What the logic of trade only classified ads?

[TonyDedo]

This is a practice that has irked me for a while, and reared its ugly head again tonight. A guy on a local forum posted a WTT (want to trade) ad, offer up a gun I've been looking for, looking for something specific in return. I PMed him and asked what his cash price for the gun was - he replied that he didn't have a cash price, and would only trade the gun for what he's looking for (which I might add is a fairly common gun, available on the shelf of any local gun shop).

***? Why do people do that? I'm willing to give him more than enough cash for his gun to go buy exactly what he wants, but he's going to turn down a guaranteed sale and hold out hope that someone within driving distance who reads this local forum is going to have the gun he wants AND want his gun in return. It makes no sense to me.

Can someone shed light on this practice for me? Is there a part of the equation that I'm missing here?

 

[Midwest]

Maybe the person WTT doesn't have a FID ? Is an FID needed for private transfers in Massachusetts?

A swap is good when both persons would like to have the other persons firearm and don't have money to buy it from a LGS or FTF. Maybe there is more to the story?

 

[AFDavis11]

Maybe he can't purchase a gun?

 

[Robert]

Maybe he is only looking for that one specific item.

 

[TonyDedo]

I don't see how it could be a licensing issue. A license (FID or LTC) is needed to possess a firearm in MA. He wouldn't be able to trade, purchase or in any way receive a gun without one, and the only person who could receive the gun he has would be an FFL.

 

[OARNGESI]

maybe he knows if he has the cash he will spend it before he gets his new gun, maybe he would feel more comfortable selling his gun to someone who already owns a gun, or maybe he figures if he sells the gun he may end up taking cash from his pocket to cover taxes and what ever other expenses there is.

 

[MistWolf]

Because cash in hand isn't the firearm you want. If I want a specific item, selling rather than trading means I still have to hunt down what I want. It's not that I want to get rid of my trade-bait, it's that I want to acquire what I want

 

[tarosean]

(which I might add is a fairly common gun, available on the shelf of any local gun shop)

Go buy it, then trade him..

I will do that type of listing on occasion.. Why? Cause it keeps 99% of the low ballers from contacting you..

 

[goon]

If you give me cash, I may spend it on something other than a gun. It could go in the sock drawer and over a month or so of buying gas and food, it could be gone.

But if I want to trade my Glock for a SIG and I do that... well I can't nickel-and-dime a SIG away.

 

[WALKERs210]

In my case most often if I sell outright the cash does in fact wind up on everything except for what I was looking for. Also the other issue is when MOMMA finds out you have X amount of money, well any married man know what happens next.

 

[HexHead]

It could be a lot easier telling his wife he got a great "no cash" deal on a new gun?

Private transaction with no paper trail?

Not wanting to pay for background check and sales tax?

Maybe your LGS has what he wants and his doesn't, or wants too much for it?

Maybe it's just the way he likes to deal?

 

[USAF_Vet]

In my case most often if I sell outright the cash does in fact wind up on everything except for what I was looking for. Also the other issue is when MOMMA finds out you have X amount of money, well any married man know what happens next.

Exactly. I sold a few items to fund a new gun purchase, but was still short some cash. A couple hundred bucks sitting around with a wife and two kids is not money that I got to spend on a gun (at least not without argument).

 

[whatever]

Go buy it, then trade him..

I will do that type of listing on occasion.. Why? Cause it keeps 99% of the low ballers from contacting you..

Buy the one he wants and trade it to him? Thats a great way to end up in a whole lot of trouble. Ever heard of a straw purchase?

 

[medalguy]

Um I agree. I've also wondered about trades listed in national forums (like this one) and the trader is looking for a very specific gun. What are the chances that someone in Podunk Hollow has just what he wants, and is wanting to trade for what this guy has? I agree, it's a lot easier to sell his gun outright, then use the cash to buy the gun he wants. It's not like it's hard to find a common gun these days-- ever hear of the internet?

 

[SconnieGirl]

Many people are looking to trade "up."

It's simply a monetary thing for them.

They won't take $300 cash for a used LCP because they're waiting for a sucker to trade them a PPK straight up...true story.

