Help Me Understand

N

napp

New member
Why anyone would buy a used gun from an Internet auction site when the same gun could be purchased new for the same (or less) price from a dealer. I understand that some listings on these sites are for guns that are no longer produced nor available NIB. However, I have seen auctions for guns that are still being produced and readily available from dealers. Yet, in many cases, the used guns are selling at very similar prices to what a new gun would bring.

The used guns usually don't have a warranty, often don't come with the original box and manual, frequently have additional fees for using a credit card, and sometimes, have padded profits built into the shipping fees. Then, there is always the risk that the description of the gun at auction will not be anywhere near accurate when the gun arrives at your front door.

I just can't fathom the reasoning behind some of the final bids that I see. Okay, that ends my little rant for now.
 
Unfortunately, there are people out there that get taken by sellers on these sites. I wouldn't say that it is an all the time occurence but, it happens. I think that these sellers bank on buyer's emotions getting the better of them. Those people are called impulse buyers and are the targets most advertisers. You can also thank Ebay and Craigslist in part for this.
 
As P.T. Barnum never said, "There's a sucker born every minute." You know what's right and I know what's right, but somebody is always willing to take advantage of somebody else.

I, too, wonder why this sort of thing happens. I guess that it's just human nature.
 
Why would anyone pay more for a used gun at auction?

Answers to the OP could read like David Letterman's Top Ten:

10. It's income tax time and the government is giving away money!

9. It's income tax time and I owe the government a lot of money so I better hurry up and spend it!

8. I get paid for falling asleep at work anyway!

7. What goes around comes around!

6. My father had one just like that when I was a kid!

5. I regret selling mine years ago and I want another one just like it!

4. Holy cow! That gun is in good shape for having gone through the civil war!

3. It all averages out in the end!

2. I want a shooter, not a safe queen!

And the #1 answer is:

KARMA! :)
 
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Napp

Lemme guess....


You have been following an auction on Gunbroker for a pistol you want. The price escalated above not only what you are willing to pay but also above what any but a fool would pay.

Or perhaps you looked at an auction from one of the schmucks who put Traditions steel frame 1860 Colts or 1858 Remingtons up for auction with a starting bid of 299.00. (They bought the pistols from Cabelas and are trying to turn them around for a profit.)

There is a used Uberti Dragoon for a buy it now price of 362.50. The same pistol can be bought new from Taylor for 350.00 plus shipping.

I think there are several syndromes going on.

First of all there are people who do not bother to check the value of the items they are bidding on. This drives the Blue Book guys nuts because it distorts the value picture. I might add that a similar thing happened with William Britains Soldiers some years back. The more popular the auction site (the more potential buyers) the more likey the population will include folks who don't bother the check values.

Second of all there are folks who don't care what the value is. They just want the item and pay whatever they have.

Third of all is the fact that some of these BP pistols are quite rare and a discriminating collector would want the pistol for a higher price than an equivalent pistol which does not have the rarety feature.

I have been just as frustrated as you at times but venting helps.
 
One reason and generally speaking, the older version is better than the new. For instance, earlier or pre-lock Marlin 39's. Older Contenders compared to the newer G2s. Older TC Hawken models (pre-stamped) compared to the newer ones. Older Remington Expresses better than newer ones. Older Belgium HPs compared to the new MKIIIs. Some folks prefer the Ruger MK=IIs over the MKIIIs and the beat goes on .... ;)



Be Safe !!!
 
Doc Hoy

You covered the bases pretty well with your post. I suppose my question was more rhetorical than a real question.

I can't quibble about the rareness or collectible factor; but those guns are not usually available on the "new" market, anyway. Pahoo, also made some good points about some earlier guns being more desirable then current offerings.

My rant wasn't intended to include those instances. Rather it was directed at those cases where we are comparing apples to apples and oranges to oranges.
 
There was one I saw recently on Gunbroker. The seller had an Pietta 1858 Remmie listed....44 cal. 8" barrel..fixed sights..nothing special - no accurizing done..in essence it was a NIB gun that is currently selling for $199 at Cabelas.

The seller had the opening bid at more than $300. In the description he wrote something like - this is not a Cabela's gun...we stopped buying guns from Cabelas because we kept having to return them...

OK....so it's worth $100+ more because you didn't get it at Cabela's? :rolleyes:
 
Quote (The seller had the opening bid at more than $300. In the description he wrote something like - this is not a Cabela's gun...we stopped buying guns from Cabelas because we kept having to return them...)

It's people like that started the rumor that Cabela's buys second quality guns from Pietta.
 
Well fellas,

I guess I don't have a problem with folks liting their items for outlandish prices. I have a problem with other people buying them for outlandish prices.

It seems as though the folks that monitor GD and AA are pretty savvy since a lot of these non-deals go unsold. A troubling number of them sell but by and large the high priced stuff remains with the seller.
 
I had a friend who was gonna list an item on GB and said, "I think I'll put it at $350 since I saw a couple of other just like it listed at that opening price."

My only reply was, "Did they sell at that price?"


....he sold it for $260 which is about what it was worth....:rolleyes:
 
That's easy. For people either too stupid, naive, lazy, or foolish it provides a quick and easy forum for them to locate and purchase what it is they desire. Lets face it, it could take some knowledge, persistence, research, and time to find the best deal out there. For those unwilling or unable to their homework the internet auction sites are a viable solution for them.
 
Hardcase, you only got half of P.T. Barnums famous statement, it goes, "There's a sucker born every minute.....and two to take him!"
 
Some people have more money than common sense and they screw the market up for the rest of us. As long as there are fools there will be greedy sellers to take their money.
 
Gunbrokers

I buy mine usually off internet but only from gun shops.
I dont buy them from personal people unless I actually know them.
I use gunbrokers as it gets me out to more shops.
The mark up in town here is ridicules.
 
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