Why are people on armslist so indecisive?

[ifonly1theng19]

Looks like i've finally found a detour around the tire kicking respectable folk on armslist

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[TOVO]

Armslist is still around? Gave up on it years ago.

 

[Larrytpdx]

Welcome. Much better here. Indecisive is putting it mildly!

 

[CHLChris]

Complete anonymity makes it possible to be more douchy on AL. Even though we only have screen names here, our history follows us here to some degree. In some ways I have equal or even more luck selling stuff on AL, but I have to deal with a LOT more junk emails from people who never follow through. Here at NWFA I almost never have to deal with crap. Almost everyone here is first-class.

 

[DuneHopper]

I have had most flakes and no shows on AL, none here.
And none on our local gun group .

 

[2A2Dend]

On Armslist, I don't even read a listing if it starts with, "As the title says" "As the listing states"
They strike me as being an arrogant a$$ with a baited hook.

 

[etrain16]

I've had flakes on AL and a couple here on NWFA - primarily from members with little or no feedback. AL is worse though. Over the years I've messaged folks asking about something they had for sale and would often get no response at all. And with no feedback, it just gets more sketchy.

I rely heavily on feedback here. I will sell to folks with little or no feedback (we all had to start there ourselves), but I'll be more cautious and expect excellent communication and follow up at the very least. I've found that poor or completely lacking communication is the #1 best predictor of a bad deal for me. Want my business or want to buy my item, have the decency to communicate, and to do so with more than one to two word responses.

 

[UserNameInUse]

There's flakes on both sides. I'm constantly amazed that people have the time to post the same overpriced guns over an over for months. Are they are just showing them off? I never open an ad that contains the words "rare" or "custom". Waste of time IMO.

If I'm selling something I want to get it sold and move on. I'd much rather spend my time with a new gun than sitting at the computer posting ads.

I've had good experiences on AL and one here so far. I've met some good people. I bought my favorite gun off AL. Had to drive 5 hours round trip, but glad I did it.

 

[2A2Dend]

A few years back I listed a pistol on AL that was highly collectible to the right person. I got the usual low-ball offers, telling me what it was worth. I had offers to trade low-end firearms, but not what I was wanting. I got a response from someone three time-zones away stating they were interested. He requested high resolution pictures of the entire gun, of every possible angle. I obliged, and we exchanged several emails over a week. He told me that he wanted it. Given that, I requested a money order be sent, along with a copy of his FFL info. Three days later, and it was legit. I took the pistol to my FFL, and filled out the necessary paperwork. Away it went.

Three days later the buyer had the pistol in his hands. He was ecstatic. As was I that time was not wasted.

There are plenty of good folks out there. Wading through to meet them, can be a PITA.

 

[DuneHopper]

I wont say how many sales/purchases I have done, but they have been extensive over the years.
And most are great and have developed long tern relationships and sales,trades etc.
Which is helpful with SB941 .

I don't try and low ball people but I also wont pay full retail, as often times people buy stocks and mags and think it adds " allot " it ads some but not sticker price of what you bought.
I am more impressed by someone that does extra machine work, then I will look at a higher cost.
But bolt on stuff I will only pay 1/3 what the add on cost or I might as well buy and do myself.
My pet peeve is people that I see selling way above their pay grade..
Local gun stores here at times are selling beatup SKS's 450.00 and then you gotta pay the BGC fee wholly crap That makes it almost a 500.00 WTF, its also what I see allot of on AL.
People think a Norinco is work 450.00 and up and thats insane. I see Mosins Nagants going for 350-400 maybe its all the new weed people are smoking. Getting a fair price is one thing asking way up there is not something I will do. I like a deal, I like to wheel and deal its fun and part of the hunt. This year I ended up with a 600+ item for something I have only invested 85.00 in and was traded. Both were happy but thats what I like to do is hunt and hunt until you find that diamond.

 

[2A2Dend]

I can relate DH.
I don't generally pass on, trade, or sell. As you may have seen my Ruger SP101 listed in the handgun classifieds, I'm hunting. Some may feel my price is too high compared to new. Depends how you look at it I spose. Not being pressed to off it, if I sell, fine, if I don't, that's also fine. I also list, will trade, but I want specific items, or cash. I like to play fair and realistic. When a sale strikes me as getting pushed in the pooch, I'll pass. Cash is king. Not necessarily

 

[STUKA]

Replace the word "Craigs" with the word "Arms" and there you have it.
I am going through it as I type this.
Just got a trade offer of a 1994 Ford thunderbird (everyones dream car,right?)
Even though the ad clearly states no trades,no exceptions, except for an enclosed trailer.
Sometimes it's fun to screw with them,usually just annoying.

 

[CHLChris]

When I sell accessories (anything other than serialized guns or ammo) I have had a lot of good luck on AL, but mostly because to some degree you have a national audience and shipping is possible.

I'm not sure if SB-941/I-594 have had a negative effect on sales. I will tell you this, those stupid bills made every used firearm worth $50-100 less overnight and many sellers still have not figured this out. $25-50 transfer plus $10 for the BGC plus the PITA factor means your used gun is worth less to me now. It used to be that used guns could be sold for almost the same as new since you could have a gun off-paper.

Now, I'd rather just go to the gun shop and buy there from them as long as it's gonna be on paper anyway. That is, until sellers price their guns accordingly.

 

[808hondacrguy]

And then you have the dealers posting their entire inventory everyday. I posted a glock for sale at 1am and when I checked at 8am, my post was on page 11 already.

 

[UserNameInUse]

I notice no comments from the OP. Did you just come here to sell stuff?

 

[WAYNO]

I have discovered enough scam deals on Armslist, that I seldom even go to their site.

But the flakes are here too.

What disturbs me is I don't know if the flakes from Northwest Firearms have migrated to Armslist, or the Armslist flakes have migrated to here. I'm having more deals flake apart from Northwest Firearms than ever before. I miss the old Outdoors Trader.

This is not to say I think the folks here are crooks. I think folks just don't "get" the value of their word. If a guy says "I'll take it", and then promises on a date only to cancel the date, and further promise tomorrow, again, or next weekend, over and over, or quit communicating all together, leaving me strung out for a week or two, it's asking way too much.
WAYNO.

 

[ifonly1theng19]

I notice no comments from the OP. Did you just come here to sell stuff?

What if i did?

 

[Sgt Nambu]

Welcome to the site! I hope you enjoy it!

 

[KeepnitReel]

I will say one nice thing about arms list. It lets me find used guns at shops/pawns in my area that I would have never found. Then I just drive to that shop to view and maybe buy.

I was laughing at a 1917 Remington 30-06 bolt rifle I was told from the seller that it was near flawless, the craters on this rifle was mind blowing. Never seen anything like it.

 

[UserNameInUse]

What if i did?

Nothing really. I just find it useful to understand a persons motivations.