Where Are All The Buyers At?

[arakboss]

I get to hear "but I paid $$$ for it", very often. I have to politely tell them it doesn't matter what you paid for it. We go by what the item is currently selling for when deciding what to give them.

 

[nehalemguy]

My favorite lately is the "testing the waters" sale ads where the seller lists a firearm at or slightly below what you can buy one for at retail. Once you figure in the transfer it's a bust.

-E-

 

[ar man]

My favorite lately is the "testing the waters" sale ads where the seller lists a firearm at or slightly below what you can buy one for at retail. Once you figure in the transfer it's a bust.

-E-

Yes I like this one testing the waters - means to me my a$$ is tied to this big a$$ boat anchor and I am sinking help lol

 

[Mikej]

I get to hear "but I paid $$$ for it", very often. I have to politely tell them it doesn't matter what you paid for it. We go by what the item is currently selling for when deciding what to give them.

I imaging it's like watching "Pawn Stars" when the "Professional" comes in and tells the guys what the item will actually fetch in their case? And the seller hears that, then turns and says he'll take what he wanted in the beginning, as though the pro never was there.
People are morons.

 

[RVTECH]

I see essentially two types of gun owners.

Those who have been 'in it' for a long time, maybe have a preference for certain styles, makes, classic designs and might have over the years accumulated a 'core collection' of them when prices were reasonable and based on the market at the time which was considerably more stable in the past than now.

These types most likely still buy and sell within the confines of an interest or preference for those styles of guns and while prices are up, the buyers are more careful and discriminating.

Then there are what I see as 'new' gun owners who bought out of peer pressure, paranoia, unrealistic defensive attitudes, etc and in some cases scrambled to buy up whatever they could afford and in some cases they most likely overpaid.

I mean how many times have we experienced massive price hikes for example with ARs because of perceived shortages due to a variety of reasons - but mostly because of self-perceived fear(s) which only instigated the retailers and scalpers to charge what they were?

Bottom line is the market is flooded with black this and than, probably more plastic fantastic handguns than there ever were in steel now and the sellers of these things are simply going to have to understand they will most likely NOT get what they paid for something - and maybe by a fairly healthy lower percentage.

 

[billdeserthills]

Sadly the real "risk" with this is not just the ship but getting paid. Its real hard to get a safe payment method that you can make sure you have your money before sending the gun. Then it gets pricey to send the gun. Since they made selling such a PITA here if I sell again I will probably just let a shop sell for me and let them take their cut. This is why I don't sell anything now though. Just not willing to take the hit on money so end up with a lot of guns I would really rather sell.

A USPS Money Order can generally be cashed at the post office

 

[Alexx1401]

A USPS Money Order can generally be cashed at the post office

I have heard that and if so is one GREAT way to go about this assuming of course the buyer is willing to pay this way. A lot of buyers are also of course leery since they too are afraid of getting burned. This is why its often hard for common folk to sell this way. Buyers are leery, seller is leery, no real good way for both to be protected without it costing.

 

[ktgee]

Shipping a firearm is a pain and/or costly. If I ever sell one, I will settle for less and find a local buyer.

I get to hear "but I paid $$$ for it", very often. I have to politely tell them it doesn't matter what you paid for it. We go by what the item is currently selling for when deciding what to give them.

selling a gun at a loss is the norm, just like anything used. Most guy buyers are already determined to take a loss if they want to sell it in the future. It's a hobby that costs you money not makes you money, If you think you will get back your investment in full, you are dreaming.

 

[billdeserthills]

selling a gun at a loss is the norm, just like anything used. Most guy buyers are already determined to take a loss if they want to sell it in the future. It's a hobby that costs you money not makes you money, If you think you will get back your investment in full, you are dreaming.

Too bad you can't do a private sale in AZ, where used private sale guns always sell for more than new guns do

 

[Knobgoblin]

selling a gun at a loss is the norm, just like anything used. Most guy buyers are already determined to take a loss if they want to sell it in the future. It's a hobby that costs you money not makes you money, If you think you will get back your investment in full, you are dreaming.

Bro , do you even Mosin?

 

[Alexx1401]

Too bad you can't do a private sale in AZ, where used private sale guns always sell for more than new guns do

Yep. Back when we could sell face to face I never lost money on guns. I would buy, play with some for a while, sell one to buy another. Could always get my money back which made it so easy and fun to try different stuff. Now that the sale has to go through a dealer? Now its a matter of how much you are willing to lose to get rid a gun.

 

[OldBroad44]

Discussion of current value relative to MRSP seems to omit where and when. A gun in a LGS where you can go in and handle the gun and try the trigger is worth more to me and many others than a gun we have to commit to sight unseen. And that includes guns bought from classifieds in NWFA, where the seller and buyer have to make special arrangements to meet at an ffl.

