Gunbroker Caution!

[I6turbo]

Gunbroker is a mess now, all good till there is an issue like the OP has and then you're just doinked (putting that mildly).

Had a shady seller send me used parts as new, clearly he was wrong but GB doesn't care and you can't reach a person in this lifetime. When they got sold, it went to a "marketplace" seller who does not care about doing right nor the firearms community. They could just as easily be selling wool or beanie babies so long as they get their %.

Basically, the GB approach now is, Sorry, but good luck if you get screwed by a seller when buying through our site. We can't do anything to help you, but you can leave a bad review for the seller. They do have a Buyer Protection Program that you can attempt to use, but it sounds like a drawn-out, months-long process that would be more trouble than it'd be worth in most cases. If it even works.

I have about 50 transactions on GB, mostly back in 2020 and prior when the charges and fees were reasonable. Recently I made the mistake of "winning" an auction for a gun that looked like a decent deal, but I failed to count up all the add-ons. The OTD price with shipping, taxes and fees, credit card upcharge, and all came to an additional 20% on the purchase price. Hopefully these new GB fees and taxes and all will help local gun shops win more business to help them actually stay in business. I just wish the LGS had guns that interest me.

 

[dogtown tom]

If you read my original post, I'm in VA. I purchased a gun from a store in OK, which invoiced me and included OK sales tax on the invoice. Gunbroker then invoiced me for OK tax again, but based upon the seller's invoice total, so I was paying tax-on-tax, as well as two times the OK tax. Perhaps they should have been charging me VA tax, not OK tax, and perhaps I erred in paying the seller.

I can't ex[lain what you went through as its literally completely opposite of what GunBroker's FAQ says. If you've not read it, now is a good time.
The last time I sold on GB it went exactly as their FAQ states and completely opposite of what you experienced.

 

[dogtown tom]

You don’t know what taxes the seller is remitting. Businesses regularly collect and remit the wrong tax.

Well, on GunBroker I know they bill me (the seller) for the buyers state sales tax.

 

[Poper]

They do have a Buyer Protection Program that you can attempt to use, but it sounds like a drawn-out, months-long process that would be more trouble than it'd be worth in most cases. If it even works.

Yes, and the claim limit is $400.

 

[Ohen Cepel]

Don't forget that GB now charges 1% on top of the sales tax to handle and remit the tax. I don't know anyplace else that passes the tax collection fee onto the buyer aside from GB. And, they add that tax to the CC fee and shipping.

I bought an odd deal for a penny. Shipping was $6, GB charged me sales tax of 37 cents. 37 times the cost of said item! (yes, odd case I know) but not right in my mind.

I hope it helps the little shops more, I know I still look there at times but has to be a good deal to pay the fees, etc these days.

 

[Howland937]

Well, on GunBroker I know they bill me (the seller) for the buyers state sales tax.

That was my understanding of how taxes were handled when I'd checked in to listing items for sale. eBay does the same thing IIRC, though I decided against selling anything with either of them.

When I file my income taxes every year, my state tax form asks if I purchased anything online that I need to declare and pay sales tax on (of course I never, ever have) They've yet to ask if I sold anything online I should pay taxes on.

 

[GerryER]

That was my understanding of how taxes were handled when I'd checked in to listing items for sale. eBay does the same thing IIRC, though I decided against selling anything with either of them.

When I file my income taxes every year, my state tax form asks if I purchased anything online that I need to declare and pay sales tax on (of course I never, ever have) They've yet to ask if I sold anything online I should pay taxes on.

They don't have to ask if you sold anything online because Ebay sends out 1099-K forms which need to be included on your tax filing forms Ebay' system is more refined, but it has its issues, too. By the time Ebay is done with you as a seller, the only ones making any profit are Ebay and whoever the shipper is, UPS, Fedex, USPS. But I will say this, Ebay has a good customer service dept. and resolves issues very quickly; Gunbroker's customer service is virtually non-existent.

 

[starnbar]

GerryER I am not gonna start a thread about ebay with you but I got some dealings that are flat out wrong.