Armslist requiring premium?

[Sigblaster]

I've been keeping an eye on it for curiousity's sake, and I've noticed that the volume of ads has dropped dramatically. Also, there are a LOT more phone numbers in ads than there used to be. Sellers are adapting to the the concept that buyers don't want to pay for both the sellers' ad, and their ability to respond to it.

I liked Armslist for local deals, same as here. There are things to like and dislike about it, but if you're a careful person you can navigate deals just fine. Identify the red flags that will kill a deal, deal only locally, and don't let your desires cloud your judgement. I've bought and sold a lot on there.

I ain't gonna lie about how I used it, so don't you lie to me either, because I've seen some of you do the same damn thing I did. I would list stuff on there, and list stuff on here, same pictures, same wording, but on Armslist my price is 25 or 50 bucks higher, depending on what it is. Greater risk, greater reward.

I always preferred to deal here though, because we have a feedback system. That's a great thing, but I understand why Armslist doesn't.

 

[1775usmarine]

I've been keeping an eye on it for curiousity's sake, and I've noticed that the volume of ads has dropped dramatically. Also, there are a LOT more phone numbers in ads than there used to be. Sellers are adapting to the the concept that buyers don't want to pay for both the sellers' ad, and their ability to respond to it.

I liked Armslist for local deals, same as here. There are things to like and dislike about it, but if you're a careful person you can navigate deals just fine. Identify the red flags that will kill a deal, deal only locally, and don't let your desires cloud your judgement. I've bought and sold a lot on there.

I ain't gonna lie about how I used it, so don't you lie to me either, because I've seen some of you do the same damn thing I did. I would list stuff on there, and list stuff on here, same pictures, same wording, but on Armslist my price is 25 or 50 bucks higher, depending on what it is. Greater risk, greater reward.

I always preferred to deal here though, because we have a feedback system. That's a great thing, but I understand why Armslist doesn't.

I called it the INGO discount lol

 

[Sigblaster]

Honestly it was great when I first used it years ago but after awhile it got way too sketchy. Last few times I tried to buy something people tried to scam me and more often than not I found myself not meeting up with people who sounded like felons. To me it was easier just to set up at a gun show and look on here adverse to using armslist.

There's a lot of weird posts on there that I would not respond to, no matter how good the deal looked. The big thing for me is the pictures. OMG, a f'ed up picture will kill a sale for me quicker than anything. I'm going to make a list here, just for fun.

1. Your bare feet are in the picture, and they're the feet of a hobbit, zombie, or leper. Good gravy, if that's how you care for your own feet, how well have you been taking care of your firearm?

2. Not only are your bare feet in the picture, but so is your big old sweaty hairy belly. Seriously, there are freeware photo editing programs out there. Check CNET. Get something that will help you crop photos.

3. Gun is laying on the passenger seat of a vehicle. Don't be impatient. There is no reason to post this stolen gun in your car in the driveway of the house you stole it from. Wait until you get home and post a picture of it laying on your filthy carpet in your dilapidated trailer.

4. Gun is laying in your crotch. Maybe in your car, maybe in your LA-Z-Boy in your dilapidated trailer with the nasty carpet. Is this some signal I don't understand? Like, there's more than one "gun" available in the picture?

5. You coudn't find a single clean surface to take a picture of your gun on? Am I going to catch the kooties just by touching the gun you want to sell?

6. Why are you posting pictures of the gun being held in your hand? Do you think the color of your hand matters to me? I have and will will do an honest deal with anyone. And I don't care what color your hand is, if you're selling a Glock 19 with only one magazine, and that magazine is a 33 round stick mag, or a drum mag, I'm going to be more than a bit suspicious. Where are the factory mags?

7. If you post a picture of your gun laying on your wife's butt in some tight jeans, or tucked into her voluminous cleavage, you will definitely get my attention. While I wouldn't want or expect anything more than the firearm in the ad, you will definitely draw my attention to your ad.

 

[Redhorse]

There's a lot of weird posts on there that I would not respond to, no matter how good the deal looked. The big thing for me is the pictures. OMG, a f'ed up picture will kill a sale for me quicker than anything. I'm going to make a list here, just for fun.

