Advice/Experience on classifieds

**KCJones** · January 30th, 2017, 04:10 PM

Originally Posted by Emptymag

Maybe, or maybe I'm waiting for someone who will pay what I want. That isn't so crazy.

Dunham's sells guns daily that are overpriced.
Why? Because someone (lots of someones actually) WILL buy them. Not everyone price shops.

Taking the ad down certainly won't help sell it, so why would I do that?
Sooner or later it will sell. Or not - what difference does it make? It's my sale or non-sale - why are others so concerned about it?

Yeah, but Dunham's also takes credit cards, lets you come fondle the guns as much as you like, makes you feel like you have a place you can go back to for recourse if something ain't right, etc. It's a different 'experience' with perhaps different value-proposition.

Honestly, not being judgmental here, and I don't 'care' particularly about postings, other than my original question about others experience with 'making offers' or not. I'm asking questions to understand, not to 'question'...

**Noah_Zark** · January 30th, 2017, 04:35 PM

Originally Posted by KCJones

. . . if you've been bumping something for a year and it's not selling... Clue. One definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over while expecting a different result . . .

There are as many kinds of people listing things for sale as there are items for sale.

Some people want to move unneeded "stuff" and want to be rid of it, and in the process turn it into cash.
Some people want to sell used things for realistic prices realized for used items.
Some people want to sell used things for what they paid for them.
Some people want to sell used things for more than what they paid for them.
Some people want to sell used things at asking prices based on "what they go for on the Internet."

In the above, the expectations of the seller run the gamut of "none" to "absurdly unrealistic." And therein lies the issue -- perception is reality -- "A Colt Python is seen advertised at $3500, so I have this used, finishworn Colt Trooper III so it must be worth $2500." And up goes the ad. At the other end of the spectrum is the seller who has two full boxes of factory 375 Winchester but no longer has the rifle, so he's selling ammo that retails at $35 to $40 a box for $25 a box. But again, someone else sees that ad for the ammo and has two boxes of reloads, and asks $35 a box.

Then factor in motivation. Is this a "must sell" situation, or does the seller not care how long it takes, he's got the lottery-player mentality waiting for that one potential buyer to find the ad and pay the asking price. I've seen gun show vendors carry the guns with the same serial numbers to show after show, year after year. They aren't the same guns they once were, despite having the same serial numbers, because all that handling and transport and being sealed up in moisture-absorbent cases has caused slow degradation of the guns over the years. Yet the prices remain the same, or are even higher than that previously.

Some people don't understand business, too. If John Doe has a $750 tax bill to pay, and has a deer rifle, sling, scope, and a "box and a half of shells" that he can part with, he'll ask "$750 firm" because that's what he needs, not necessarily representative of what the market will bear at the time.

Some people are totally realistic about pricing, but the market is unresponsive. A month ago I saw a NIB, truly unfired S&W M&P15 Sport II for sale locally for $550. That's a realistic retail price (+/-, depending on geography; more about that in a minute). The gun has yet to sell because NOBODY is looking for ARs at the moment, unless they are Daniel Defense ARs priced at $550 -- that's an unrealistic expectation in the other direction.

I mentioned geography. The Susquehanna River splits PA east and west, and that's the rough demarcation line between somewhat lower pricing of western PA with the somewhat higher pricing of eastern PA. Don't think so? Ask any gun show vendor who does Oaks and Monroeville. Tanner's is a lower-priced gem of a business in SEPA, but Tanner's prices are still higher than some of the medium or larger shops in western PA.

Given all of the above, there's no wonder that there is such a diverse amount of offerings in the Classifieds here. Same can be said of the classifieds at any other firearm forum, CL, Pennswoods/Rennug, Gun Broker, Guns International, or other ad boards. It is what it is. Eyeball the ads, do triage on what's interesting at a "fair to you" price, and make a decision to act (or not).

So as others have said, it doesn't hurt to attempt negotiation. Since Pawn Stars and American Pickers debuted on American TV, everybody expects that everything is negotiable (Just try it at WalMart, Sheetz, or Wawa and see where you get). What's the worst that can happen? The digital door gets slammed in your face? You get called a name, or told to perform a lewd act with yourself? If you're an adult American, chances are those things have already happened to you.

It all boils down to an item being only worth what someone will pay for it.

Noah

**Emptymag** · January 30th, 2017, 04:36 PM

Here's my experience with "making offers".

As I said, sometimes I pay the asking price - sometimes I even offer MORE. When I DO make an offer I do it respectfully.

Sending someone a PM saying "Dude, $700 is more than retail! I'll give you $500 and YOU pay shipping!" is likely to be met with hostility in return.

Conversely, a PM such as the following can end up as a sale:

"Hey, I know you said your price is firm, but if it doesn't sell, please keep me in mind. I'd be willing to pay $575 or so. Thanks! EM"

or

"Hi, I know you said in your ad that you won't ship, but if you change your mind, I'm willing to pay the asking price as well as the shipping. I know it's a bit of a hassle on your end, so I'm happy to pay the extra for shipping."

