AR15s not selling, pt 2:
Going to beat this dead horse a little bit more, just because I think I have a few points not made earlier:
quote:I've had an PSA AR15 in 5.56 NATO/223 Rem for sale here for about four months and not one bid on it! I priced it right and only once did I have a "watcher" on it. I just looked and it's priced in the middle of other similar PSA AR15's.
By definition you did NOT price it "right", or it would have sold, right? IE *other* ARs sold in that time period. . .just not yours.
And its no wonder. What you are saying, above, is that HALF of the otherwise identical guns in the marketplace where you listed yours for sale cost LESS than yours.
Would you pay more for a given listed gun, when, with the same exact click of your mouse, you could buy no less than a dozen other listed ones. . .some from established sellers with dozens or hundreds of positive sale feedbacks. . . at the same site for less money?
Neither would anyone else.
If you want to try this "median price" strategy, you'd need to price your gun at the recent median price of similar guns that have ACTUALLY SOLD . .not at the asking median price of guns that aren't moving. I wouldn't actually try that (see below for the "best" sale strategy), but if you did, you'd certainly get more interest.
quote:I built the AR from good parts so it's a new rifle with only enough round through it (about 20) to make sure that it functions.That's strike two here. With so many makers churning them out, AR-15s are effectively commodities now. Why would anyone want to pay for YOUR parts gun, when they can buy an identical gun from a NAME MANUFACTURER that will have higher resale value AND a manufacturer warranty at the same (or lower) price?
What did *you* add to your build here that makes your gun better than (say) DPMS or Panther's $650 entry level guns?
Name and warranty add value to the gun in question. If I'm buying an entry level AR-15 made out of parts assembled by some schmoe in their garage, if the gun malfunctions in any way, I'm SOL. No offense to you. . .you may be the best AR builder on the planet, but the reality is that you're not a "name" AR builder, and you have no reputation. There is no way for anyone to judge the quality of your build, and therefore, buying it is a "gamble", period. EG, if I buy your gun and have ANY problem with it down the road, I have no recourse whatsoever. You *SAY* your gun is built from high quality parts. . .how do I know that's true, and more important, why should I take a chance on you?
These things make your gun worth LESS than other similar entry level ones by name makers, regardless of the actual parts quality or the purity of your heart. In short, brand matters, and you don't have one.
quote:Are AR's not selling?
They're selling plenty.
The "problem" is that there is no current Obama "gun crisis" and there are a TON of manufacturers putting these out dirt cheap. As mentioned in the last thread, Del-Ton is putting out stripped down brand new entry level ARs for $450 now (at least half a dozen of which are available on the auction site in direct competition with yours), and there are actually OK guns. Any number of bigger/better manufacturers have entry level guns out at $650 now, some even less, and used ones are less yet. The point is, there are more AR-15 in circulation now than ever before, the market is saturated with these and prices are at or near historical lows.
That doesn't mean you can't sell your gun. . .you ABSOLUTELY can. . .you just can't expect to sell it today for 2009 or 2013 prices. More concisely, true market value of your gun is undoubtedly less than you think, and even quite likely less than your cost of assembling it.
quote:What am I doing wrong that it isn't selling or what can I do to get it to sell?See above. The problem here isn't that people aren't buying ARs, is that the marketplace for them is more competitive than its ever been and empirically, yours isn't priced competitively.
There is an EASY way for you to have a GUARANTEED sale. Describe the gun carefully, take good pictures, and list it for sale with no reserve starting at ONE CENT. IE, put it at TRUE auction, and you'll attract the attention of EVERY potential bidder searching by price (ie most AR bidders). . .at least some number of which will make real bids. Hell, do that, put a link here, and I'll start you off with a couple-hundred dollar bid just to get the ball rolling.
I guarantee you the gun will not only sell, but will attract many bids, and will achieve true full market value. Yes, you might take some loss on it this way, but you will sell the gun, and it shouldn't be a big loss. Take it. . .move on.
quote:I've had an PSA AR15 in 5.56 NATO/223 Rem for sale here for about four months and not one bid on it! I priced it right and only once did I have a "watcher" on it. I just looked and it's priced in the middle of other similar PSA AR15's.
By definition you did NOT price it "right", or it would have sold, right? IE *other* ARs sold in that time period. . .just not yours.
And its no wonder. What you are saying, above, is that HALF of the otherwise identical guns in the marketplace where you listed yours for sale cost LESS than yours.
Would you pay more for a given listed gun, when, with the same exact click of your mouse, you could buy no less than a dozen other listed ones. . .some from established sellers with dozens or hundreds of positive sale feedbacks. . . at the same site for less money?
Neither would anyone else.
