My problem (as a person working in the industry) with GunBroker

[hemiram]

There was an LGS in the town a friend used to live in, and about 2 times a year, I would go in there and look around. Selection was decent, and new gun prices weren't crazy, but used ones were totally, well, nuts. Many times, I would see well used guns that were still being made, exactly like the used ones, no S&W lock nonsense, and their price would be higher than almost anywhere else had the new gun for. And this place never had a new gun of the same model for sale when a used one was in the case. I saw an EAA Witness 9mm in the used case, in the box, with paperwork, etc. It had some dents on the grips and some nicks on the muzzle end of the slide, and I could buy an identical new one for about $400-425 at the time. Their price? $549.99. Seriously? I offered them $375, and they wouldn't take it, so I bought a new one from an online seller for $375+ship+$20 transfer. I wasn't shocked when they closed up a few years back.

 

[Spats McGee]

....What I feel is part of the problem, and please, I'd like to start a civil discussion here, is that many people don't realize that GunBroker is a lot like eBay in that a seller can ask literally any price he/she/they feel like BUT that DOESN'T mean the seller will actually fetch that price.....

I'm not real sure how GB is the problem in this. We (as a country) have always allowed people to ask whatever price they want for their wares, by and large, and we've always allowed buyers to decline &/or haggle.

Pre-internet, if you wanted to know an item's value, you either read catalogs, or walked the aisles at gun shows. GB is just faster.

I think there's a shift that needs to happen and it starts with the proper use of sites like GunBroker (it's only one aspect of the disconnect between buyers and sellers but I think it plays a large part).

What's your take?

I'm curious as to what you think the 'proper' use of GB would be?

As for me, I'm an incurable researcher and an unapologetic haggler. I'll use GB completed auctions to figure out a gun's value, and then try to find it locally for a comparable price. I'm good with paying a little more to support my LGS, but that 'little more' has its limits. As a seller, I firmly expect a buyer to offer me less than what I'm asking. And I'm good with that, too.

 

[daniel craig]

I'm not real sure how GB is the problem in this. We (as a country) have always allowed people to ask whatever price they want for their wares, by and large, and we've always allowed buyers to decline &/or haggle.

Pre-internet, if you wanted to know an item's value, you either read catalogs, or walked the aisles at gun shows. GB is just faster.


I'm curious as to what you think the 'proper' use of GB would be?

As for me, I'm an incurable researcher and an unapologetic haggler. I'll use GB completed auctions to figure out a gun's value, and then try to find it locally for a comparable price. I'm good with paying a little more to support my LGS, but that 'little more' has its limits. As a seller, I firmly expect a buyer to offer me less than what I'm asking. And I'm good with that, too.

See the problem I find is that most people aren’t like you they won’t do enough research to get on gun broker and see what people are asking for a gun not what these guns are actually selling for. The people who do this as soon as the asking price is what the gun is worth people like you who actually do the research see what these guns are sold for and use that as a definition of worth. But maybe you’re right maybe it’s not a gun broker’s fault maybe it’s just stupid people in which case there’s nothing we can do.

 

[buck460XVR]

. But maybe you’re right maybe it’s not a gun broker’s fault maybe it’s just stupid people in which case there’s nothing we can do.

.........of course there's something we can do. We can go on a gun forum and make a rant. One only has to look at all the "Dumb guy at the range", "Stupid clerk at Walmart", "Moron at the LGS" on these types of forums, to realize it's the new norm.

 

[Llama Bob]

See the problem I find is that most people aren’t like you they won’t do enough research to get on gun broker and see what people are asking for a gun not what these guns are actually selling for. The people who do this as soon as the asking price is what the gun is worth people like you who actually do the research see what these guns are sold for and use that as a definition of worth. But maybe you’re right maybe it’s not a gun broker’s fault maybe it’s just stupid people in which case there’s nothing we can do.

Counterparty doesn't give NY man price he thinks he should get. News at 11:00.

Seriously, suck it up. If you don't like someone's pricing on something, don't do the deal. The vast majority of deals in any market go un-done because the parties can't meet on price. That's the nature of a market.

 

[boom boom]

See the problem I find is that most people aren’t like you they won’t do enough research to get on gun broker and see what people are asking for a gun not what these guns are actually selling for. The people who do this as soon as the asking price is what the gun is worth people like you who actually do the research see what these guns are sold for and use that as a definition of worth. But maybe you’re right maybe it’s not a gun broker’s fault maybe it’s just stupid people in which case there’s nothing we can do.

I'm old enough to remember when the problem was what the Bluebook stated as a price or other price guides where sellers ignored the whole part about condition, originality, or even bubba'ed additions or substractions, when demanding the top dollar. The internet just changed the source and more or less nationalized the market pricing.

 

[243winxb]

Login- Gunbroker sold prices can be found using "Advanced Search" if your loged in. Look for ones bid on. Search " No Reserve"

If your customers doesn't like the cash offer, you the dealer makes, they can sell it to the public themselves. It will be a very enlightening experience for them.

 

[FlSwampRat]

If Skippy Mcdelusional wants to list his consignment at an unreasonable price despite our best evaluation, we will let it languish til he gets a clue and lowers, the price

He comes in your store too? What a coinkydink!

 

[daniel craig]

Login- Gunbroker sold prices can be found using "Advanced Search" if your loged in. Look for ones bid on. Search " No Reserve" View attachment 905314

If your customers doesn't like the cash offer, you the dealer makes, they can sell it to the public themselves. It will be a very enlightening experience for them.

That’s way it usually comes out. We try to give a fair price and even tell them what they might be able to sell it for online, most people would rather have the money than wait the time it takes.