Selling for a "friend"

cyclesarge · Oct 22, 2011

Is it just me or has anyone else noticed 99% of the time when there is an ad where a member is posting a firearm for a friend, the description is wrong and incomplete and the price is WAY more than it should be? Also the ad gets "bumped" several times in the first couple of days to address the errors.

Personally, I don't think one should be allowed to post for a friend, membership is FREE here and not that hard to sign up for. If your "friend" thinks his $600 gun is worth $1200, let HIM post it.

Rant over.

cotillion · Oct 22, 2011

I automatically assume its some sort of scam. Even if its an item I was looking for I'd skip right over it. To many what ifs in firearms

BigDaddyDMD · Oct 22, 2011

I agree completely. If the correct information is lacking about a firearm, the "friend" doesn't exactly know what it is, the price is ridiculous I don't even bother asking even if it is something I am interested in. It is free to sign up here and anyone with an internet connection can do so very easily.

cyclesarge · Oct 22, 2011

^Yeah, I didn't even think about possible "legal" reasons for selling for a friend. Now that I am thinking about it, the "friend" can't legal own or sell a firearm? The friend doesn't legally OWN said firearm? The member is acting as a "fence" for the seller?

I was mostly just thinking about scenarios were the "friend" can't post. i.e. no membership, computer illiterate, out of country (no access to computer), etc. Even though these reasons are "legit", the ads are incomplete, incorrect and generally seem to be a waste of site space. A lot of times the "friend" seems to OUT OF TOUCH with the value of firearms, I guess because he doesn't have access to websites that would let him know his $600 gun is not worth $1200.

DieselScout · Oct 22, 2011

But it's mil-spec

yeah I would steer clear too unless it's something I really wanted, then I'd at least inquire.

MinnesotaORnewbie · Oct 22, 2011

LOL, I was just going to say, I think I know what ad he is talking about. Its also the best kind made.

cyclesarge · Oct 22, 2011

^Well it's not just THAT ad, pretty much any time I see an ad placed by a friend, the price is way out of line, the re is no picture, critical info is missing (or just wrong) and the ad gets "bumped" numerous times just to try squeeze that info out of the poster.

EMP9596 · Oct 22, 2011

cyclesarge said:
^Yeah, I didn't even think about possible "legal" reasons for selling for a friend. Now that I am thinking about it, the "friend" can't legal own or sell a firearm? The friend doesn't legally OWN said firearm? The member is acting as a "fence" for the seller?

That is exactly the way I look at those kind of ads.. Straw seller?

coosbaycreep · Oct 22, 2011

Selling for "friends", and "got this in a trade and never shot it", etc. are all suspicious to me anymore. It just sounds like another excuse for liars to act ignorant and try and unload their broken crap without actually having to "lie" about it. Not saying everyone that sells for a "friend" is being shady obviously (my folks sell stuff for me all the time, but I write up a list of all known problems for them so they can make sure they're not screwing someone over), but whatever they're selling should be checked out extra good.

I've bought three guns from members here now that turned out to be lemons. The first seller seemed genuinely honest about not having shot it, and when I let him know it was garbage, offered to fix it or refund my money. Since I knew this brand of gun had a hit or miss reputation when I bought it and I didn't think the dude purposely sold me a dud, I went ahead and just took the loss myself selling it as a parts gun.

Second lemon was from a scuzzy used car salesman. When I asked him if it was reliable, he said he hadn't shot it in a really long time, but his kid took it to the range. After buying it and taking it out shooting, where it failed to feed more than 1 or 2 rounds, I'm 99% sure that dude was a full of crap scumbag. His reputation as a car salesman isn't too good either.

Next lemon I bought was a gun that a dude "got in a trade and never shot". Seller has good feedback, and I didn't notice the part was broken on it when I looked at it so I don't know if he was being honest or was just another dirtbag trying to unload his garbage, but either way, I won't deal with him again.

I also quit leaving feedback for people until I've shot something and made sure it works too.

