Am I a born skeptic?

[Fox Mike]

I ask the question because of some things I see here occasionally. I go to the "Classified" section daily just to see if perhaps there is something there I want/need. If there is I then 'look it up' by doing a search of the internet. I have found that many time the item in the classified can be purchased elsewhere for less money. A recent one struck my interest so I did my 'search'. I am NOT going to reveal the person nor the item but will give an 'example'. The "classified" item had an asking price of lets say $50.00. I went on line and found the identical item for $15.00. The question I have to ask is: Is the seller aware that he is asking way too much, and trying to scam someone, or is he simply unknowing of the real selling price elsewhere?

 

[Dave P.]

I doubt you were born that way, likely learned a few things on the way.
Maybe any of the 3.... guessing most of the time they think they'll get a
counter offer closer to reality.
Somebody, somewhere ( if you look long enough ) will always have a lower price.
Maybe the seller and actual buyer just don't care, it's not our money so we
shouldn't either.
Dave

 

[Bob Wright]

Are you implying that it is the same seller? In other words JoeDoe is asking $50 in the Ruger Classifieds but asking $15 elsewhere for the same item?

Bob Wright

 

[gramps]

Or is the lower priced item a fake/reproduction?
gramps

 

[Bob Wright]

As to your question, I have no explanation for why folks do the things they do. As for me, my experience limited though it may be, has been that something I bought on the Ruger Forum Classifieds (In this case, .45 Colt brass) was less than what I would have paid had I bought that same brass from Midway.

Further, an item, especially a firearm, the owner might ask a higher price knowing the value of the gun. Whereas one with lesser knowledge would ask only a fair used gun price.

Judge each seller and item being sold on its own merit.

Bob Wright

 

[Montelores]

Isn't this an example of the "free market" at work?

Possibly the seller will find a buyer, possibly not.

If the item is priced beyond market demand, it will either not sell or the seller must lower his price.

If you (for example) are interested in the item, you could always make an offer.

Monty

 

[rugerguy]

give yourself credit for maybe 'knowing' it can be had somewhere else , and for less, BUT sadly there are MANY out there who have NO clue,or maybe cannot get to a local shop or store or do NOT "do the internet' ........

called being a "smart buyer" or "an informed shopper"............... 8) :wink:

on the other hand,something alluding to PT Barnum, and.................. :roll:

 

[Fox Mike]

Or is the lower priced item a fake/reproduction?
gramps

Nope, not a fake; an identical item.

Are you implying that it is the same seller? In other words JoeDoe is asking $50 in the Ruger Classifieds but asking $15 elsewhere for the same item?

Bob Wright

No Bob; the seller was asking a specific price in the "Classified" section and I found the identical item on line somewhere else for considerably less; NOT by the same seller. The prices I gave in the original post were NOT the actual prices; I just picked some numbers out of the air just to make my point.

 

[Jimbo357mag]

I bet that is not the norm here and I would also bet that you would find a lot more of that kind of thing on other sites like gunbroker.

 

[CCW]

Is the seller aware that he is asking way too much, and trying to scam someone, or is he simply unknowing of the real selling price elsewhere?

This falls under the "Pawn Shop Theory" of what you have is crap, what I have is gold. The exception to the theory is that if I sell them my crap, it immediately becomes gold.

 

[Sin6Sec63451022]

We buy junk; we sell antiques.

 

[Ale-8(1)]

The guy asks a price he wishes to get.

If he gets it, both he and the buyer are happy.

This does not constitute a "scam". Scam implies fraud. Simply caveat emptor.

Is it realistic on the part of the seller? See point 2.

 

[wwb]

When the seller thinks he didn't get enough, and the buyer thinks he paid too much, that's a fair deal.

When both people walk away happy, one of them shouldn't be.

 

[Bob Wright]

When the seller thinks he didn't get enough, and the buyer thinks he paid too much, that's a fair deal.

When both people walk away happy, one of them shouldn't be.

I'm afraid you'll have to explain that to me.

