Gunbroker, I don't get it.

cutter · Post by **cutter** » Sat Jan 05, 2008 11:20 pm

Help me out here. Why is it that two identical models of the same rifle will cost out so differently? I purchased a winchester 94,not three months ago, for 375$ The same model, manufacturing date, caliber , everything, is over 700 on Gunbroker? Do things sell that high on there? Or do the sellers invent prices? It just seems to me that the prices are all over the place?

Andrew · Post by **Andrew** » Sat Jan 05, 2008 11:38 pm

cutter wrote:...the sellers invent prices? It just seems to me that the prices are all over the place?

Bingo.

Warhawk · Post by **Warhawk** » Sat Jan 05, 2008 11:48 pm

I see it as an online gun show, with prices to match.

jnyork · Post by **jnyork** » Sat Jan 05, 2008 11:49 pm

They are just outrageous, I quit even looking there, an insult to the intelligence of any knowledgable gun enthusiast.

Mojo · Post by **Mojo** » Sun Jan 06, 2008 12:42 am

Yeah, there are a lot of folks that ask outrageous prices but you can still find good deals if you look. There are several reputable sellers and a bunch of folks just fishing for a sucker. It's like anything else, you have to shop around to find the deal you want.

jazman · Post by **jazman** » Sun Jan 06, 2008 2:16 am

I think people will start bidding on something they want, and as the auction goes on they keep thinking that since they want it another 10 or 20 bucks shouldn't prevent them from having it. They are obviously not bidding against themselves, so there are others thinking the same way and the price will continue to rise. I have caught myself doing this...sometimes too late but at least I end up with something I want...

JReed · Post by **JReed** » Sun Jan 06, 2008 2:44 am

I have gotten to the point that I only look for comic relief.

homefront · Post by **homefront** » Sun Jan 06, 2008 7:31 am

When you see the word "rare" in the descriptive, prepare to laugh.
I've been watching the 50th Anniversary Blackhawks all over Gunbroker for some time now, priced from $300-$400. Somebody called one "rare", and listed it at $1,000. At best they get no bids. At worst it drives prices up, like it will on those "rare" Marlin rifles.

Tycer · Post by **Tycer** » Sun Jan 06, 2008 9:39 am

One of the things GB does is the automatic relisting of an item. I see the same guns not selling for months and months. They are fishing for suckers.
If you are looking for a particular gun, do a saved search and have it emailed.

WinM71 · Post by **WinM71** » Sun Jan 06, 2008 10:00 am

I think the main reason you see the same item relisted multiple times is that GB (and Auction Arms) appear to have no "listing fee" like you see on ebay. I don't think you pay anything at all until it sells, so why not relist it forever and just wait for somebody who'll pay the out-of-line price.

Post by **Hobie** » Sun Jan 06, 2008 10:09 am

I list on GB and have bought from GB sellers. I've corresponded with some of those listing guns forever as well. I think the above comments pretty much sum it up.

There are good deals to be had. You can tell which dealers are good to work with (usually) by the number of sales they have. Knowledge of the item you're looking for helps as does the restraint to bid your idea of a fair price ONCE.

The best way to judge prices is to look only at the SOLD items. That is a fair indicator of the national market. It is true that some only look at the asking price, a far different thing. I know many dealers build in wiggle room, that's their strategy to "protect" themselves and list at that price using GB only for advertising and not expecting to actually sell at auction.

jdad · Post by **jdad** » Sun Jan 06, 2008 10:15 am

"Penny" auctions or "No Reserve", with a low opening price, are the ones that get the most attention. These are the dealers that let the "market"(YOU & I

) determine what it's worth. Some dealers just keep posting, waiting, and praying that the market eventually catches up to their price.

gtaylor · Post by **gtaylor** » Sun Jan 06, 2008 10:32 am

I'm with Hobie and JDad. I've not sold, but bought a few rifles off of Gunbroker. The "Advanced Search" feature allows you to "weed out" reserve price auctions. Then if you sort by lowest price first, you can see in a few moments if there are any "real auctions" on what you are interested in.

The thing that I love about Gunbroker is their 15 minute rule, whereas an auction will not close until it has had no activity for at least 15 minutes. NO BID-SNIPERS!

