than private, occasional sellers. Don't assume that the FFL guy is golden just because he's a dealer. He's likely doing it for a living and every nickel and how gotten is important. As compared to a private seller who is doing it as a hobby and doesn't need to skin people on GB for money. One way of looking at it, anyway.

Though after paying shipping and transfer cost those great deals tend to become just ok deals.

Sad but true. In Wash. state, a $100 gun becomes a $150 gun after all is said and done. Not to mention the fee for the receiving FFL on your end.

And I would be remiss if I failed to mention that the 10% use tax gets applied to the total of the entire transaction: price of item, shipping charges, AND the credit card fee!!!

This causes me to grind my teeth.

 

[P7M13]

@arakboss , if you're going on the auctions to dampen impulse purchases -- beware, auctions can be addictive and you can find yourself in some serious shizzle.

 

[arakboss]

@arakboss , if you're going on the auctions to dampen impulse purchases -- beware, auctions can be addictive and you can find yourself in some serious shizzle.

Maybe I should limit myself to no more than a dozen auctions at a time. I mean, how many could I possibly win.

 

[bradsteen]

Maybe I should limit myself to no more than a dozen auctions at a time. I mean, how many could I possibly win.

I've seen that strategy go horribly wrong more than once...

 

[arakboss]

I think this gunbroker business is a rich man's game. That SR9C is now at $180.

 

[Alexx1401]

I think this gunbroker business is a rich man's game. That SR9C is now at $180.

Just as the old days of the shows before Al invented the net, supply, demand, and who happens to be looking. Several times I sold something at a show that had me almost feeling bad for how much I made. I always drove off figuring what the hell. The buyer wanted it badly enough to pay that price and they walked off happy. So I would take the Wife to a nice dinner.
Auction same game.When I have been looking for some new to the market gun that is not to be found I see some amazing prices. Some are willing to pay I guess.

 

[eustace_stelio]

I think this gunbroker business is a rich man's game. That SR9C is now at $180.

People get that degenerative gambler's high from bidding wars. I've seen a stock glock 17 go for over $500 in a bidding war. After shipping, taxes and transfer it had to cost well over what buying in a store would've cost?!?

I was looking at Tikka and bergara rifles on gunbroker but they were all going what I could basically just get a new one for in a local shop.

But I also seen a nice used/barely fired glock 17 go for like $250 as well. So definitely so deals but you gotta be on the site a lot to catch them.

 

[ilostmypswrd]

Bought several hunting rifles from Gunbroker in the past 6/7 years. Never had any problem, not a big fan of the bidding thing, it was usually buy now, the prices were pretty decent at the time, now not so much. ONLY USE A CREDIT CARD, ONLY BUY FROM A TRUSTED MEMBER ONLY. Ok thats it.

 

[toast]

The completed sales search function is a gold mine of information, especially for older or more unusual items. Is that a crazy bidder getting caught up in the moment or is that really what that thing is going for now? You can find out (that your disappointment is real).

 

[arakboss]

The completed sales search function is a gold mine of information, especially for older or more unusual items. Is that a crazy bidder getting caught up in the moment or is that really what that thing is going for now? You can find out (that your disappointment is real).

I use the completed items search, all the time at work. It's a great resource in determining current values of firearm models.

 

[Mikej]

I've only had one gun Broker experience. It was great. The Seller "ww2andbefore1945", yeah pretty much all old stuff, gives very good descriptions. I bought a 1902 Swedish Mauser from him. We had a phone convo and he was very helpful and approachable for this noob. He had very good pictures that were crystal clear and zooming in worked very well. The riffle shipping package was crazy looking, but nothing was going to damage that rifle! He's one that has jumped the price way up, but claims the shipper has added a large fee for oversize length. That makes sense, we're screwed by every one any more. $35.00 to ship a 45" riffle isn't a thing anymore anywhere.

 

[dangerranger60]

I have bought a lot on GB. I can't think of one deal that went bad. I use the Proxy bid system and set my top price and it ups my bid automatically till it hits my cap. If it goes over that I did not want it that bad. I don't even look till the auction is over. I mostly buy older stuff so GB has been a good resource. DR

 

[CLT65]

I don't bid....
I can either afford the asking price or not.
I can't stand the back and forth dickering at gun shows....

I'm with you on that, Andy. I think the same way.

I think the dickering/haggling thing is primarily cultural, and many of us who didn't grow up where that was a cultural norm just don't get it. I don't like it. If I sell something, I want to just put what I think is a fair price on it, same for buying. No big game of haggling back and forth, just buy the darn thing if you want it, or don't.

I have one friend who won't buy something without negotiating first. It's almost embarrassing to go to a gun show with him; he HAS to get a DEAL on absolutely anything he buys. He gets really irritated if he sees me buy something without haggling first.