 

[goon]

Another thing... if you have what the guy wants and he has what you want, you both get what you want. The Glock 19 that you may be willing to let go even-up in a trade may cost him $50-$100 more if he has to take your cash, then go buy it used at a gun shop.

Um I agree. I've also wondered about trades listed in national forums (like this one) and the trader is looking for a very specific gun. What are the chances that someone in Podunk Hollow has just what he wants, and is wanting to trade for what this guy has? I agree, it's a lot easier to sell his gun outright, then use the cash to buy the gun he wants. It's not like it's hard to find a common gun these days-- ever hear of the internet?

The details of the transaction are between the two involved parties. It could be that you tried out a Uberti 1860 Army and decided that BP isn't for you and just want to trade for something... something. I once traded a 6' long bow that I couldn't sell for a T/C Renegade, that I then sold for $250 after my brother used it to hunt for a season. In that case, I just wanted my money back and the other guy wanted a bow. I got to try out a T/C flintlock in the process. It worked for both of us and saved either of us having to pay shipping that would have gone along with an online sale (even though both items are able to be traded with no gov't red tape in most cases).
Maybe one guy loves Colts and has one he'd willing to trade, but only for a Webley that he loves slightly more.

Point is, there is just no telling why someone may want to do a deal a certain way, but it doesn't mean they're up to something shady.

 

[taliv]

during the latest obama panic, lots of people were listing trade-only ads because they had something hard to get and were looking to trade it for something else equally hard to get, without participating (buying or selling) in the panic prices. made total sense to me.

if someone is currently doing a trade-only and wanting an item that is readily available for about the same money, i don't have any idea what they're thinking

 

[shiftyer1]

I had a sig p-220 I disliked but kept around just in case. It lived on top a kitchen cabinet for several years. I had never thought of getting rid of it because it was a good gun just not my fancy.

I happened to get on texas gun trader and ran into a para 1911 wanting to swap for a p-220. And I now have a gun I shoot more often.

 

[Texan Scott]

Trying to get a gun you want more, for one you want less, without paying taxes or giving registration information to a state or federal government that isn't entitled to it and can't be trusted with it? I dunno, man... sounds silly to me. Can't imagine why that might appeal to anyone.

 

[carbine85]

When I'm selling something I always look for trades. When I do trade I always trade up. Recently I traded a Heritage revolver for a TCP and traded it for a S&W 67 revolver. Care to guess what I got for the S&W? My initial goal was to just sell the Heritage.

 

[BSA1]

Trading can be rewarding for both parties.

For example lets say I have a gun that I brought for a lower price than it's current selling price.

And the other party also has a gun he brought for lower price than it's current selling price.

We swap and both walk away happy with guns that we still only have our original investment in.

 

[jerkface11]

Buy the one he wants and trade it to him? Thats a great way to end up in a whole lot of trouble. Ever heard of a straw purchase?
whatever is offline Report Post Quick reply to this message

By that logic you could never trade a gun you bought.

 

[RiverPerson]

I've always done better with trades. In my experience people with cash flaked out more often or would sometimes try to change the deal when meeting.

 

[Lex Luthier]

Agreed, trade only is a weird duck. Most reasonable people buying/ selling/ trading don't really care what mutual compensation looks like as long as both parties are satisfied. I get more frustrated when I want cashola for an object and some dude offers me a crappy trade that nobody else wanted.

As far as wanting a trade only so you do not spend the cash on something else, that's a personal problem you ought to address before expecting other people to enable you. Expecting someone else to do your shopping for you by wanting to trade EXACTLY what you want is a clear lack of personal responsibility.

 

[Double Naught Spy]

As far as wanting a trade only so you do not spend the cash on something else, that's a personal problem you ought to address before expecting other people to enable you. Expecting someone else to do your shopping for you by wanting to trade EXACTLY what you want is a clear lack of personal responsibility.

Only trading for EXACTLY what you want is actually all about clear personal responsibility. If you don't want cash, then why trade for cash? If you don't want a boat, then don't trade for a boat. Why go to the hassle of trading for what you don't want?