TexasCHLforum.com

I buy a lot of used stuff. Good values to be had.

I'm not sure what to make of classified ads for firearms that are asking 150% of the market price that can easily be established online. Sometimes they want nearly the MSRP for a used weapon. I don't even bother calling these people.

Anyone care to share experiences of whether it is worthwhile to make lower offers, or do these sellers just have rocks in their heads? I don't want to waste time and gas driving halfway across the county.

- Jim

I moderate a Classifieds/Feedback section of a 70k+ member website. I see a lot of FS ads and WTB ads....

There are people out there that are completely out of touch and admit they don't know what to charge, and they will usually come into line with market asking price when educated. Then there are those who think their *10 year old daughter rule* don't stink, and think they're King Midas or something and ask incredulous prices. Its hard to tell between the two unless the latter is blatently arrogant, without getting in touch.

Personally I don't bother unless it is a MUST HAVE item, there are usually enough people out there willing to wheel and deal to waste time on the few who won't.

We have one guy out there that was parting out his stock parts off of a Camaro SS. He asked 75-80% of dealer retail for the parts, even though they were used, b/c he is ignorant and lazy and proud. He was banned a few times for it, but kept it up for two years until he was flamed and slammed so hard for it, he almost disappeared. Stupid people are everywhere.

I purchase all my guns used. In fact, I only have one new pistol in my safe right now. If the person is asking a high price on a pistol, I will make a offer I think is fair. If they do not accept it, so be it.

I have sent messages to people on ebay and asked why they were asking such a crazy price...five or six days later after no bids, I have had them write me back and ask me what the stuff is worth and they accepted my offer of a fair price.

It doesn't cost anything to ask. I have a pretty hard shell to counter anyone taking my offer for anything other than it is.

Jason

Some are uninformed, but willing to be educated.

Some are uninformed, and determined to stay that way.

Some are full of wishful thinking, but can be persuaded to see reality.

And still others are fully informed, don't care, and subscribe to the "just one sucker" rule; they're waiting for that one sucker to come along and make them rich.

I see many dealers in that last category. They're the ones who sell the story, instead of the gun.

I don't haggle when I'm buying. I'll usually make a reasonable counter, but if it's rejected, and the asking price is too high for me, then I move on.

I don't know anything about selling guns. Well, okay, there was that one time that I traded a beater Turkish M1938 mauser and twenty bucks (about $60 total) for a pristine Polish Wz.48 .22 trainer (worth about $125at the time). But other than that, if I buy it, I'm probably going to keep it.

Kevin

I think some people purposely set their prices high because they know someone is going to offer them a lower price. I've sold lots of items before and it doesn't matter how reasonable my price was, I almost always got someone emailing me wanting to make me a lower offer.

My usual reply is that I don't haggle over prices. If you don't like my price, go somewhere else. This is exactly what I do as well when I'm buying. I will not offer someone a lower price. If I don't like your price, I will not buy your item.

texas_archer wrote:I purchase all my guns used. In fact, I only have one new pistol in my safe right now. If the person is asking a high price on a pistol, I will make a offer I think is fair. If they do not accept it, so be it.

I have lots of used guns's, when buying or selling I look for the middle ground, if we make a deal both party's should be happy.

Rigby470 wrote:<snip>
I don't haggle over prices. If you don't like my price, go somewhere else. This is exactly what I do as well when I'm buying. I will not offer someone a lower price. If I don't like your price, I will not buy your item.

This is what I do too, but my reason is that I'm too uncomfortable haggling (and supposedly very bad at it).

I think by not haggling, I'm missing some deals that otherwise would have gone thru. Need to remind myself that a haggled price is a compromise acceptable to both sides, but just can't do it for some reason.

I will haggle if I think the price isn't reasonable, but its not worth it to me to save 15 bucks on an item that is several hundred dollars, and go through the hassle of it all.

j1132s wrote:

Rigby470 wrote:<snip>
I don't haggle over prices. If you don't like my price, go somewhere else. This is exactly what I do as well when I'm buying. I will not offer someone a lower price. If I don't like your price, I will not buy your item.

This is what I do too, but my reason is that I'm too uncomfortable haggling (and supposedly very bad at it).

I think by not haggling, I'm missing some deals that otherwise would have gone thru. Need to remind myself that a haggled price is a compromise acceptable to both sides, but just can't do it for some reason.

That's me, to a "T". My dad was a great "horse trader," and one of my older brothers still is, but I can't hold a candle to them when it comes to making deals... sometimes I think I have left a lot of money behind because of it.

And still others are fully informed, don't care, and subscribe to the "just one sucker" rule; they're waiting for that one sucker to come along and make them rich.

In my opinion most fall into this category. It seems reasonable to get the most for an item. Whether or not it's ethical is up to the individual.

That buys junk because he refuses to buy most anything new. He is the person that never checks the value but just buys things on impulse. Some of it is charity but mostly he is lazy and has the money to be so. So, I know why people will over price things. Someone will pay the price eventually. And no, I will not give you his phone number either.

Some one clue me in on what exactly the *10 year old daughter rule* is. I'm on a couple of sights were its referred to almost constantly.

xenatexas13 wrote:Some one clue me in on what exactly the *10 year old daughter rule* is. I'm on a couple of sights were its referred to almost constantly.

Hi XT,

The "ten year old daughter rule" primarily concerns language, but could be extended to include subject matter and/or acronyms that would convey the same message. In other words, we keep it pretty clean here.

Basically, anything that you wouldn't want your TYOD to read, isn't appropriate here. Thanks for your interest, and we look forward to your participation here.


Flint.

xenatexas13 wrote:Some one clue me in on what exactly the *10 year old daughter rule* is. I'm on a couple of sights were its referred to almost constantly.

Don't say anything or use any language that you wouldn't want your 10 year old daughter to see.

Or anyone else's 10 year old daughter, for that matter. Or your mother or sister or pastor, if you prefer.

Kevin