Just a rant here. Gun Broker

[aka Hunter]

Having said that the issue is that people abuse the spirit of the original intention of the site by running auctions just like the one I listed earlier. The problem is that example is not the exception on GB but sadly it has become the norm. Auctions with no reserve but starting bids at 99 percent or even higher of blue book. GB needs some long overdue revisions.

So, do you think your hoped-for revisions would attract more sellers? (I can't imagine that it would.) If not, what do your revisions accomplish, other than excluding sellers whose marketing plan offends you? As for me, I don't get offended by such sellers -- there's nothing forcing me to bid their price.

Are you a disgruntled gun retailer?

 

[SJB358]

Why not right to GB and voice your thoughts. Can't hurt anything?

Seems like there are plenty of places to buy guns for me. I just can't find the money to actually purchase them!

I think everyone looks for different stuff in the "auction" sites.. No one will ever completely agree with how they are operated.

 

[alaska100]

Scotty, I just go to a pawn store LOL

 

[tddeangelo]

I just wait three months for the seller to get around to selling it to me!

:lol:

 

[martineta]

I am like every other consumer in a freely operating market place. I vote with my wallet. If I like it, I buy it. Someone doesn't like Gunbroker, simple solution is to stay away and buy your guns elsewhere.

 

[300WSM]

Having said that the issue is that people abuse the spirit of the original intention of the site by running auctions just like the one I listed earlier. The problem is that example is not the exception on GB but sadly it has become the norm. Auctions with no reserve but starting bids at 99 percent or even higher of blue book. GB needs some long overdue revisions.

So, do you think your hoped-for revisions would attract more sellers? (I can't imagine that it would.) If not, what do your revisions accomplish, other than excluding sellers whose marketing plan offends you? As for me, I don't get offended by such sellers -- there's nothing forcing me to bid their price.

Are you a disgruntled gun retailer?

Its not about more sellers but more buyers/transactions.

As it is now you have about 8 out of 10 dead listings. They are active but they are dead and will never go anywhere..especially under the current format. And you know exactly what I'm talking about here. These guns will never get sold because they generate zero interest due to the current, albeit permitted way of listing items.

People are so terrified that they might get less than 100 percent value for the gun that they do some ridiculous things when listing them....yet those very things keep people from having interest and getting involved on the item. If the interest is there now the action is there...and then what do you know...seller winds up getting every cent he hoped for or more. Not every case is like that but in any auction, ebay. cars, estates, etc etc, for the amount of people who feel like they didnt get enough ...you can equal that with people that felt like they got more than expected.

Someone asked what I would like to see accomplished with GB.....if the site adjusted you would see a much more active selling and buying place for our guns and the like.

 

[muleman]

300wsm,
I see alot of what your complaining about on GB. I also see alot of good deals; not free, but but guns that are selling well below market. I have done alot of buying and selling in the last six months (26 transactions). In that time I've had some auctions that grew stale and had to be reregistered due to no bids or not reaching my selling minimum. I had one that reregistered six times before it sold and when it finally sold it went for $225 over the minimum. I've copied a topic and the listing it was about here as an example of what can be found.
http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewIt ... =287056587
viewtopic.php?f=9&t=19300

The one thing we all have to keep in mind is that it is a free market. If minimums are set to high the gun won't sell. Minimums and Maximums are all relative to the needs of the people selling and buying. If I need cash fast and I'm willing to take a potential loss on a firearm I'll list with no minimum and no reserve. If I'm willing to wait for the right buyer I'll post a minimum or a reserve or both. My needs dictate what parameters I put on a sale. If GB were to mandate all auctions to be no reserve/minimum I'm pretty sure the selling pool would dry up. It would be a buyers market all the time instead of a good mix of both. There are alot of retailers on the site and they serve their purpose - imagine living in an area where the nearest gun shop is an hour away and their selection/price leave something to be desired. Now imagine that scenario with out GB or the internet. Those of us with some grey hair can probably relate to that memory! :shock: .
I know that if all I ever did was buy and never sell I'd would love a GB you envision. If all I ever did was sell I'd like to see buyers put down a guaranteed down payment just to log in to the site :twisted: I think the site has a good balance IMO. If the seller can't sell under their conditions they'll either modify or die. I hope you can always find what your looking for and a get a good price to boot - I know I do.
Happy Bargain Hunting!
Scott

 

[300WSM]

Muleman, I see the listing you linked and I know there has always been that type of auction. That is a real auction that took place right there. Wonderful.

The point is those listings are scarce. Maybe even fewer than scarce. And if you frequent GB as much as you say, then you know the listing I refer to is sadly the norm. A shame its not the other way around.

I don't suggest GB make sellers do something outrageous but a change to a few things on the current set up would be welcomed....by both sides.

One change could be that if you are going to list something with no reserve then it starts at 0.00 and it really has no reserve. What it brings is what it brings. Seller might score...buyer might score.

There are some other ways a change would benefit both parties involved.

 

[Oldtrader3]

Why not right to GB and voice your thoughts. Can't hurt anything?

Seems like there are plenty of places to buy guns for me. I just can't find the money to actually purchase them!

I think everyone looks for different stuff in the "auction" sites.. No one will ever completely agree with how they are operated.

Scotty, I have never found a way to communicate in any fashion with gunbroker. There is no phone number of email address listed anywhere that I have found which you can contact them with.

I agree with the sentiments expressed by .300WSM and seldom even look at listings on GB, unless the gun is NIB. In almost all cases, I can order a new gun of that specific model cheaper from my local dealer (if available) than buying used from BG dealers. Plus, a couple of the guns that I have bought via GB in the past were no where nearly close to the NRA condition listed in the ad for the gun.

There may be some good deals on GB but most are not, at least not for used firearms! This is especially true for the large transaction history dealers on that site.

 

[aka Hunter]

I have never found a way to communicate in any fashion with gunbroker. There is no phone number of email address listed anywhere that I have found which you can contact them with.

At the top of the GB page is a "Help" link, from there you can click on "Help Center," then "Contact Customer Support."

 

[Oldtrader3]

I have never found a way to communicate in any fashion with gunbroker. There is no phone number of email address listed anywhere that I have found which you can contact them with.

At the top of the GB page is a "Help" link, from there you can click on "Help Center," then "Contact Customer Support."

Good luck getting to communicate with them Hunter, I have never had any success emailing them. That Help Link is blind and takes you nowhere!

 

[alaska100]

I have never found a way to communicate in any fashion with gunbroker. There is no phone number of email address listed anywhere that I have found which you can contact them with.

At the top of the GB page is a "Help" link, from there you can click on "Help Center," then "Contact Customer Support."

Good luck getting to communicate with them Hunter, I have never had any success emailing them. That Help Link is blind and takes you nowhere!

We had the same problem charlie, so we went back to the old saying

Change what you can
Accept what you cant
And have the wisdom to know the difference

How have you been charlie, still shooting that 340 weatherby and sharing optic notes with charles. Good to see you posting

 

[Oldtrader3]

Still shooting the Weatherby.

I still don't give my money to businesses who don't think enough of me to at least allow me interface by email or phone with a Customer Service human. This includes banks or any one else who thinks that they are too important to have to deal with customers instead of just taking my money! That rule stands forever with me. I tried to get advice from Gun Broker but ran into several dead ends and never could get communication established with a human at GunBroker. This was my last deal on that site! They do not even have any guarantee of payment refund which at least you get with FleaBay (PayPal).