When a gun is a specialty item that the average gun store will have in stock only rarely, a person who sees it and has wanted one of exactly that for a while will be more likely to pay closer to MSRP than will a person who wants a very common gun such as a Glock that most LGSs have in the store most of the time . The LGS is unlikely to be competing with any other LGS for the specialty item wanted right now but is competing with other LGSs for the Glock. In Portland area with many LGSs the price of a gun in a LGS is likely to be lower than in a LGS several hours drive from any other LGS.

Newly released guns may sell for close to or even above MSRP for the gun where gun is much awaited and has just come out. Then price usually drops to below MSRP after the people who are rich and impatient have bought. For most guns that have been out a while, the price in LGSs is lower than MSRP. And competitive prices via on-line sellers are lower than those from LGSs.

For example, I recently bought a Mossberg 940 PRO Tactical Shotgun with a Holosun red dot sight installed. At Mossberg the gun is listed at $1406. Right at release a gun mag article listed price as $1333. This variant can't be found easily in Corvallis area. I hadnt been able to find even the version without the red dot at Tick Licker--Corvallis or BiMart. Sportsman Warehouse in Albany now lists it for $1150, but they dont actually have it in stock. You have to hand over your money, buying sight unseen, then come back later to pick up while they supposedly ship from some random other branch. I bought from a dealer on gunbroker.com for $1039, no credit card fees, reasonable shipping. On gun broker there are a couple dozen sellers listing that variant from prices near what I paid to about $300 more. My guess is the higher prices represent prices listed at nearer to the release date that sellers haven't got around to dropping.

 

[oremike]

selling a gun at a loss is the norm, just like anything used. Most guy buyers are already determined to take a loss if they want to sell it in the future. It's a hobby that costs you money not makes you money, If you think you will get back your investment in full, you are dreaming.

To me the greater value of a firearm is in it's use and enjoyment, not can I make money on it. So I buy/sell/trade and hope to find what I like and want to shoot mo' betta' than the last one. Right now I'm at that flat spot where nothing triggers that urge. I know the correct number of guns is just one more but I don't see that one just yet.

 

[Jcon268]

My favorite lately is the "testing the waters" sale ads where the seller lists a firearm at or slightly below what you can buy one for at retail. Once you figure in the transfer it's a bust.

-E-

I've seen ads here listed at higher prices than you'd even pay for a new one.

 

[Unka-Boo]

Yep. Back when we could sell face to face I never lost money on guns. I would buy, play with some for a while, sell one to buy another. Could always get my money back which made it so easy and fun to try different stuff. Now that the sale has to go through a dealer? Now its a matter of how much you are willing to lose to get rid a gun.

Gawd I miss those days...I had probably gone through 200+ different rifles/pistols before FTF was squashed...buy one, decide it wasnt for me, sell, rinse repeat. I can count on one hand how many "private" sales I've done since 2015

 

[Jcon268]

Yep. Back when we could sell face to face I never lost money on guns. I would buy, play with some for a while, sell one to buy another. Could always get my money back which made it so easy and fun to try different stuff. Now that the sale has to go through a dealer? Now its a matter of how much you are willing to lose to get rid a gun.

It seems most people here expect to pay in the realm of 40% off of the new price of a firearm no matter how much use its seen. After all it's really hard to tell from ad pictures if the seller is genuine about the amount of use it's had. I recently sold a gun to a member here where the ad somewhat gloated about the great condition of the gun. When I met with the buyer and he inspected the gun, he goes "wow this really is in great condition." My guess is most people expect to be disappointed upon meeting about what they're actually getting vs. the ad. To me, honesty is the best policy. I'd rather take a bit of a loss, get some value out of what I'm selling and just move on. Trying to manipulate buyers or squeeze every last penny doesn't allow for that.

 

[OldBroad44]

If buying from NWFA classifieds, for many of us a big issue is we don't live in or near Portland, and seller doesn't ship. For me in Corvallis less than 5% of listings are workable even if I wanted the gun. But even if seller ships, what then? Do I want to send a check or money order and risk seller not sending or misrepresenting gun? No. Is seller going to be happy shipping me gun first without receiving payment? No.

 

[64MercurysRule]

In the past part of my enjoyment in selling guns was giving an up & comer a good deal as others have done for me . Seeing their excitement in the purchase made it more enjoyable for me . Especially when I would be selling an item I would rather had kept . Paying it forward .

 

[arakboss]

My hours are finally getting cut back at my second job so I am going to be leaving a lot more deals available for others to snap up. Future deals are going to have to be really really good to get my cash now.

 

[Certaindeaf]

I've never been a fickle flipper.
A lot of people don't understand the concept that if you bought a gun 20 years ago for $500 and then sold it today for $400, that turns out to have "cost" you $5/yr for a practical and enjoyable hobby.
They look at that $100 difference and are all like, $100!. like a child.
I find it all fairly amusing however.