Auction Idiocy ...

[Swing]

I've been doing the Internet gun auction thing for well over a decade. I've bought and sold on Auction Arms (AA) many a time and bought on Gunbroker (GB) a few times too. In that time I've had very little trouble. Most deals (95%+) were a breeze. The few that had a hiccup were no biggies. I can think of only a handful that were truly problematic (a couple deadbeats and someone attempting to weasel out of shipping), but all of them were handled by Auction Arms with little trouble.

However, the last two guns I've listed for sale on Auction Arms has produced a nonstop parade of tire-kickers, hagglers making insane offers, people whiny about having to pay for shipping, and incoherent questions being asked. One item was a junker pistol, the other a very nice/expensive rifle. Both produced the same results. AA has had some technical glitches this time around too. Coupled with the fact that the response time from their support was days rather than pretty quickly as in the past, I am thinking of going with GB for the next sale if/when I do so.

Has anyone else experienced this in recent memory? Is it time to move on from Auction Arms or are these random quirks?

Thanks all.

 

[Captcurt]

Every week.

I have over 400 sales on GB and have seen a change also. I had an offer of $500 for a nice Browning A5 20ga that is listed for $900. To me, that is a slap in the face. Even when I post no haggling or trades some illiterate will email an offer. One guy has made the same offer 4 or 5 times. I told him that the gun was on consignment and I didn't have a say in price and he still insist on making the same offer. I am going to see if I can block him.

 

[WardenWolf]

Try Armslist.com as well. I've bought at least one firearm through that site.

 

[fallout mike]

I don't buy or sell on any of them. I do on Facebook gun pages though. It's the same thing as you guys describe. Everybody gives lowball offers and the ones "attempting" to sell ask ridiculous prices. Like $550 for a Remington 770, $400 for a 10/22, $600 for a well used G22, and the latest laugher $1200 for a G17. Too many tv shows now making people think they are barter kings or something.

 

[Huskerguy]

I have a slightly different take on all of this. I have been a buyer on a couple of different sites, never a seller. My gripes are when I asked several basic questions such as:
1. Does it locked up solid?
2. Is there any cutting in the backstrap?
3. Do the grips number to the gun?
4. Are there any rust pits on the interior and exterior of the gun?

Ads that include poor pictures and tell you to judge the condition by the pictures tick me off. Then I ask questions and dont gets answers or a basic answer like "the gun is real nice, great shooter." I took the time to look at your ad and I want to get the most bang for my buck. Answer my questions. I dont consider them to be stupid. And yes I may email you a second time just to annoy you - actually you never answered my questions the first time.

I dont make low ball offers though. I have the other problem in that someone thinks their gun is worth double of what they are going for. On another site I was looking a nice M67 and made the guy an offer that was $50 under his inflated price. He told his price is what they were going for on GB. Not true, asking yes, getting no. So he told me no and he kept lowering the price $10 every day or so and I followed it eventually getting it for $35 less than I originally offered.

There will always be nuts out there, the internet makes it much easier. I just feel like the seller has put themselves and their product out there. Customers are the buyers.

OK now I feel better.

 

[Swing]

Thanks all for the replies. I have one more auction on Auction Arms and I'm thinking of closing it down and reposting on GB. I honestly don't know if I'll have less headaches there, but I've noticed they have a much large selection and items (generally) go for high prices there. To the best of my recollection, I haven't sold there, but buying at GB has been pleasant.

For whatever it is worth, I always post a ton of pictures, and am more than happy to take more at the prospective buyer's request. I'll answer any and all questions about the firearm before hand as it is the honest way to handle things. I've, generally, set the starting bid to a little below Blue Book. The only exception is if I want to price it to move quickly, in which I price it very cheap. But I am really having a hard time wasting a time on people asking for, literally, prices below half the value, asking to hold the item for "a couple" weeks for them until they have the money, deadbeats, and other assorted antics.

Anyway, sorry for the semi-rant. If changing venues will cut down on the BS, I'm glad to do so. As such, I'm open to suggestions.

 

[orionengnr]

CraigsList syndrome.
Tons of idiots low-balling, flaking, etc...