If you want to try this "median price" strategy, you'd need to price your gun at the recent median price of similar guns that have ACTUALLY SOLD . .not at the asking median price of guns that aren't moving. I wouldn't actually try that (see below for the "best" sale strategy), but if you did, you'd certainly get more interest.
quote:I built the AR from good parts so it's a new rifle with only enough round through it (about 20) to make sure that it functions.That's strike two here. With so many makers churning them out, AR-15s are effectively commodities now. Why would anyone want to pay for YOUR parts gun, when they can buy an identical gun from a NAME MANUFACTURER that will have higher resale value AND a manufacturer warranty at the same (or lower) price?
What did *you* add to your build here that makes your gun better than (say) DPMS or Panther's $650 entry level guns?
Name and warranty add value to the gun in question. If I'm buying an entry level AR-15 made out of parts assembled by some schmoe in their garage, if the gun malfunctions in any way, I'm SOL. No offense to you. . .you may be the best AR builder on the planet, but the reality is that you're not a "name" AR builder, and you have no reputation. There is no way for anyone to judge the quality of your build, and therefore, buying it is a "gamble", period. EG, if I buy your gun and have ANY problem with it down the road, I have no recourse whatsoever. You *SAY* your gun is built from high quality parts. . .how do I know that's true, and more important, why should I take a chance on you?
These things make your gun worth LESS than other similar entry level ones by name makers, regardless of the actual parts quality or the purity of your heart. In short, brand matters, and you don't have one.
quote:Are AR's not selling?
They're selling plenty.
The "problem" is that there is no current Obama "gun crisis" and there are a TON of manufacturers putting these out dirt cheap. As mentioned in the last thread, Del-Ton is putting out stripped down brand new entry level ARs for $450 now (at least half a dozen of which are available on the auction site in direct competition with yours), and there are actually OK guns. Any number of bigger/better manufacturers have entry level guns out at $650 now, some even less, and used ones are less yet. The point is, there are more AR-15 in circulation now than ever before, the market is saturated with these and prices are at or near historical lows.
That doesn't mean you can't sell your gun. . .you ABSOLUTELY can. . .you just can't expect to sell it today for 2009 or 2013 prices. More concisely, true market value of your gun is undoubtedly less than you think, and even quite likely less than your cost of assembling it.
quote:What am I doing wrong that it isn't selling or what can I do to get it to sell?See above. The problem here isn't that people aren't buying ARs, is that the marketplace for them is more competitive than its ever been and empirically, yours isn't priced competitively.
There is an EASY way for you to have a GUARANTEED sale. Describe the gun carefully, take good pictures, and list it for sale with no reserve starting at ONE CENT. IE, put it at TRUE auction, and you'll attract the attention of EVERY potential bidder searching by price (ie most AR bidders). . .at least some number of which will make real bids. Hell, do that, put a link here, and I'll start you off with a couple-hundred dollar bid just to get the ball rolling.
I guarantee you the gun will not only sell, but will attract many bids, and will achieve true full market value. Yes, you might take some loss on it this way, but you will sell the gun, and it shouldn't be a big loss. Take it. . .move on.
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I collect a number of different models of firearms and have set up corresponding searches on the auction side that I religiously monitor on a daily basis. Lately I've noticed a significant dip in prices, at least for the types of firearms I'm interested in. For example, a shotgun that consistently auctioned a year ago for $800 is now going for $500-$600. I don't know why--season, politics, demand, etc.--but in my subjective opinion, the overall gun market is a little soft right now. Again, that's my opinion, but I'm throwing it out there for consideration. Now may not be a good time to sell a firearm and it might be wise to wait for the approach of Fall, traditional hunting seasons, and/or Christmas. 0 -
quote:Originally posted by Fairlane66
I collect a number of different models of firearms and have set up corresponding searches on the auction side that I religiously monitor on a daily basis. Lately I've noticed a significant dip in prices, at least for the types of firearms I'm interested in. For example, a shotgun that consistently auctioned a year ago for $800 is now going for $500-$600. I don't know why--season, politics, demand, etc.--but in my subjective opinion, the overall gun market is a little soft right now. Again, that's my opinion, but I'm throwing it out there for consideration. Now may not be a good time to sell a firearm and it might be wise to wait for the approach of Fall, traditional hunting seasons, and/or Christmas.
More than an opinion,,fact,,,certain things, i.e. common firearms are DOWN, as are other things regarding not only the firearm industry but other items that are not "necessary," at his venue.0 -
CCW handguns and cheaper "tactical" shotguns are selling well
AR market is dead0 -
After buying several ARs, I now just buy uppers configured the way I like and attach them to lowers configured with the stocks, triggers, grips, etc I prefer.
I have two main lowers. One currently has a fixed adjustable precision stock, the other a collapsible with check rest. Both have aftermarket triggers.
I also keep a generic S&W M&P 15 for friends who go with me and need one to shoot.
I think anyone by now anyone who wanted an AR has at least one and any still acquiring are either building their own to their specs or going high end specialty.0
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