I use gunbroker but I don't compete. I bid the highest I'm willing to go which, in aggregate, amounts to less than I would have to pay locally for a similar used item. Most auctions I don't win. I did accidentally pick up a G20 this way recently. I found an auction for a Glock 10mm that was clear the pool of bidders were placing un-serious bids. The gun had a few days left so I bid a number significantly higher than it had been but far below its real value even for a local pick up. The idea was that surely someone would outbid me as the auction close drew near. Well, no one did. So I picked up a G20 for a sweet deal. Plenty of other fish have gotten away because I don't let auction sites excite my sense of competition and avarice.

It’s human, competitive nature, overtaking rationality.

My example: many years ago was a workshop-woodwork tools auction. Two guys got into a bidding war for a Craftsman drill press, not particularly vintage or otherwise special. To my mind both bidders came with the intention of scoring that particular item, probably looking for good price but when the other guy wanted it, well.....

With each escalating bid, the crowd chuckled and tittered, knowing full well the bids were well above MSRP and that just less than five miles away, there’s a fully stocked Sears.

I’m turned off by auctions. I can’t even recall ever placing a bid. The idea of constantly checking an auction for a week only to find out I didn’t win and have to start over is ridiculous.

quote:

Originally posted by ensigmatic:

quote:

Originally posted by .38supersig:
Been there. Done that.

I wanted a 22 Magnum revolver from North American Arms that was originally at $495. I couldn't find one at the time so I bid $705 on GB and won.

If ya gotta have it I guess ya gotta have it. Who am I to gainsay your choices? But I struggle mightily with paying more than MSRP for something. (I have no idea what are the rarity and desirability of the revolver you mention.)

I think I did okay, now they go for three grand if you can find one.

I'm an eBay sniper and not ashamed to say so. I know what stuff I want should go for and I am a cheapskate. I look for stuff that's misspelled or listed incorrectly. I look for "needs repair" or "not working" or "for parts only." My #1 guitar amp is an eBay score for $627 listed as "not working, needs repair." I sniped it with the intention to repair and flip. But I got it for about 1/3 of what they go for in working order. It just needed new tubes, had it running five minutes after unpacking it. I'm on the hunt for another one now. No rush, it will pop up.

Can’t snipe on gunbroker. Every bid after the last minutes of an auction extends the auction by 15 mins.

quote:

Originally posted by Rick Lee:
My #1 guitar amp is an eBay score for $627 listed as "not working, needs repair."

Rick, I do the same thing. I set timers or alerts on auctions for stuff I want and I don't bother with it until the last minute. I bid in the last thirty seconds, if I can.

But I gotta ask, what was the amp?

I loathe gunbroker, but also have to use it sometimes. I'm certain I have a hard time selling things locally because people see it cheaper on gun broker. They forget to factor in shipping and transfer fees.

As a dealer/seller, I also have to pay gunbroker a %. I routinely see new guns being sold at the same cost I'm paying for them. How am I supposed to compete when I also need to make a (small) profit and cover the fees. I guess that's why my stuff sits for a while.

quote:

Originally posted by PASig:
I’m convinced that 50-60% maybe more on Gunbroker are shill bidders driving up the price.

I agree

GB 'says' they police that but I am skeptical.

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quote:

Originally posted by Sig209:

quote:

Originally posted by PASig:
I’m convinced that 50-60% maybe more on Gunbroker are shill bidders driving up the price.

I agree

GB 'says' they police that but I am skeptical.

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I have seen what appears to be shill bidding on GB as well. One of the things that I now do on any auction I’m willing to bid on, is research the other bidders I’m up against. How much feedback, look at other closed auctions, etc. anything that looks out of the ordinary I find it more useful to bow out. I have a good idea of the value and current prices and only bid what I’m willing to spend. Getting caught in a bidding war because of ego is stupid for everyone but the seller. The last gun I bid and one was an older S&W K frame that I paid what I thought was at the top end of its value, but haven’t seen another similar one go for less than $300+ on GB.

I've talked about this with my local shop who gets a lot of transfers in. A few of their customers are buying at auction (iAuction) or something. Over market on the gun, 18% buyers premium and then tax/shipping/transfers. They end up half or double what they should be.

Yeah, we couldn't use logic either to figure out why. Maybe just don't know any better.

When I wanted a IWI Tavor X95, I could not get one locally.

I went on to gun broker.

One seller had then, but when I bid the same guy kept bidding them up.

I noticed if he won the gun went back on sale very quickly, either he was a shill or a bot upping the bid.

I found one from another seller at a fair price,
and bought from him.

I get stuff on eBay, I set a price in my mind that is my top bid.

I usually bid a low bid at the beginning to track my object and bid at the last minute with my top bid. If someone goes over they are paying more than I think its worth to me.

They are welcome to it. I move on.

I’m pretty sure we’ve discussed Bring a Trailer in the forum. I’ve been following a few car auctions there, and even got involved in one. I’m amazed at the prices many of these cars are bringing.

quote:

Originally posted by soflaac:

Consigned it to a shop in Colorado who are active on GB, they ended up getting $2,200 for it.

Question about this: What fee does the shop take for the consignment sale?

quote:

Originally posted by V-Tail:

quote:

Originally posted by soflaac:

Consigned it to a shop in Colorado who are active on GB, they ended up getting $2,200 for it.

Question about this: What fee does the shop take for the consignment sale?

Avg cosign rate for the online only GB sellers I know is 15% and that includes shipping.

quote:

Originally posted by P220 Smudge:

quote:

Originally posted by Rick Lee:
My #1 guitar amp is an eBay score for $627 listed as "not working, needs repair."

Rick, I do the same thing. I set timers or alerts on auctions for stuff I want and I don't bother with it until the last minute. I bid in the last thirty seconds, if I can.

But I gotta ask, what was the amp?

Marshall 1987xl

quote:

Originally posted by V-Tail:
Question about this: What fee does the shop take for the consignment sale?

Their conignment fee is pretty much the standard 15%, bearing in mind I had a few $$ in shipping / transfer to them.

quote:

Originally posted by Rick Lee:
Marshall 1987xl

Jesus, man! Nice score!

I used to see this behavior at in person auctions, where occasionally people would bid the price up well beyond what the item could be acquired for new. These people actually had to be motivated enough to wake up in the morning, drive to the auction site, and then hang around long enough to bid on the items they were interested in.

Now these people can do it from the comfort of their own couch, and these situations have risen dramatically.

Angry spite bidding can get costly. But fuck you, I won!!! How dare you bid against me!!!