Bob Wright

 

[Bob Wright]

A friend of mine heard of a man selling an M-1 Carbine. He wanted one and wen t to the seller.

B: "What do you want for that carbine?"

S: "I'm asking $25."

B: "That's not enough, you should ask for more than that."

S: "O.K. Give me $50."

B: "Man, that is worth at least $100. I'm willing to pay $100."

S: "That's too much. Give me $75 and it yours."

B: "O.K. I'll take it for $75, but you should ask for more."

By the way, my friend still has the carbine. And both men were happy. What's wrong with that?


Bob Wright

 

[Dan in MI]

In today's market there is the possibility of the seller buying at a peak time and thinking it still has that value. Some items have been flying up and down the scale lately.

As Ruger guy said he could be clueless, or he believes it is platinum plated.

Being a wise shopper and knowing where to verify value is a good thing.

 

[exavid]

The price is whatever the seller and buyer mutually decide. In the case of the buyer it's the amount of need or desire. The same thing goes for the seller, his need versus their desire. It doesn't mean any one is gouging as many believe when something is priced above the norm.

 

[wwb]

When the seller thinks he didn't get enough, and the buyer thinks he paid too much, that's a fair deal.

When both people walk away happy, one of them shouldn't be.

I'm afraid you'll have to explain that to me.

Bob Wright

Either the seller just gave it away or the buyer just got taken to the cleaners.... yes, they're both happy, but one of them has no idea what a fair price would be, and would not be happy to find out what the price should have been.

 

[pruger45]

Let the buyer beware!

 

[Mega Twin]

Maybe the seller did not research the item before he bought it,and maybe payed an inflated price,then decides to sell it,and prices it at what he deems to be a fair price.

 

[Bob Wright]

wwb:

Either the seller just gave it away or the buyer just got taken to the cleaners.... yes, they're both happy, but one of them has no idea what a fair price would be, and would not be happy to find out what the price should have been.

The seller has named his price. The buyer has the opportunity to buy at the stated price, negotiate a lower price, or walk away from the sale.

Your attitude borders on "cryin' over spilt milk." A man doesn't move forward looking back.

Bob Wright

 

[Bear Paw Jack]

I guess it doesn't hurt to be a skeptic, you did leave an option out. The original buyer on the classifieds may be priced at market value, and the guy say on Gunbroker, may be way under market. Either way because of your doing do diligence you got a better deal. I'd bet 2/3 of the people on here don't. Not because they are lazy, but because they think they know more than they do. You look at enough ads and you do get an idea of what seems to be a "fair market" price. What does bother me is that you start out concluding that the guy on the classifieds is a scam artist or some such. I think the vast majority on here are honest, well meaning people.

 

[Fox Mike]

What does bother me is that you start out concluding that the guy on the classifieds is a scam artist or some such. I think the vast majority on here are honest, well meaning people.

Read it again. I never said he was a 'scam artist'; that is your term. What I ASKED was: "The question I have to ask is: Is the seller aware that he is asking way too much, and trying to scam someone, or is he simply unknowing of the real selling price elsewhere?"

 

[opos]

I buy junk and sell antiques!!

Recently helped a man sell off his salt water fishing tackle...really high end stuff and in like new condition...went on E bay...good pictures and exact description with a 100% satisfaction guarantee. Started each item at $1 to save on fees and there was no reserve. 2 of the reels brought a bit more than they could have been bought for at 2 or 3 quality stores when brand new. Several others sold for just a shade under new price and I'd even guess with some dickering or hard shopping they actually brought new prices. A few items brought less but not much.

I'm convienced that people don't shop or do price checking in many cases...they impulse buy and I see stuff on E bay all the time where there might be 4 or 5 of the same item and the prices can be anywhere from a nice bargain to a real scalp....it's all up to what the buyer is willing to pay..if the item doesn't sell for the high price the seller can just cut back and re list an unsold item.....there is a price at which anything will sell. What a seller asks is absolutely none of my business...it's his stuff and his price..what is my business is what I'll pay for it..period.