And while I'm still ranting, sellers that leave out the price, location, etc. as an easy way to get a free bump when someone asks them for information that should've been included in the first place gets on my nerves too.

Gun flippers piss me off more than anything though, even more than the flakes, crackheads, and lowballers.

bingeebob · Oct 22, 2011

To be fair, some people simply aren't comfortable enough with computers to create an account, upload pictures, and follow up online. The ad I think OP is referring to does actually list the "friend's" phone number.

But yeah, you know, it's all milspec and stuff. He has, after all "read up on it"...

*facepalm

Beefcake · Oct 22, 2011

When buying, I assume all purchases are "buyer beware". I would have more trouble buying from a member with no posts than from a reputable member's friend.

cyclesarge · Nov 6, 2011

coosbaycreep said:
Gun flippers piss me off more than anything though, even more than the flakes, crackheads, and lowballers.

I suspect a lot of times the guys "lowballing" are doing so to better profit when they "flip" the gun.

PinkhamR · Nov 6, 2011

I agree ...... let the 'friend' join the site ...... JMO

Chee-to · Nov 7, 2011

cyclesarge said:
Is it just me or has anyone else noticed 99% of the time when there is an ad where a member is posting a firearm for a friend, the description is wrong and incomplete and the price is WAY more than it should be? Also the ad gets "bumped" several times in the first couple of days to address the errors.

Personally, I don't think one should be allowed to post for a friend, membership is FREE here and not that hard to sign up for. If your "friend" thinks his $600 gun is worth $1200, let HIM post it.

Rant over.

Hmmmm, rules, rules, rules, as far as I'm concerned this site has enough of them.....

Rant over.

madcratebuilder · Nov 7, 2011

cyclesarge said:
^Well it's not just THAT ad, pretty much any time I see an ad placed by a friend, the price is way out of line, the re is no picture, critical info is missing (or just wrong) and the ad gets "bumped" numerous times just to try squeeze that info out of the poster.

That's how you keep it at the top :s0131:

SteelyDan · Nov 7, 2011

I guess I should force my 75 year old aunt to go down to Circuit City, deal with all their slick salesman and buy a computer. Subscribe to an isp, set up a home network, establish an email acct and sign up for NWF. All that so she can sell that old .22 that's been in her closet for 30 years.

Yeah, right. Then I will get her an iPod and a Xbox; maybe get her into playing COD Live when she's not attending flash mobs.

It would be much easier if I just sold it for her. Besides, I dont want a stream of unknown people knocking on her door trying to hardball her on the value of her rifle. God knows she'd probably end up trading it for a Krylon'd SKS.

cyclesarge · Nov 7, 2011

SteelyDan said:
I guess I should force my 75 year old aunt to go down to Circuit City, deal with all their slick salesman and buy a computer. Subscribe to an isp, set up a home network, establish an email acct and sign up for NWF. All that so she can sell that old .22 that's been in her closet for 30 years.

Yeah, right. Then I will get her an iPod and a Xbox; maybe get her into playing COD Live when she's not attending flash mobs.

It would be much easier if I just sold it for her. Besides, I dont want a stream of unknown people knocking on her door trying to hardball her on the value of her rifle. God knows she'd probably end up trading it for a Krylon'd SKS.

I suspect if you were selling it for her, you'd have it in your possession, would have a decent description, and would have given her a decent idea of what it IS and ISN'T worth.

--as opposed to--

NOT, having it in your possession, because your "friend" is still using it and/or trying to sell it himself. NOT, having a decent description, because you haven't even seen the gun since that last time you and he went to the range, and you didn't even get a good look at it because you didn't know THEN he was gonna have you sell it. And NOT having a good idea of what the gun IS or ISN'T worth, because he doesn't have internet access (to compare values) and won't accept YOUR opinion because he overpaid for it up front, because AGAIN, he didn't have internet access to see what the gun was worth before he bought it.

I don't think anyone on here could argue in FAVOR of advertising something with a poor description, handling the transaction through a third party (possibly not even knowing WHO is actually selling or buying the gun), or the problems associated with ridiculous pricing.