Actually, I went to bed thinking I had a rifle bought, and woke to find someone had bid while I slept. Since I had put the maximum I cared to pay, I silently wished him well with his new rifle, and thanked him for not tempting me during the daylight hours!

Gun Smith · Post by **Gun Smith** » Sun Jan 06, 2008 12:20 pm

I use GB all the time. I've only been scr---- once on a buy. My fault. I missed the "as is" in the listing. Virtually everyone gives a three day return. He sold the gun that way because he knew it was misrepresented. When I list a gun, I start with the price I can accept, and sell with no reserve. I list EVERY nick, bump, scratch, discolor, etc. I have never had to take a gun back and I have only had to return one. I use only USPS Money Orders. It's a federal rap to fake those, so I am comfortable with that method of payment. The "reserve" feature is OK of there is a "buy now" price. I recently picked up a nice M.73 where the "buy now" price was $200.00 higher than the reserve and, as the reserve was listed and I bid that price. Most any business has people looking to make a killing, buying or selling, but most on GB are fair. There are some prices listed by people who don't know what they are doing and that is usually easy to spot.

ccw9mm · Post by **ccw9mm** » Sun Jan 06, 2008 12:23 pm

It's an open auction format. You see all kinds of prices. It's nothing more than that. You see instances of a fairly-priced item hanging for weeks, but then the next day youl'll see a fairly-priced item snapped up. Likewise, you'll see an item twice that cost hang for weeks or months, but at some point someone will buy it. It's completely fair. I'll purchase at my price point. Someone else will have a different goal and pricepoint. We both end up happy. What' not to like?

Don McDowell · Post by **Don McDowell** » Sun Jan 06, 2008 3:57 pm

If a real auctioneer tried to pull the same stuff that alot of folks try and get away with selling on Gunbroker, they'ld either A. go broke and have to do something else, or B go to jail for violation of Auction laws, or C. a combination of both.

I watched a rifle on GB for quite a few listings, finally I emailed the seller and asked him if he didn't get his price this time, just what would he take for it. Well wouldn't you know all of a sudden presto there was a bid at the reserve price, and never did get a reply to my question.

Take the listings on a case by case basis, it don't take long to sort the idjuts from the folks that it might be alright to do business with.

marlinman93 · Post by **marlinman93** » Sun Jan 06, 2008 5:04 pm

Online auctions should have a warning attached. Buyer beware, the guns may not appear as described! It seems that the angle or blurriness of pictures can often make a gun looks much better than described, and there's some outright dishonesty in some seller's descriptions.
It's tough to get a bargain when thousands of guys are looking at the same gun, and all it takes is two people with deep pockets and no knowledge, to run the guns way out of sight!
I don't bid often, and win even less, but there can still be some bargains. Every gun I have won was either mismarked as to what it was, or had a "Buy it now" price that was too low. I don't put too much info in my search, as I don't want to weed out these mistakes. Bidding only on guns with no reserve, or penny auctions will cause you to miss the one that has a BIN price that's way off.
Bidding on the exact description of the brand and model you like, will save some time, but it will also weed out the mistakes. I just won a #2 Remington on GB that was listed as a #5 Rolling Block. It went way too low because I'm sure a #5 didn't interest most guys.

Lastmohecken · Post by **Lastmohecken** » Sun Jan 06, 2008 5:12 pm

I have had pretty good luck so far, buying on gunbroker, but I do suspect that even on penny auctions, the sellers use shields to bump the price up, so you need to watch out for that, also.

Bottom line you need to know your gun prices, and look at all feed back, and don't get caught up in the bidding process and unless you just have to have that gun, be ready to let it go if it gets too high.

But if you are looking for an older out of production gun, many times it can be found on gunbroker, so I continue to go there, If I am interested in something that can't be found normally at the local shops, and most of the new productions guns, leave me cold, so I end up looking for those older guns that I always wanted but couldn't afford in my youth.

Don McDowell · Post by **Don McDowell** » Sun Jan 06, 2008 5:47 pm

One other thing that gripes me on these "auctions", you "won".

