I'm NOT a collector.

[gnappi]

However it seems as if time passing by and my separation anxiety coalesce and turn my handguns into a collectible status from what should by all rights have been obscurity.

This may also be enhanced by the fact that I'm attracted to stuff nobody wants When I got my Colt Gold Cup Delta Elite 10mm the PO was having a hard time getting rid of it, ditto my Ruger KBN-455x and so many others. Then discovering this newfound status, it makes my separation anxiety even worse!

I've found on more than one ocsasion that if I offer a good price on a firearm to someone, I'm insulted by the jerk offering me 1960's prices! Really! I once offered a nickle S&W 19-4 Combat magnum to a younger guy for $300 and he tried to get it for $200 because it did not have a box! Jeez, the original "Coke Bottle" grips were almost worth the price of the whole gun!

Any old timers here have stuff that was silly inexpensive by today's standards who will just let their heirs sort it out?

 

[contender]

Long ago,, I decided I hated "Seller remorse." So,, I buy & keep. And I try to keep an eye out for those odd ones that may or may not become desirable. And yes,, I've become a collector.
But if a gun crosses my path,, that I don't have any use for, or desire to keep,, I let it move to a new home. But I figured out how to offset someone who offers me a low-ball offer on something that's already priced fairly. Let's say I have a gun that has a suggested retail of $600.00. Real world gun shops price it at $500.00, (before taxes etc.) I price mine at $425.00 cash, no tax. Then a guy offers me $350.00. I smile and say; Well, it was already fairly priced,, so now it's going to cost $450.00." When they say; "Ok, I'll take it for $425.00." I smile & say; "Sorry,, the price is $475.00 now."
Most often, they get upset & walk away.

This usually happens at a gun show,, by the guys who hang around outside trying to get deals & steals on a gun before you get inside. They want to buy & sell w/o paying for a table or the other expenses that the gun show vendors have.

Now,, if I'm in a haggling mood, and have say $300 in the same gun,, and another person is offering to sell or trade on something they have that I may want,, THEN I'll not go up on the price I have mine for sale at. But I've never run into an item outside a gun show by a "parking lot dealer" that I was interested in. Vendors inside,, that's a different story.

(I used to rent tables at a gun show,, and appreciated the fact that the promoter had LEO's outside to prevent "parking lot dealers" from doing this.


But if I already have a very fair price on a gun that I'm offering,, trying to low-ball me will get you an increase in price,, not a reduction.
By the same token,, if I find a gun I'm interested in,, and it's priced fairly,, I don't haggle. I pay the man the asking price. That way,, later on,, if they discover their gun was worth more than what they asked for it,, they can NOT get upset at me for paying their asking price. They can only get upset at themselves for pricing it too low.

 

[gnappi]

"By the same token,, if I find a gun I'm interested in,, and it's priced fairly,, I don't haggle."

GR8 strategy. I sort of grew up in flea markets, antique shops, and gun stores and my mom used to say that loballing a fairly priced item gets you nothing in the long run.

 

[Johnnu2]

These days, I give away more than I buy.......... Expect it will continue for (hopefully) a long while.
J.

 

[needsmostuff]

But I figured out how to offset someone who offers me a low-ball offer on something that's already priced fairly. Let's say I have a gun that has a suggested retail of $600.00. Real world gun shops price it at $500.00, (before taxes etc.) I price mine at $425.00 cash, no tax. Then a guy offers me $350.00. I smile and say; Well, it was already fairly priced,, so now it's going to cost $450.00." When they say; "Ok, I'll take it for $425.00." I smile & say; "Sorry,, the price is $475.00 now."
Most often, they get upset & walk away.

I no longer sell at gun shows but my chosen tactic evolved into simply taking the gun out of their hands ,calmly putting it back on the table and saying ,"Guess this just isn't the gun for you".
No drama, no convincing. Then you watch their eyes rattle around as the actually re-evaluate. If they choose to walk away they are actually just lookey-loous playing games.
In my more confrontational days I would ask what they brought to trade and what they expected to get. Then offer them half, even if I had no use for it.

 

[gnappi]

I find that if the price of something could stand a bit of price reduction they never get offended if I ask, "Is that your best price"? If they say yes, I thank them and leave, no feathers ruffled.

 

[eveled]

I find that if the price of something could stand a bit of price reduction they never get offended if I ask, "Is that your best price"? If they say yes, I thank them and leave, no feathers ruffled.

It's about respect. There is a way to talk to and treat people that is respectful. If you treat someone with respect you can say almost anything, and haggle without offending them.

 

[PRichardson87]

It's about respect. There is a way to talk to and treat people that is respectful. If you treat someone with respect you can say almost anything, and haggle without offending them.

Bingo! As a seller I'm much more apt to work with someone on a price when they are respectful. As a potential buyer I've had good luck more than once using the advice given.