Selling Guns Online via Classifieds, Craigslist, and Ebay sucks! Any Better Ways?

[HelloKitty]

Downsides of each method of selling (ultimately minimizing how much money ends up in your pocket):

Classifieds:
1) waste time taking pics and posting online
2) listing fees on some forums
3) easy to get scammed
4) paypal fees
5) shipping fees
6) can't truly verify if buyer is 18 or over

Craigslist:
1) easy to get robbed at gunpoint (happened to a few of my friends)
2) buyers who always show up with less cash than agreed upon hoping to hussle you
3) waste time taking pics and posting online
4) gas is expensive driving all over the place

Ebay:
1) ridiculous listing fees
2) paypal fees
3) poor dispute resolution
4) buyers who don't pay

With so many downsides, I wonder if it's even worth listing items for sale these days especially when used AEGs can only sell at <$100 even if you spent >$500 on it plus upgrades. The prices are getting so competitive for new items that the used market is taking a huge hit. Years ago used AEGs could sell for $200 even $300, nowadays most of those ads for AEGs at that price would rarely sell. You'd have to list used products at super low prices to sell. Why don't airsoft stores buy back used guns? I mean RS gun stores buy back used guns. Car dealers buy back used cars. What's up with airsoft gun stores? Does anyone know better methods of selling used guns/accessories?

[Danke]

I think most stores won't buy back used gear because it's a pig in a poke. If they can get the new stuff wholesale for what folks think their used parts are worth they'll won't want used products.

Now I do know some stores will sell used stuff from the owner, or the owners trusted friends. So unless you have a shop, or know someone who does you're out of luck their.

As a guy on the street I'd say your best bet would be to become one of those guys who builds gear people want. You know them the folks who show up at a game with a perfect slick shooting gat that does it all. Then spread the news by word of mouth at games that your latest AK or M4 is up for grabs and let the buyers come to you.

I would add that we're lucky up here that this forum has a sales area that's free for regular joes, is vetted to make sure those who can see it are over 18, and in most cases if you're diligent and pick who you sell to or buy from you won't get burnt.

Myself, I hate selling my gear, I've usually spent time getting things right for me and when I do let something go I regret it even if it was something that I never gamed. I think back and go man I wish I still had that G36, etc. around.

[THe_Silencer]

Those points you listed are really applicable to ANYTHING that you sell. You really feel that it's a waste of 5 mins to take a picture and posting it online? Then just don't post a pic then and see how well your item sells. I personally never had an issue with ebay. The listing fees are fairly reasonable and can be avoided completely if you start your auction off at 99 cents. I get the feeling that you may be trying to sell upgraded Chinese guns. Those tend to not make back their money on the used market.

[L473ncy]

Yeah without something like the AV system (not saying the AV is infallible.... as we have had a couple of scammers here as well) and being in a larger market like the US that stuff does kind of suck.....

What you should always do though is never do the deal at your home or a private place where you can get robbed. Instead do it publicly like a Timmies (or Krispy Kreme) or something and check out the guy first (ie. Does he look like an unsavoury character?). Wasting gas money does suck though. The least you can do is get some contact info that you can verify to make sure the person is legit.

[Styrak]

Originally Posted by HelloKitty

Craigslist:
1) easy to get robbed at gunpoint (happened to a few of my friends)

LOL wat.

[Tex]

Originally Posted by Styrak

LOL wat.

I don't see whats funny. It happens, I wouldn't say it's easy to get robbed but CL is a popular tool used by thieves.

[FACE]

Here we are prohibited from using Kijiji to sell our airsoft stuff but paintball is perfectly okay to sell on that site. Kind of a pain in the rear, but I've had no problem with buying or selling in the classifieds section on here. Mind you, I haven't posted anything, i've just responded to Wanted ads, or traded with people in the For sale section.

[Armyissue]

Move to Canada! All your US bought stuff is worth Double here.

[krap101]

Originally Posted by Armyissue

Move to Canada! All your US bought stuff is worth Double here.

I'll consider it... the fields in the midwest (at least IL) are just pitiful :P

Hmm, if I were to move, how would I get my guns across the border?

[THe_Silencer]

The easiest way is to just not declare it, they're not going to have time to look through every box you pack. But if you do get caught, expect at least 25+ years in prison for smuggling illegal replica firearms. Us Canadians take smuggling toy guns very seriously!

[krap101]

hmm, get 2000 lbs of wax... melt it and put your receivers in... voila?... maybe too obvious?

[L473ncy]

Lol.... actually that reminded me of that scene in Canadian Bacon where the Americans got super scrutinized while the Canadians "had nothing to declare" and were waved past.

[AS92-RD]

Originally Posted by styrak

lol wat.

america, fuck yeah!