Won my sorry back side, you were the highest bidder on a something, and now you have a verbal god faith contract to PAY the agreed upon amount.
If you "Won " the item it'ld be shipped to you for no cost out of your pocket.

dr walker · Post by **dr walker** » Sun Jan 06, 2008 6:32 pm

I have sold a few items on Gun Broker with incredible results. I started all of my auctions off at 1.00 and had no reserve.The prices just kept going up, sometimes to twice what I thought the item was worth. I always post many excellent photos and respond quickly to emails. Yes some of the sellers have high expectations and reserves or starting bids, but there are some good deals to be had.

cas · Post by **cas** » Sun Jan 06, 2008 7:17 pm

They invent prices, or they base thier price off what's already listed. (even if that's way too high and not selling)

I always point to the Husky Rolling Blocks. A couple years ago these rifle were available for $200-$300 Look on Gunbroker and Auction Arms and you'll see these same guns "listed" (not selling mind you) for $600-$900.
It's laughable. Then Joe Schmo goes to sell his gun and says.. "Well if that piece of junk is worth $900, mine's got to be worth $1100!"

"Up, Up and Away!"

Post by **Hobie** » Sun Jan 06, 2008 9:48 pm

Don McDowell wrote:If a real auctioneer tried to pull the same stuff that alot of folks try and get away with selling on Gunbroker, they'ld either A. go broke and have to do something else, or B go to jail for violation of Auction laws, or C. a combination of both.

I watched a rifle on GB for quite a few listings, finally I emailed the seller and asked him if he didn't get his price this time, just what would he take for it. Well wouldn't you know all of a sudden presto there was a bid at the reserve price, and never did get a reply to my question.

Take the listings on a case by case basis, it don't take long to sort the idjuts from the folks that it might be alright to do business with.

There is some shill bidding going on but because of the way most of those dealers list (automaticaly relist) they don't happen until after interest is shown in the item. I've called a couple of dealers on that as one guy was so stupid as to bid on 3 different rifles using the same bidder as I'd mentioned in the one e-mail.

None of these guys are geniuses as if they were they'd know they'd make a killing with honest dealing.

Marlin .35 · Post by **Marlin .35** » Sun Jan 06, 2008 10:13 pm

My friend TYCER hit the nail on the head!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! They are looking for suckers!!! Their are bargains, but few and far between. A lot of dishonest people on that sight!!!!! Art

ByronG · Post by **ByronG** » Mon Jan 07, 2008 5:25 am

Don McDowell wrote:One other thing that gripes me on these "auctions", you "won". Won my sorry back side, you were the highest bidder on a something, and now you have a verbal god faith contract to PAY the agreed upon amount.
If you "Won " the item it'ld be shipped to you for no cost out of your pocket.

Some definitions of win

To achieve success in an effort or venture

To achieve or attain by effort

To obtain or earn

To succeed or prevail

To obtain possession or control of
Works for me

Don McDowell · Post by **Don McDowell** » Mon Jan 07, 2008 10:15 am

Byron , sorry to sound disagreeable, but my bills getting paid, and the ability to get thru the rest of the year, depend on the results of the AUCTION sale of my calf crop. I couldn't even begin to try to market my calves the way folks sell stuff on the "auction" sites.
And while you're definitions of win are quite right. I notice you did not look up any for AUCTION

marlinman93 · Post by **marlinman93** » Mon Jan 07, 2008 8:35 pm

Don McDowell wrote:One other thing that gripes me on these "auctions", you "won". Won my sorry back side, you were the highest bidder on a something, and now you have a verbal god faith contract to PAY the agreed upon amount.
If you "Won " the item it'ld be shipped to you for no cost out of your pocket.

I would beg to differ with you also Don. If I do a "Buy it now" i surely didn't "win" the item, I simply bouht it. But if I am bidding against anyone else, and I am the one who is sucessful in the end, I won that auction. I didn't win the item, but I did win the auction.

Don McDowell · Post by **Don McDowell** » Mon Jan 07, 2008 10:14 pm

Well I suppose it depends on your perspective. Anything I ever bought at auction I was the highest bidder, and I paid money for the item.
Any item I ever won came as a chance drawing or some such and really didn't involve any commitments to pay anyone any money, goods, services etc.
"Won" in the auction sites is a physcological feel good thing to keep folks from thinking about how much money they just agreed to PAY for an item.
I've been to hundreds of auctions, I have yet to hear the auctioneer cry at the end of the sale, "buyer 839 you just Won this item"

Gunbroker, I don't get it.

Gunbroker, I don't get it.

Re: Gunbroker, I don't get it.