The prices on gunbroker and the way people bid is amusing. On a new firearm, there will be a "Buy it now" listing for $1200.00 and on another listing of the same gun, there will be a "Starting bid" of $1500.00, and people will be on that listing in a bidding war when they could simply buy it for less. And do sellers not check out prices on other listings? I saw the same new firearm listed several times and the prices for it ranged from $800.00 to over $2000.00. My favorite though, was a guy selling a cardboard box that a pistol was shipped in. The starting bid was $250.00. I wonder if that price included shipping.
Gunbroker is rather perplexing
- Thread starter AL45
- Start date
Ever go to live auctions?
The first one I went to was a local sporting goods store going out of business.
I remember old truck window rifle racks being offered multiple times. One box would sell for $3 each (case of 12 or some such), the next box $9 (almost retail at that time), the next $5 each.
Sometimes that "high" price may come because of something you are not interested in but affects some collectors "I need it" bone.
The first one I went to was a local sporting goods store going out of business.
I remember old truck window rifle racks being offered multiple times. One box would sell for $3 each (case of 12 or some such), the next box $9 (almost retail at that time), the next $5 each.
Sometimes that "high" price may come because of something you are not interested in but affects some collectors "I need it" bone.
BornFighting88
New member
GunBroker is a strange animal, for sure. I, too, have seen some guns brand new be listed at the “Buy It Now” price set at retail or very close to it. I have also seen $0.01 starting bids and they go SKYROCKETING above the other one. Guess the allure of starting at a penny draws people in like moths to the flame. I try to do my research before bidding. I will bid up to what I think it is worth (even if it is retail) and then cap my bidding. If I get outbid there, I go try my hand at the “Buy It Now” version to see if they still have it before someone else snatched it up.
The sales tax thing and the added clerical fees are a damper, for sure. I will still use it once in a blue moon, and I burn so much spare time perusing the listings. Almost, almost like a necessary evil.
The sales tax thing and the added clerical fees are a damper, for sure. I will still use it once in a blue moon, and I burn so much spare time perusing the listings. Almost, almost like a necessary evil.