[Old School Punk]

I don't really think that "where" people sell their stuff is the problem, in my opinion, the problem is "how" they go about doing it.

Too many people are too lazy, or incompetent to properly present and value thier items, and then they end up unhappy and disillusioned when their item doesn't sell.

I come from a background of buying and selling vintage collectible items, and here are a few things that I have observed.

1. No Pictures = No Sale, or considerably lower sell price.
Peoples interpretation of phrases "like new condition" or "mint condition" can vary too much to be taken at face value.
I have seen guys list a gun as "carefully maintained" and "in perfect condition", and then in the next sentence follow it up with, missing the hammer and the safety didn't work, so they removed it. Huh???
Close up pictures do a far better job than any description ever will.

2. Modification = Lower Sell Price.
I know that this seems to defy logic to some sellers, but to a lot of people, including myself, when an item has been modified or upgraded, you just don't know what your getting into.
If you don't personaly know "who" did the work, you just don't know what your going to end up with.
This may have been the guys first project, or he may have cheaped out on the parts he used or whatever.
The first thing that comes to my mind when I see an upgraded item for sale is, that the item was used so heavily that it failed, and had to be repaired with after market parts. The other thing that I tend to think is that the upgrades that were done, didn't work out too well, and that is why the item is up for sale.
This isn't limited to just airsoft items, just look at the car market. I am sure we have all seen one of those 1969 Camaro's advertised in the Auto Trader with over $70,000.00 bucks invested in it, yet the thing sits there week after week unsold for $28,000.00. It's sad, but in most peoples books, a stock item will almost always be worth more than a modified one.

3. Used item = Lower Selling Price.
It doesn't matter if the item was plinked once or twice in the basement, or if it was used weekly in outdoor games. If it's used, it's worth less that it was brand new.
Many, many times I have got on quote on a brand new gun that is less than a "used one" being offered for sale in the classified section here on the board.
It doesn't matter if you put an upgraded spring and barrel in the thing, because it's used, it just isn't worth as much as a "brand new", never been touched one.
If you bought a gun for $300.00 and you put $100.00 worth of upgrades into it and you used it and enjoyed it, you can't expect to sell it for $400.00 when your done with it. It's worth $200.00 if your lucky.
"Using and enjoying" an item, isn't free, it ends up costing you something in depreciation.

4. Poor Communication = Lower Selling Price.
If English isn't your first language, and you aren't comfortable communicating in English, then you are going to have a heck of a time selling your item here in North America. If your English isn't good, my advise to you would be to someone to help you out with your sale. If your not prepared, or able to speak the same language as the potential buyers, your just not going to be able to sell your item for as much as someone who is able to communicate in a proffesional manner.
This is not a slag against "new Canadians", it also applies to "shit punk" young kids that only know how to write the "English" language using their texting short hand BS. LOL.
Take the extra few seconds and fricken write your ad in a way that everyone can understand, and you will have a lot more success selling your item.

5. Poor Customer Service = No Sale.
If your wanting to sell an item, don't put it up for sale on a board and then go on Holidays for a week. If your actually interested in selling something, then be prepared to answer some stupid questions over and over again, or spell everything out really clearly in your ad.
Also get back to people promptly when they contact you. If your selling something, you need to get back to them in a reasonable amount of time. Also when you do get back to them, be nice to them even if they are as annoying as fuck. Remember they are doing you a favor by purchasing your item, so threat them properly and respond to them quickly and you will have a far better chance of selling your item for a better price.

6. Greater Availability = Lower Resale Value.
We are all happy that better airsoft guns are finaly making their way into Canada, but we have to accept that it is going to hurt that resale value of the guns we own when we go to sell them someday.
Take Real Sword Guns for instance. These guns were scarce as hens teeth in Canada a few years ago. They had the reputation of being the best guns on the market and because of their scarcity, they commanded a hefty premium.
Fortunately or unfortunately things have changed in the last year or so, and now almost every Real Sword airsoft gun can be legally imported into Canada buy a licensed distributer.
So that beautiful Real Sword AK47 that you bought a few years ago, for something like $700.00 bucks though "questionable" channels, is no longer worth what you paid for it.
Believe me this pains me because I bought a RS - Dragunov SVD last year and I paid at least a $400.00 premium on it, just to get one in my hands. Now that I can source the same gun at a bunch of different places here in Canada, the premium that I paid last year for it has basically evaporated away.

Anyway, I don't mean to sound like an arrogant prick here, these are just a few observations that I have made about buying and selling used airsoft items on the internet.


Later

Gordo

[graff]

would like to add

- "custom painting your gun" that lowers the re-sale value, it does not add to the value.

- if your AEG or anything really has been up for sale for 4 months, maybe you should think about lowering your price instead of just "bumping" your ad back to the top?