 

[rogerjames]

I have a slightly different take on all of this. I have been a buyer on a couple of different sites, never a seller. My gripes are when I asked several basic questions such as:

1. Does it locked up solid?

2. Is there any cutting in the backstrap?

3. Do the grips number to the gun?

4. Are there any rust pits on the interior and exterior of the gun?



Ads that include poor pictures and tell you to judge the condition by the pictures tick me off. Then I ask questions and dont gets answers or a basic answer like "the gun is real nice, great shooter." I took the time to look at your ad and I want to get the most bang for my buck. Answer my questions. I dont consider them to be stupid. And yes I may email you a second time just to annoy you - actually you never answered my questions the first time.



I dont make low ball offers though. I have the other problem in that someone thinks their gun is worth double of what they are going for. On another site I was looking a nice M67 and made the guy an offer that was $50 under his inflated price. He told his price is what they were going for on GB. Not true, asking yes, getting no. So he told me no and he kept lowering the price $10 every day or so and I followed it eventually getting it for $35 less than I originally offered.



There will always be nuts out there, the internet makes it much easier. I just feel like the seller has put themselves and their product out there. Customers are the buyers.



OK now I feel better.

^^THANKS^^

My same experience and thoughts in a nutshell

 

[Swing]

LOL! Whilst banging out a reply, I just got another lowball on the aforementioned auction from one of the same muppets that I already told "no". He's been added to my block list and I'm going to end the auction and give GB a shot. :banghead:

 

[Old Fuff]

You guys need to find some higher class auctions if you are selling or buying quality guns.

www.proxibid.com can direct you to where the better items are, but don't necessarily expect to get exceptional items for lowball bids. You will also likely have to pay the auction house a 15% to 20% fee on top of the winning bid if it turns out you made the high bid. Be sure to read the fine print in the auction's introduction.

Sellers do not have to put up with the B.S. mentioned in earlier posts. If a potential bidder has a problem they have to take it up with the auction house (who likely won't put up with it) rather then you.

Also try this link: https://www.proxibid.com/asp/firearm-auctions.asp

 

[Swing]

Thanks for the link; I'll check it out.

 

[SwaneeSR]

I agree with the Craiglist syndrome, maybe the online factor. When you lose the face-to face contact and there is no handshake, guess manners fall by the wayside.

I would think a change of venue will not help. The guy needed a good spanking when he was little or maybe a mother who broke a wooden spoon on his butt. I got both.

 

[Swing]

Well, I relisted on GB for poop and giggles. I noticed their fees were much higher the AA, but nothing I can't live with. Creating the listing was a bit more polished process. It is entirely possible I will have the same crapfest, by why not give it a try?

 

[urbaneruralite]

It's the same stuff on gb. I find that offering my mobile number for any further questions cuts it out, mostly. People will email stuff they won't say over the phone.

 

[ApacheCoTodd]

Constantly experience it.

My wife and I blame "American Pickers" as well as many other amateur haggling "reality" TV shows.

Wears our butts out!

Todd.

 

[Swing]

I don't watch television, beyond a few shows on the Interwebz, so I am not familiar with the haggling shows some have mentioned in this thread. I'm not surprised though.

In the past I've only blocked bids from deadbeats or the really mental (like 2-3 over a ten year period ain't bad), but I'm going to start adding the tirekicking/lowballing muppets too. In fact, I did just that to the character I mentioned above. I was tempted to reply to him notifying him of the block with a "Gee, the first time I saw that absolutely batscat offer I thought it was bad, now I'm game! Kidding, you're blocked", but I'm not going to bother.

 

[guyfromohio]

My favorite is when you offer what the gun is really worth and then are trashed for making the reasonable offer.

No, I won't pay $600 for your used Glock that I can buy new for $499.

 

[Swing]

True, guyfromohio, it cuts both ways. I have seen some truly ridiculous prices listed, but those were mainly on Armslist and not AA or GB. Though, granted, I've see a few over the years on those too.

 

[rogerjames]

This type of post tends to show up quite frequently when a seller has a bad experience or a buyer has a bad experience.

Sales is sales is sales. Markets, supply, demand all affect the temperament of the transactions. It's a buyer's market now and some sellers think they're selling gold. Of course you're going to get low balled when your trying to sell the same thing that 100 other people are selling. You don't have to sell it, carry on... that's sales

 

[Old Fuff]

Here is another link.

https://www.proxibid.com/asp/AuctionsByCompany.asp?ahid=3693

Their last 3-day auction grossed seven million - plus, dollars.

