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On line gun auction questions
- Thread starter Ocraknife
- Start date
chief357onYouTube
Inactive
I've bought a couple through online auctions....but haven't sold any.
I've bought a few on hard to find guns...never sold any.
1. Want seller I can talk to - get extra photos...to verify condition.
2. I prefer a seller that has a "brick & mortar" operation....not just working out of their garage.
3. Deal with someone that knows what they have...knows some history of gun if it's used. If it's new in box....has it been for sale at a counter and handled a lot.
4. Return policy...is it fair / some have none...it's yours !
5. Have a local FFL ready to go ( his paperwork, know your expense....transfer fee, freight fee, do you have to pay state sales tax ( my state, we do).....
6. Payment terms...cashier checks are risky ( you can't stop it ), it's like mailing cash....will seller take credit card - any up charge - if you never get a gun will bank card protect you...
7. If it's too good to be true....PASS !! ( I found a fraudulent add for a Wilson 1911, Wilson verified that serial # never existed for that model, pictures were from an old catalog....) could have cost me $3K ....but it didn't smell right...so I checked it...
8. Online feedback can be generated ...it may not be real / if you're spending $3K or more ask if you can speak to some references. If you know someone in sellers area -- ask them to go by & take a look. I've done that for buddies out of state - that saw a gun for sale in my area.
9. Online brokers....don't guarantee anything...but good ones will help if you get scammed.
10. Don't buy online to save $100...go to a local dealer.
1. Want seller I can talk to - get extra photos...to verify condition.
2. I prefer a seller that has a "brick & mortar" operation....not just working out of their garage.
3. Deal with someone that knows what they have...knows some history of gun if it's used. If it's new in box....has it been for sale at a counter and handled a lot.
4. Return policy...is it fair / some have none...it's yours !
5. Have a local FFL ready to go ( his paperwork, know your expense....transfer fee, freight fee, do you have to pay state sales tax ( my state, we do).....
6. Payment terms...cashier checks are risky ( you can't stop it ), it's like mailing cash....will seller take credit card - any up charge - if you never get a gun will bank card protect you...
7. If it's too good to be true....PASS !! ( I found a fraudulent add for a Wilson 1911, Wilson verified that serial # never existed for that model, pictures were from an old catalog....) could have cost me $3K ....but it didn't smell right...so I checked it...
8. Online feedback can be generated ...it may not be real / if you're spending $3K or more ask if you can speak to some references. If you know someone in sellers area -- ask them to go by & take a look. I've done that for buddies out of state - that saw a gun for sale in my area.
9. Online brokers....don't guarantee anything...but good ones will help if you get scammed.
10. Don't buy online to save $100...go to a local dealer.
Last edited:
I've sold one or two.
1. take good photos.
2. Be honest if there's any cosmetics or functional issues.
3. Only ship to an FFL if the buyer is in another state. (or insist on an FFL, if UBC is required in your state)
4. It costs a crap ton to ship 2 day, so don't be embarrassed to ask for $40 shipping.
Pretty much akin to any other online-brokered sale, except for the higher shipping cost.
1. take good photos.
2. Be honest if there's any cosmetics or functional issues.
3. Only ship to an FFL if the buyer is in another state. (or insist on an FFL, if UBC is required in your state)
4. It costs a crap ton to ship 2 day, so don't be embarrassed to ask for $40 shipping.
Pretty much akin to any other online-brokered sale, except for the higher shipping cost.
I advise only accepting postal money orders. If you do decide to accept a personal check or a cashier's check, you better give at least 2 weeks to clear and then call your bank to verify that the funds cannot be withdrawn from your account. I accepted a cashier's check one time and it took almost 2 weeks before the issuer put a stop payment on the check. I got stuck with the bank charge, but at least I didn't lose anything more than about $10. Remember, there are LOTS of scammers out there!
Since the OP asked about selling guns...
I've sold a lot of guns on Gunbroker. The only problems I ever encountered were from buyers in Cali. bidding and winning guns that are not on the Cali. DOJ approved list. Once a gun sells you are charged a sellers fee based on the actual selling price of the gun. If the buyer cannot or will not follow thru you are still stuck with paying the sellers fee. My adds clearly state no sales to Cali.
Shipping cost can be very expensive depending on the value of the gun. I am not an FFL so I only ship thru an FFL to the buyers FFL. I'm charged the cost of the medium flat rate box ( ~$14) plus insurance (~ $1.50 per $100) plus $25 transfer fee. So, a $1000 gun cost me about $54 to ship thru my FFL. The same gun thru UPS or Fedex overnight would be about $100 depending how far it ships to. I usually charge about $30 to $35 and eat the rest.
I only accept U.S. postal money orders or certified bank checks. There is a phone number you can call to verify the money order and you can call the issuing bank to verify the bank check as legit. The buyer is responsible to provide you with a copy of the FFL's licence or having their FFL email a copy to you.
Take lots of pictures. People want to see what they are buying. If you were buying a gun on line what pictures would you want to see? Give a good, accurate description.
One last thing, Gunbroker and the other auction sites are only a medium for listing your adds/auctions. You are pretty much on your own if things go wrong.