Will someone be offended by my polite offer? Maybe, but not likely. At least not judging by the transactions I've made here over the years.

**gghbi** · January 30th, 2017, 05:30 PM

Originally Posted by Emptymag

Here's my experience with "making offers".

As I said, sometimes I pay the asking price - sometimes I even offer MORE. When I DO make an offer I do it respectfully.

Sending someone a PM saying "Dude, $700 is more than retail! I'll give you $500 and YOU pay shipping!" is likely to be met with hostility in return.

Conversely, a PM such as the following can end up as a sale:

"Hey, I know you said your price is firm, but if it doesn't sell, please keep me in mind. I'd be willing to pay $575 or so. Thanks! EM"

or

"Hi, I know you said in your ad that you won't ship, but if you change your mind, I'm willing to pay the asking price as well as the shipping. I know it's a bit of a hassle on your end, so I'm happy to pay the extra for shipping."

Will someone be offended by my polite offer? Maybe, but not likely. At least not judging by the transactions I've made here over the years.

If they are offended by an offer like that, you probably do not want to do business with them anyway!

On the bumping thing, there are a number of folks who scan only the first page or two of ads, every so often. I have had items at decent prices up for a good while and, all of a sudden, I get multiple inquiries because it happened to be on the first page that time when they looked. It does not seem to exactly follow a pattern either, but of course weekends get more eye time.

Sometimes I drop the ball and don't follow thru as well as I like, because life intrudes. That is factor on both sides as well and needs to be kept in mind.

**KCJones** · January 30th, 2017, 05:40 PM

Originally Posted by Emptymag

Here's my experience with "making offers".

As I said, sometimes I pay the asking price - sometimes I even offer MORE. When I DO make an offer I do it respectfully.

Sending someone a PM saying "Dude, $700 is more than retail! I'll give you $500 and YOU pay shipping!" is likely to be met with hostility in return.

Conversely, a PM such as the following can end up as a sale:

"Hey, I know you said your price is firm, but if it doesn't sell, please keep me in mind. I'd be willing to pay $575 or so. Thanks! EM"

or

"Hi, I know you said in your ad that you won't ship, but if you change your mind, I'm willing to pay the asking price as well as the shipping. I know it's a bit of a hassle on your end, so I'm happy to pay the extra for shipping."

Will someone be offended by my polite offer? Maybe, but not likely. At least not judging by the transactions I've made here over the years.

If a polite offer such as you indicated is ignored/met with derogation... Not your problem.

**KCJones** · January 30th, 2017, 05:41 PM

Originally Posted by Noah_Zark

It all boils down to an item being only worth what someone will pay for it.

Noah

In the end, reasons aside, that's about all there is to it.

Your item doesn't sell for weeks and weeks... It's priced too high.

Your items sells in reasonable time-period... fair price.

No need for much more.

**mpan72** · January 30th, 2017, 05:53 PM

I often use the "if you change your mind" tact when an add says no shipping or firm. I just asked if a seller would ship an item to me. It is a low price item that I would gladly pay his asking price because they are hard to find in my area and cost more than I am willing to pay new. He is not comfortable shipping and I offer him good luck and completely understand his position.

I don't mind the super-bumpers in the classifieds. There is one item I would have been interested in at his/her price but the distance is too great for a pick up and shipping would have killed the deal. The funny part is I did not need the items until about a year after I saw the first post, then there developed a need based on a project I had in mind. If we were closer this seller would have sold all the product he had on offer.

**internet troll** · January 30th, 2017, 06:09 PM

Originally Posted by mpan72

I often use the "if you change your mind" tact when an add says no shipping or firm. I just asked if a seller would ship an item to me. It is a low price item that I would gladly pay his asking price because they are hard to find in my area and cost more than I am willing to pay new. He is not comfortable shipping and I offer him good luck and completely understand his position.

I don't mind the super-bumpers in the classifieds. There is one item I would have been interested in at his/her price but the distance is too great for a pick up and shipping would have killed the deal. The funny part is I did not need the items until about a year after I saw the first post, then there developed a need based on a project I had in mind. If we were closer this seller would have sold all the product he had on offer.

Did you get a vcr and have a need for vhs tapes?

**mpan72** · January 30th, 2017, 06:11 PM

Originally Posted by internet troll

Did you get a vcr and have a need for vhs tapes?

Nope. Small plastic containers.

**RockIsland** · January 30th, 2017, 10:57 PM

I think I'm about to bite on the Ellis Island dolls. I might just wait for the 101st bump though.

I've bought and traded for several guns in the Classifieds here. I've also done partial and straight up trades with ammo for at least four, and it was never mentioned it in their ads.

All you can do is ask, and if it's meant to be, it'll happen. All my transactions here have been great and both parties have walked away happy.(as far as I know)