Obviously they don't feature junk, and specialize in high quality modern classic and antique firearms, as well as accessories and other related collectables.

And they tend to attract buyers with deep pockets.

Last but not least, the catalogs they put out are excellent reference books, and on occasion they have posted on THR.

 

[ConstitutionCowboy]

I've sold 14 of the lever action pistols I make (and some other pistols and rifles) on GunBroker without a single hitch. I have had a couple ask if I would sell at a lower price, but none have been insulting. It would take many 'bad' sales for me to lose faith.

I bought 2 pistols on GunBroker and both times were A+.

Woody

 

[KevininPa]

GunBroker

I've always did well on GB, but that was more than a few years ago. Been buying from the PA gun owners site for awhile lately. As to the GB site, back then I always had good deals and communications. Same with the PAFOA site. Actually like dealing on the local site due to be actually handling the firearm and dealing with the seller. I've had some really good times with some of the sellers. My wife is an avid cook and went with me where one of the sellers was a chef,...need I say more.

Though I have noticed that lately everyone thinks that what they have is made of gold. I know that post recession stuff prices are higher than a decent economy's prices( I was around during the seventies recession, which I hate to admit ). But that should be on new stuff due to manufacturing costs. Not older stuff. I do understand collector value on some things. But prices are WAY above even collector prices.

As far as the older stuff is concerned, I think that people are looking for the older, better craftsmanship. I recently picked up a Glenfield 30-30 lever action in a trade because I was Lacking a lever in my collection. Traded a Firestorm .22 for it. I personally think I made out. It's about 95 per cent. But I digress. Supply and demand. People are looking for better made wood and steel, sellers are jacking up for those buyers.

 

[slumlord44]

I have been buying mostly from Gunbroker for many years. Picked up a couple from the other auction sites but have not been able to find anything I want at a price I am willing to pay for several years other than Gunbroker. Still looking though. Recently bought a Stevens Model 45 in a rare caliber for a lot less than I was willing to pay for it. Currently having issues on another Stevens I am interested in. Gun is over priced by a couple of hundred dollars and the guy has not answered my questions the two times that he has had it listed. Checked his feedback and other listings. Has a lot of feed back and it is good. To me most of his stuff is over priced. Sometimes I wonder how these guys sell anything. I don't usually lowball a seller but if it has been re listed several times with a high minimum bid or a reserve that has not been met, I will ask if he would consider a lower offer. Don't know why any seller would get upset on a lowball answer. A simple no would suffice. When I am selling something I quote my asking price and tell the guy to insult me with an offer if he does not like my price. I either say no or try to negotiate from there if he is in the ball park.

 

[JeeperCreeper]

Business is business. Talk is cheap and money talks, so is money cheap?

Offer too low, I respectfully decline. Ask too high, I won't buy. Nothing personal, it's capitalism, baby!!!

 

[toivo]

This kind of thing is not unique to the Internet. I remember the same kind of idiocy from the days of selling things through classified ads in the newspaper.

Like the guy who offered me half of my asking price for a motorcycle because "It's not really what I'm looking for anyway." Not my problem, bud. If you don't want it, why are you making an offer?

Then there was the woman who called about my sofa with a fold-down back. It converted to a single, not a double bed: I said that right in the ad. After fifteen minutes with her on the phone, during which I explained in detail how it folds down and even gave her the exact measurements of sofa when folded down, she finally said, "No, I can't use it. I need it for myself and my boyfriend." Why did you even call? Did you read the freakin' ad?

The prizewinner was the guy who called about a guitar I was selling -- a Fender Telecaster, but not the standard model. It was a limited edition variant, and not very common: custom color, extra doo-dads, etc. He asked me to describe it in detail, and then told me there was no such thing and that it must be a fake. (Nowadays I would have directed him to the company's website and pointed out the exact model, but that wasn't possible back then.) To cap it all off, he made a ridiculously lowball offer, less than you'd expect to pay for the standard model. I couldn't help it: I told him what act he could perform on himself.

OTOH, I have been pretty lucky with online firearms transactions -- everybody has been honest and OK to deal with, buyers and sellers alike.