Jim
I've sold a lot of guns on Gunbroker. The only problems I ever encountered were from buyers in Cali. bidding and winning guns that are not on the Cali. DOJ approved list. Once a gun sells you are charged a sellers fee based on the actual selling price of the gun. If the buyer cannot or will not follow thru you are still stuck with paying the sellers fee. My adds clearly state no sales to Cali.
Shipping cost can be very expensive depending on the value of the gun. I am not an FFL so I only ship thru an FFL to the buyers FFL. I'm charged the cost of the medium flat rate box ( ~$14) plus insurance (~ $1.50 per $100) plus $25 transfer fee. So, a $1000 gun cost me about $54 to ship thru my FFL. The same gun thru UPS or Fedex overnight would be about $100 depending how far it ships to. I usually charge about $30 to $35 and eat the rest.
I only accept U.S. postal money orders or certified bank checks. There is a phone number you can call to verify the money order and you can call the issuing bank to verify the bank check as legit. The buyer is responsible to provide you with a copy of the FFL's licence or having their FFL email a copy to you.
Take lots of pictures. People want to see what they are buying. If you were buying a gun on line what pictures would you want to see? Give a good, accurate description.
One last thing, Gunbroker and the other auction sites are only a medium for listing your adds/auctions. You are pretty much on your own if things go wrong.
The only way someone can leave feedback on gunbroker is to win the auction. Considering how much I have to pay in sellers fees everytime I sell a gun it would cost a fortune to build up fake feedback. OTOH, if someone sells a bunch of cheap stuff to build feedback and then offers an expensive gun for sale I would be leary.Online feedback can be generated ...it may not be real
Jim
I realize the OP asked about auction sites, but I wanted to take this opportunity to warn everyone about Armslist and any long-distance transactions there.
My friend is a volunteer moderator on Armslist, and it often seems that 1/3 to 1/2 of all listings there are scams, where the buyer sends money to the seller and never receives anything.
I have bought and sold a couple guns there, and it can be done if you are obsessively careful, but you really have to know what you are doing. Armslist themselves has a huge forum where people post their tales of woe about how they got screwed.
Gunlistings and Backpage are also notorious. If you try any long distance transaction on any of these sites you are asking for trouble. Go FTF only.
I've done a little on Gunbroker, too, and feel more comfortable there since it seems they require more authentication from people.
FWIW
David
My friend is a volunteer moderator on Armslist, and it often seems that 1/3 to 1/2 of all listings there are scams, where the buyer sends money to the seller and never receives anything.
I have bought and sold a couple guns there, and it can be done if you are obsessively careful, but you really have to know what you are doing. Armslist themselves has a huge forum where people post their tales of woe about how they got screwed.
Gunlistings and Backpage are also notorious. If you try any long distance transaction on any of these sites you are asking for trouble. Go FTF only.
I've done a little on Gunbroker, too, and feel more comfortable there since it seems they require more authentication from people.
FWIW
David
Old Bill Dibble
New member
I have more luck with gun trader boards.
Laytonj 1 Why would you as seller pay a transfer ? I have sold a bunch of guns over the years and never paid for a transfer . Are you saying you transfer to the buyer/the FFL holder shipping for you ? Yes I have sold in state and out of state all kinds of firearms never heard this ever .
Mixed results.
I bought an O/U off gunsamerica and was not very happy. It had a dent in one for he barrels that was not disclosed.
I have bought and sold several things here and at AR15.com and been very pleased. My best story is about arms list. I foolishly fell for a scam and sent a usps money order for another O/U. The guy started giving me excuses about when he could ship and I reminded him the usps takes mail fraud very seriously. Meanwhile, I found the gun listed in other cities so I knew it was a scam. He hadn't picked up his mail at the PO and I got my postmaster to call his postmaster and lay hands on the envelope. They mailed it back to me and I was only out the cost of the MO and postage.
Now I deal only in cash and in person.
I bought an O/U off gunsamerica and was not very happy. It had a dent in one for he barrels that was not disclosed.
I have bought and sold several things here and at AR15.com and been very pleased. My best story is about arms list. I foolishly fell for a scam and sent a usps money order for another O/U. The guy started giving me excuses about when he could ship and I reminded him the usps takes mail fraud very seriously. Meanwhile, I found the gun listed in other cities so I knew it was a scam. He hadn't picked up his mail at the PO and I got my postmaster to call his postmaster and lay hands on the envelope. They mailed it back to me and I was only out the cost of the MO and postage.
Now I deal only in cash and in person.
To ship a handgun out of state you have two options. Take the gun to Fedex or UPS and pay a fortune for overnight/nextday or take it to a local dealer and have them ship it for you. They can mail the gun thru the post office for a lot less money but you have to pay them to do the transfer, from me to the receiving FFL. Then the buyer pays their FFL for transferring from my FFL to them.Laytonj 1 Why would you as seller pay a transfer ? I have sold a bunch of guns over the years and never paid for a transfer . Are you saying you transfer to the buyer/the FFL holder shipping for you ? Yes I have sold in state and out of state all kinds of firearms never heard this ever .
Now, if you found a dealer who will ship the gun off for you with no transfer fee then I envy you.
Jim