it's been discussed before, but seriously, what's the deal with online prices!?!

[carlrodd]

i was just on gunbroker. things were ridiculous before, but prices are OUTRAGEOUS. seriously....is anybody really biting on these prices?

an example:

unconverted saigas in .223 or 7.62x39.....i bought mine 6 months ago for $300. i looked 3 weeks ago on gunbroker and the average buy it now price was up to high 400s. last week it was up to 500+ moments ago, average buy it now price was between $600-700. AR and other AK prices are through the roof too. this is ridiculous. a market economy is great, but some of these prices are shameless.

 

[Drakejake]

Prices are up in anticipation of stricter federal gun laws but the market still rules. Prices of many items listed for sale are speculative--they will not sell. I have seen ridiculous prices on Gunbroker and the other other sites in years past. I have seen rifles listed for four times the market price. The sellers were looking for an uninformed buyer or just whistling in the dark.

Drakejake

 

[Duke of Doubt]

Technically, most of my guns are "for sale" -- inasmuch as, if someone offered me three times what I could get for them ordinarily, I'd sell.

Listing them online costs nothing, so why not try for it and see if some star-struck yokel bites?

 

[woof]

I think gunbroker is weakened by its free listing policy. It results in lots of auctions that are just fishing and more a serious buyer has to sort through to find the serious seller.

 

[wacki]

I've been told that the price hikes are not due to a lack of factory supply but the distributors price fixing. To be honest I have serious doubts that Izshmash (the saiga) factory and largest rifle factory in Russia could have a problem with keeping up with the residential USA demand.

 

[22lr]

Economics 101 supply and demand. It ain't pretty but its a fact of life.

 

[outerlimit]

I think gunbroker is weakened by its free listing policy. It results in lots of auctions that are just fishing and more a serious buyer has to sort through to find the serious seller.

I got no problem with that. I love their free listing policy. Imagine if they were like feEbay.

 

[jjohnson]

Yeah, they're fishing.

Sure, some people list things that they don't want to sell unless they get a fortune for an item.

You can prove this in gunbroker (just like ebay) by 'watching' an item. Take a few items that you think are priced into the "Stupidity Zone," (like Ranier bullets) and do a 'watch this item.' When the bidding is over, have a look at bids and final sale price. You will find that a LOT of those close with NO bids and are relisted at the very same price that got them nothing on the first auction. Follow them through, and you will find that many of them are relisted several times at the same price.

Kinda tells you that you're not the only one who figures the prices are out of line. On items that I've been interested in, and the start price is out of line, I've simply dropped a note to the seller - with an offer that I am comfortable with, below their reserve price. Sometimes we make a deal. Sometimes they prove that they don't want to sell.

Don't let 'em make you crazy.

 

[craig]

as has been said above, watch the item.

most of the crazy priced ones get relisted over and over with no bids.

 

[carlrodd]

i had never really considered watching or contacting the seller with an alternative offer. i always figured since many of them were dealers, they would ignore any offer outside of the auction as they have it set up. still, i am really surprised to see that a lot of these crazy prices are coming from dealers with shops. some of the descriptions are a real laugh too.

 

[jhansman]

Nothing is 'shameless' in a capitalist economy. Supply meets demand at a premium. Also, remember that as an imported product, that rifle is being paid for at the wholesale level by a week overseas dollar. I paid less than $300 for my Saiga .223, but when I did I knew if I waited, I'd only pay more. The current paranoia over Obama is also to blame for a spiraling demand. Put that all together and you have prices most of won't pay, but someone will.

 

[97guns]

ive been snapping up bolt actions ever since this frenzy on the semi auto stuff has reared its ugly head. there are many great deals on bolt actions right now, im the kinda guy that likes to go against the grain of what everyone else is feeding on anyways.