1. Your bare feet are in the picture, and they're the feet of a hobbit, zombie, or leper. Good gravy, if that's how you care for your own feet, how well have you been taking care of your firearm?

2. Not only are your bare feet in the picture, but so is your big old sweaty hairy belly. Seriously, there are freeware photo editing programs out there. Check CNET. Get something that will help you crop photos.

3. Gun is laying on the passenger seat of a vehicle. Don't be impatient. There is no reason to post this stolen gun in your car in the driveway of the house you stole it from. Wait until you get home and post a picture of it laying on your filthy carpet in your dilapidated trailer.

4. Gun is laying in your crotch. Maybe in your car, maybe in your LA-Z-Boy in your dilapidated trailer with the nasty carpet. Is this some signal I don't understand? Like, there's more than one "gun" available in the picture?

5. You coudn't find a single clean surface to take a picture of your gun on? Am I going to catch the kooties just by touching the gun you want to sell?

6. Why are you posting pictures of the gun being held in your hand? Do you think the color of your hand matters to me? I have and will will do an honest deal with anyone. And I don't care what color your hand is, if you're selling a Glock 19 with only one magazine, and that magazine is a 33 round stick mag, or a drum mag, I'm going to be more than a bit suspicious. Where are the factory mags?

7. If you post a picture of your gun laying on your wife's butt in some tight jeans, or tucked into her voluminous cleavage, you will definitely get my attention. While I wouldn't want or expect anything more than the firearm in the ad, you will definitely draw my attention to your ad.

Lol these are great but on a serious note, all the crappy pictures were definitely a red flag for me when I still used armslist. Honestly, I've found RK Guns to be my go to for looking at guns online.

 

[4x4strongman]

Yeah sucks. I had only just started really looking on Armslist and then bam, 6.99$

 

[Sigblaster]

I've been popping in to Armslist every few days, to see how this would evolve. I've noticed that most sellers have realized that people don't want to have to pay to sell AND buy, and I've noticed that there a a lot more phone numbers in ads. That's the smart way to go, especially if you're using a phone number through a forwarding service.

Not everyone has caught on, though. I happened upon an ad where I might be willing to buy or trade, but I won't pay to make contact with the SELLER. Sorry, Armslist, you ain't going to make money off me on both ends. There's a way to do this, and you ain't doing it right. You're running it like a car dealership, where you want to make money off both ends. Well, you don't have ANY money invested in the product. Either charge the seller, or charge the buyer, but don't charge both.

You can make claims about why you're doing that, but I don't believe it for a minute. I've seen this business model before, and I understand it. You're executing it poorly.

 

[Tyler-The-Piker]

they're down ~1000 (from 4500 to 3500) private sale ads since they started charging the "premium" a month ago.

 

[223 Gunner]

I don't check nearly as I often as I used to.
I'm sure others are the same way, I still am not willing to pay to play.
I also believe in good time management, so for me there is no sense in wasting time looking.

 

[Sigblaster]

Yeah sucks. I had only just started really looking on Armslist and then bam, 6.99$

In the middle of a high-value deal, that's nothing. It's really nothing, if it's something like an AR or AK, or maybe a Remington 700 or a Winchester Ranger or something.

But an infrequent buyer, who may be looking to pick up a part here or there, like a few mags, or a stock, or a sight, isn't going to see the value in a membership when they just want to buy. And when the private sellers' costs are driven up beyond the retail dealers' costs, guess who your average buyer is going to go to.

 

[finnegan]

I recently made an armslist purchase without the premium using a phone number in the description. I have a couple of listings, but don't necessarily want to go that route. The guy I purchased from has a cheap burner phone for the purposes. The stuff I'm listing isn't high ticket enough to warrant that, so I ponied up the $4 for a month. I'm sure its been said many times, but Armslist really dropped off a few years ago with Obama's "unlicensed dealer" EO. Sucks. I was able to try out a number of guns, find what I liked, and trade the rest to other like-minded gun owners. Good times.

I've been popping in to Armslist every few days, to see how this would evolve. I've noticed that most sellers have realized that people don't want to have to pay to sell AND buy, and I've noticed that there a a lot more phone numbers in ads. That's the smart way to go, especially if you're using a phone number through a forwarding service.

