True that. It hasn't stopped me from making additional purchases on GB. Best to shop auctions that accept credit cards so that one can reverse a charge if necessary but that's not always an option, and if you've been waiting for something special and it pops up from a seller who only accepts money orders and cashier's checks, well ... at least I now have a better idea of the risks.
Gunbroker Buyer Protection Story
- Thread starter Ashbow
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I am on GunBroker both as a seller and buyer (I have not sold anything there for a while though). To be perfectly honest, I have never been that impressed with gun brokers technical capabilities. It stands to reason that their customer service would not be that different. I don't really like selling there but it works. I wish somebody else would buy it and put a lot more money into it but that doesn't seem to be in the cards.
I had a similar experience with BUDS when they advertised a lower price just 1 day after they sold me a gun for a higher price. They would not honor the lower price even though they advertise that they will.
Some sellers do indeed charge sky-high rates for shipping, in the hope (I suspect) that the buyer won't notice before bidding or clicking on "Buy Now!"
HOWEVER - one approach that I've seen some sellers take, since GunBroker started collecting sales tax, is to lower the starting bid while raising the shipping fee. Why? Because GunBroker does not charge sales tax on the shipping. Pushing a larger portion of the total cost into the shipping category actually saves the buyer some money.
So if the shipping fee looks high, it's probably wise to look at the overall cost, before making a decision. And it's also worth keeping sales tax in mind, if a seller is offering "free shipping" - in those cases, you're obviously stll paying for shipping (the seller is just including it in the sales price), but you're also basically paying sales tax on the shipping.
As always IMHO, YMMV, FWIW, etc.
bobski
Hunter
for gods sake.......dont EVER do anything on gunauction.com.
they are scam central taken over by every con under the sun....yet a handful of diehards keep it going, with the owner moved on to a trucking company. if you get scammed as a seller, you NEVER get your money back from them. they get their cut no matter what happens to you. any money you paid them in fees is just put in escrow for you to use on your next auctions.
problem is...your next auctions get bid on by more scammers, and the circle of loss continues while they rake it in.
i tried for years to warn them. come to find out they stopped caring, shut down their help desk and only accepted text. no emails. no phone calls nothing.
when i started posting names and places...they poofed my 20 year old account.
avoid that place at all cost.
i quit all auction houses when tax was introduced. the internet use to be a good way to save money. not any more.
they are scam central taken over by every con under the sun....yet a handful of diehards keep it going, with the owner moved on to a trucking company. if you get scammed as a seller, you NEVER get your money back from them. they get their cut no matter what happens to you. any money you paid them in fees is just put in escrow for you to use on your next auctions.
problem is...your next auctions get bid on by more scammers, and the circle of loss continues while they rake it in.
i tried for years to warn them. come to find out they stopped caring, shut down their help desk and only accepted text. no emails. no phone calls nothing.
when i started posting names and places...they poofed my 20 year old account.
avoid that place at all cost.
i quit all auction houses when tax was introduced. the internet use to be a good way to save money. not any more.
Bless your lil heart.
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bobski
Hunter
their search engine is worthless.
i put in winchester model 50....and i get 5000 'winchester' hits, 3000 'model' hits and 5 million '50' hits.
i put in winchester model 50....and i get 5000 'winchester' hits, 3000 'model' hits and 5 million '50' hits.
I use GB a lot with good results. However- no matter how good the deal I won't purchase unless the seller accepts a credit card, preferably using GB checkout. At least lack of fulfillment can be disputed with the CC provider.
harley08
Blackhawk
You should tell everyone who the seller was. So we can avoid them! -- Also keep away from Scott Barry in Alaska, he was very nasty to me!
Yeah, some folks have the money available to do that - Uncle Sam being a great example. I worked for a federal agency for a few years back in the 1990's, that had an official travel policy: they wouldn't purchase airline tickets unless they were refundable (in case the employee got sick, or whatever). Sounded ok to me, until I was lining up tickets for one work trip, and discovered that I had two options: $200 for a non-refundable ticket with a budget airline, or $400 for refundable with one of the majors.
