Your recent selling experiences?

[nammac]

The hesitation (I may get the screw, paranoia) in buying from forum listings, shipped, after you pay, that's something that took me time to adjust too at first.
As mentioned, listers time on said site, post count/content, and feedback all help. Not always the case.
I've purchased and/or traded with many members with zero feedback, and very few posts. Some don't like to ship, and/or, they are also new to this form of dealing.
Contact said seller, ask specific questions- expect to get specific response. If anything seems fishy, go with your gut feelings. You have to be comfortable.

I've personally never been duped, however, I have had a few instances dealing with sellers where Real World situations get in the way of their best intentions. Which is/was to ship what was purchased ASAP. Even then, getting all knotted up in the gut, thinking you got shystered, does happen.

All in all, I've had a rewarding experience dealing with 99.9% of said.
Just remember, they-- as like you (us) are in the same fish bowl.

If on a site like GB or similar, best to do the sale through their website and not privately.

ADDED


GUNS = Absolutely -----NO

I've sold guns on Armslist to several. Both meeting up, and by going through an FFL to ship.
After contact with said buyer, relay to them that YOU want THEM to KNOW what they are buying. And vice-versa if you are the buyer.
Tell them to relay to you any and all concerns. Be specific. Ask for high resolution photos, in detail.
Get all the information you can get, as if standing there physically holding and looking at it.
Be 100% confident that what you see - IS what you will get for your money.
If said seller is true, you'll know. If said buyer is true, you'll know that as well.
If both parties are comfortable, there should be no problem sending/receiving full payment prior.
Payment does not need to go through the FFL. I have done US Postal Money Orders and Certified Checks.
Cashed on receipt before giving the FFL a green light to ship.

Be prepared. Have a plan in place before you go through the motions.
Cover all the bases to make the transaction go as smoothly as possible.
If all mentioned are in place, it will come with reward on both parties behalf.

Great advice right here. Know what your buying. Review others feedback, it'll give you a clue. I've sold and bought not only here but on Gunbroker as well. Payment always clears first, regardless if it's a sale or purchase. Always communicate, keep those lines open, until the goods are delivered/received and always be sure to provide factual not emotional feedback.

I'm waiting on a delivery now of a firearms purchase from out of state from Gunbroker, fellow isn't the greatest communicator, but I keep our transaction active with regular communications until I receive my goods. He's been responsive to all my communications.

I've never been disappointed with a transaction yet. Hopefully, I never will. And for those transactions done with NWFA folks, each has been a great experience. Met some real nice folks this way.

 

[SavageGerbil]

I sell and trade a lot. I like new toys, and my meager earnings absolutely could NOT cover the hobby, so the hobby has to kick in. Sacrifice a piece of the collection to get me another piece. Yeah, you lose some money, but not a ton. Certainly not as much as any other hobby, talk to a gear head about how close they came to even when they let a hot rod go that they got bored with, ouch.

Like others said, it's ebb and flow kind of thing, sometimes you're left sitting on things, sometimes your ad doesn't see day 2. Here, we've got the feedback system, so I haven't run into much trouble with people. Armslist, I've had more flakes in the last couple years than I had in the rest of the time before combined.

The private party legislation has been the worst factor. You get hurt more when you let something go because of the added costs, and it killed some of the fun. I had some buddies on here that I'd trade with all the time, sometimes just so we'd have an excuse for a BBQ. If I didn't know someone, or somebody to vouch for them, you'd swap CHLs and be good to go. The "I don't break into houses" card was always good enough for me, you can lose that easier than your gun rights.

 

[bbbass]

I sold some BS to several of us old geezers and widows sitting at the same table for lunch at the Senior Center...

 

[TTSX]

I haven't sold a gun in years and I don't intend to. I used to cull the herd regularly but the blankety blank laws we passed made it enough of a hassle to stop me dead in my tracks. I still buy but I factor in travel time, the roughly $30 fees I didn't used to have to pay, etc and that means to me I have to get a SCREAMING deal or it's just not worth it. Unfortunately, that often means screwing the seller and I have a conscience so I prefer not to. I think a lot of people feel the same way.

 

[OldBroad44]

Another issue is location. The one gun I bought on NWFA, the seller was going to be in Albany for a few days, which is just minutes from Corvallis. Most guns listed in NWFA are hours away. Not workable for me unless seller will ship. And I would much rather see the gun before buying.

 

[Ratfink]

I'v e always got sumptin fer sale...

 

[CountryGent]

Given I don't know the seller's trustworthiness (this or on other selling forums) I buy at stores only.

My question: What can I do to assure myself the seller is honest?

The only useful conclusion I've arrived at is: Send me the item first (yep, you'll have to trust me) and then I'll send you what we agreed on.

I wonder if I'm alone in this approach or if this approach is often employed?

What say any of you buyers/sellers?

Thanks!

It varies for me:

• If I'm buying on Gunbroker (GB) I have to see a fairly solid track record (years on, feedback, etc.) before I will do so. If it is an FFL, that also increases my trust. If it is a non-licensee with no feedback, then no deal. (The one and only time I forgot to check was bad. The deal went through, but it was a dumpster-fire. The woman selling was totally inexperienced and not the brightest bulb.)
• If I'm selling on Gunbroker, it is simple; nothing ships until I have the funds and their FFL in hand.
• Long time, well established members on NWFA, particularly those I've worked with before, I'll ship as soon as they email an FFL and they said they sent funds.
• It hasn't really happened, but new sign ups here I'd go with the Gunbroker selling policy.
• Well established members here I will pull an ad early with a promise to pay when the funds come in, assuming it is relatively soon. I won't do that on GB because there are plenty of flakes and deadbeats out there.
• I've never had a deadbeat here.
• I've had a small number (3—5) of deadbeats who failed to pay on Auction Arms and Gunbroker over 20 years of selling. All of those clowns did not get their item and I know at least a couple that were ban-hammered by the auction house.
• I don't have any problem with low ball offers. (The one exception is an idiot who repeatedly offered me a price that was less than half of the market rate and well under what was the current bid when he messaged. Take the hint already.)
• I've only had two items in which the condition was grossly inaccurate. They got negative feedback, and one his account was flagged.

All and all, doing a lot of transactions on the web, both as a private collector, at times C&R licensed, and someone currently running a side 01FFL (Dealer), has been pretty efficient, easy, and with minimal problems. YMMV.