 

[Catfishmoon]

A combination of things, but items set to close on Sunday evening (when everyone is home putzing around on their computer), prices are highest. If you can follow things that close mid-day on week days, those tend to have less attention and go for lower prices.

Specific things that I'm interested in, I try to watch over time to see how average trading prices are trending. Or, you can use the advanced search feature to see what similar items have sold for.

I have noticed that also and I do the same... In fact guides like "how to sell on E-bay" specifically list ending your auction early on Sunday evening in order to maximize the number of individuals who view the item and have an opportunity to bid.
I have bought multiple items on Gunbroker including firearms and I bought primers there during the last primer shortage. I buy only from sellers with a lot of positive feedback if the item is expensive, but I have bought from newer sellers for an item like used brass for reloading.

 

[trevi]

Bought and sold likely half my collection from GB but that was all before the tax fiasco, when it was great! Now i just search for parts to what i already own. No FFLs needed there. I like Gunbusters (more than one vender in different regions) on GB. They sell parts from confiscated guns via a bid. Pretty much done buying guns via auction due to tax and state restrictions. However, one thing i do is, if i see an item i like with a starting price i like, I'll try to call the vender and buy direct from them to my FFL. Cut out the middleman! I have done well with this method a few times. Some even cut me a break and ship for said price!!

 

[Catfishmoon]

I'm with you on that, Andy. I think the same way.

I think the dickering/haggling thing is primarily cultural, and many of us who didn't grow up where that was a cultural norm just don't get it. I don't like it. If I sell something, I want to just put what I think is a fair price on it, same for buying. No big game of haggling back and forth, just buy the darn thing if you want it, or don't.

I have one friend who won't buy something without negotiating first. It's almost embarrassing to go to a gun show with him; he HAS to get a DEAL on absolutely anything he buys. He gets really irritated if he sees me buy something without haggling first.

I know there have been previous discussions on this topic and however each wants to do it is fine. However, I am on the opposite side of the coin.
I believe that offering a price on a used item between two individuals is as American as baseball, apple pie and the Second Amendment, if a person takes offence on an offer that's on them

 

[CLT65]

I know there have been previous discussions on this topic and however each wants to do it is fine. However, I am on the opposite side of the coin.
I believe that offering a price on a used item between two individuals is as American as baseball, apple pie and the Second Amendment, if a person takes offence on an offer that's on them

I don't take any offense to an offer made. I fully understand that haggling over everything from guns to used cars to camels is as old as human civilization. I just didn't grow up with it and personally I don't enjoy it. That's just me.

The guys I can't stand are the wheeler-dealers who use all the tricks in the book to haggle you down, pointing out any flaws in what you have (real and imagined) to discourage you to the point of letting it go for next to nothing. They scoop up a steal and laugh all the way to the bank. I got taken a couple times by that kind of shyster back when I was young and stupid, and have a real low opinion of guys like that. Maybe I should be thankful though; I learned a lesson or two.

Honest negotiation between two parties to arrive at an acceptable price for both? I have no problem with that at all, and I can do it when necessary. Some people really enjoy that process. I do not.

 

[OldBroad44]

I don't take any offense to an offer made. I fully understand that haggling over everything from guns to used cars to camels is as old as human civilization. I just didn't grow up with it and personally I don't enjoy it. That's just me.

The guys I can't stand are the wheeler-dealers who use all the tricks in the book to haggle you down, pointing out any flaws in what you have (real and imagined) to discourage you to the point of letting it go for next to nothing. They scoop up a steal and laugh all the way to the bank. I got taken a couple times by that kind of shyster back when I was young and stupid, and have a real low opinion of guys like that. Maybe I should be thankful though; I learned a lesson or two.

Honest negotiation between two parties to arrive at an acceptable price for both? I have no problem with that at all, and I can do it when necessary. Some people really enjoy that process. I do not.

Part of the preference or not for intense haggling is whether or not you prefer your life to be characterized by zero sum games in which you get a deal that is so favorable that the other person gets way under the norm for the situation. The intense haggler looks at the haggling as a competitive sport in which he wants to be the clear winner and make the other guy the clear loser. I prefer to set or respond to prices that are reasonable deals for both sides.

I wonder if the intense hagglers try to turn the rest of their lives into zero sum games too. Some men, for example, turn their marriages into situations in which they so badly undermine their wives that she turns into a virtual slave, without the courage to stand up for herself or get a divorce no matter how badly she is treated. Have also seen the reverse, by the way, where the stay-at-home wife did no housework all day and neglected the kids and the husband worked two jobs to support family and came home to a filthy house and unbathed children and was expected to fix dinner, clean up house and kids, etc. And what about intense hagglers as employers? Do they try to hire people at the lowest possible wages and give them no benefits or control over schedules making the jobs as miserable as possible for the employees not just because that's all they can afford but because they feel they need to "win" at being employers, and that they can win only if the employees really lose?

 

[fstdraw]

Yep, you don't know unless you ask!