I went to the travel coordinator and pointed out the obvious: it's brain-dead stupid to waste $200 right up front, just so you MIGHT be able to avoid wasting $200 if some unplanned event occurred. Didn't matter - Uncle Sam insisted on pissing away the extra $200 for 'insurance' on a $200 ticket.
And I see the same thing happen on GunBroker - a few months back, I watched a guy pay $40 for a Colt stock, when I had an identical stock listed for $20 (but no option for CC payment with me, because I'm not a business). Funny thing was, I had straight A+ feedback for over 20 years, which was better than the other seller. Didn't really matter to me (somebody else bought my stock), but it always makes me wonder!
Like a lot of things in life, I guess, you make your choices and pay your bills!
As always IMHO, FWIW, YMMV, etc.
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- Dec 9, 2013
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- 304
I have bought many things on Gunbroker but the taxes, shipping and fees have made me stop. Seller fees are getting ridiculous too.
One place to avoid is a site called Gun Rodeo, lots of scammers there, was looking for a Beretta Neos Carbine Kit and this site showed up on a search.
One seller wanted me to send money but was visiting family for the holidays. Wouldn't be able to ship until after time with family but wanted the money now. This site has no seller feedback to check on the sellers reputation. End of story they probably didn't have the item or or a scammer. These kits sell for over $1000 now and a couple of sellers were selling them for $250? No more Gun Rodeo.
eBay fees are getting crazy too, lots of sellers raise their shipping prices up so high because eBay charges those fees to the seller, my last few items sold I lost $$ because of the shipping fee charges.
On a positive note after my eye appointment I stopped at a few of my local gun shops and walked out of one with a mint condition Super Blackhawk Bisley .44 mag for $600, 1997 production date.
One place to avoid is a site called Gun Rodeo, lots of scammers there, was looking for a Beretta Neos Carbine Kit and this site showed up on a search.
One seller wanted me to send money but was visiting family for the holidays. Wouldn't be able to ship until after time with family but wanted the money now. This site has no seller feedback to check on the sellers reputation. End of story they probably didn't have the item or or a scammer. These kits sell for over $1000 now and a couple of sellers were selling them for $250? No more Gun Rodeo.
eBay fees are getting crazy too, lots of sellers raise their shipping prices up so high because eBay charges those fees to the seller, my last few items sold I lost $$ because of the shipping fee charges.
On a positive note after my eye appointment I stopped at a few of my local gun shops and walked out of one with a mint condition Super Blackhawk Bisley .44 mag for $600, 1997 production date.
I understand fully. I got taken once and it cost a couple hundred- and I've been gun-shy ever since. I have passed up some good deals on GB because of the "No CC" policy of the seller. But eventually something similar shows up.
Maybe there needs to be a "sticky" somewhere for either trusted GB sellers, or for sellers who are members here.
When something like this happens does Gunbroker still allow the seller to stay on the website and keep selling? Or if say a buyer doesn't pay, does Gunbroker allow them to keep an account and keep bidding? Do you know?
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Supposedly if they do it often enough their account can be suspended. I don't think that stops them and they can always go back and create another account. That's why so many sellers won't deal with buyers that don't have enough feedback.
I've been hit one time, by a chargeback. He went to his FFL, picked the gun up and then called his credit card company and disputed the charge. I called the guy twice and talked to him directly, he didn't do anything to change it, so I sent him a collection letter. He called me, surprised, but when I threatened to have him charged with theft of a firearm he sent me a money order.
I've been hit one time, by a chargeback. He went to his FFL, picked the gun up and then called his credit card company and disputed the charge. I called the guy twice and talked to him directly, he didn't do anything to change it, so I sent him a collection letter. He called me, surprised, but when I threatened to have him charged with theft of a firearm he sent me a money order.