Not everyone has caught on, though. I happened upon an ad where I might be willing to buy or trade, but I won't pay to make contact with the SELLER. Sorry, Armslist, you ain't going to make money off me on both ends. There's a way to do this, and you ain't doing it right. You're running it like a car dealership, where you want to make money off both ends. Well, you don't have ANY money invested in the product. Either charge the seller, or charge the buyer, but don't charge both.

You can make claims about why you're doing that, but I don't believe it for a minute. I've seen this business model before, and I understand it. You're executing it poorly.

 

[Lacthaus]

I hope with it being a paid thing now they reinstate better search options. I miss searching by brands and calibers. Overall the website needs better UI and everything. Without adblock the site is so cluttered that it's nearly unusable. I think the scammers on Armslist are so easy to see that it isn't that big of an issue lol.

 

[Sigblaster]

Well, here's an interesting ad. I remember seeing the original ad a few days ago, because I specifically remember taking a good look at the picture.

http://www.armslist.com/posts/12855...ana-rifles-for-sale--robbed-at-gun-point-12-2

Please use common sense, and be careful out there.

 

[Route 45]

Well, here's an interesting ad. I remember seeing the original ad a few days ago, because I specifically remember taking a good look at the picture.

http://www.armslist.com/posts/12855...ana-rifles-for-sale--robbed-at-gun-point-12-2

Please use common sense, and be careful out there.

 

[Sigblaster]

Thanks, Route 45 for posting the image.

I wasn't sure what the 465 and Emerson area looked like, so I did a Google Map recon earlier, and that is definitely not an area I would have chosen for an Armslist deal.

I would do an INGO deal there, though, because even if I did get robbed at gunpoint, I have the ability to leave negative feedback.

 

[Route 45]

Thanks, Route 45 for posting the image.

I wasn't sure what the 465 and Emerson area looked like, so I did a Google Map recon earlier, and that is definitely not an area I would have chosen for an Armslist deal.

I would do an INGO deal there, though, because even if I did get robbed at gunpoint, I have the ability to leave negative feedback.

I don't consider 465/Emerson to be a bad area. The seller probably picked the area, and the bad guys...well, they have cars.

 

[Sigblaster]

I don't consider 465/Emerson to be a bad area. The seller probably picked the area, and the bad guys...well, they have cars.

I don't know if it's a bad area as far as crime or demographics, it just looks like a bad location for conducting a private transaction in a public area. As odd as as it sounds, I'd much rather conduct an Armslist deal in a busy area. In my experience, nobody notices you checking out a rifle in a mall parking lot, or if they do, they don't care. A bad actor probably doesn't want that kind of visibility, even if the odds favor that nobody's going to notice that either.

 

[Route 45]

I don't know if it's a bad area as far as crime or demographics, it just looks like a bad location for conducting a private transaction in a public area. As odd as as it sounds, I'd much rather conduct an Armslist deal in a busy area. In my experience, nobody notices you checking out a rifle in a mall parking lot, or if they do, they don't care. A bad actor probably doesn't want that kind of visibility, even if the odds favor that nobody's going to notice that either.

We don't know exactly where at 465/Emerson this alleged robbery happened, but that area is not what I would call "not busy." Roll though there at 4:30 pm any day of the week and tell me what you think. I curse traffic in that area on a regular basis. It's plenty busy.

 

[churchmouse]

Thanks, Route 45 for posting the image.

I wasn't sure what the 465 and Emerson area looked like, so I did a Google Map recon earlier, and that is definitely not an area I would have chosen for an Armslist deal.

I would do an INGO deal there, though, because even if I did get robbed at gunpoint, I have the ability to leave negative feedback.

We do FTF deals there all the time.

Bad guys gonna bad. Dummy's are gonna be done bad by the bad guys.

 

[maxwelhse]

The last internet deal I did was in an ISP post parking lot. 10/10, would use same ISP parking lot again.

 

[bsmithg19]

Don't know if it has been mentioned yet or not, but if you had a previous free account that you had listed things with, your can go back to your deactivated ads and reactivate them still with a free account. You can also edit the entire ad, so you may have been selling a shotgun and you can edit it to sell Glocks, ammo, AK's or whatever you wish. I've done it like that several times now, just keep recycling the same ad. Also, paid members can still email me and I can reply with my free account.