Traders in the Classifieds

[223 Gunner]

I have been in this hobby a long time, someone please explain to me why do some members want to trade only to get into new weapons? I have done a few trades and considered myself a very fair person.
To me usually a trade is going to involve some cash going either way.
I can't recall any one time that I have done a straight across trade.

A couple of questions I have are:

1. Why is trade value always higher than the cash value if a price is put on it?
2. What is the purpose of a straight trade? Did someone get into the gun on the cheap and they are trying to trade up?

For the record there isn't anything in the classifieds that I want right now. I have noticed a handful of members that "trade only."
And there have been some interesting guns offered, just not enough for me to want to trade any of my own higher end guns for.

I have also considered that some guns have been modded, which depending on the firearm can help or hurt. And in my mind I make the assumption that that is the real reason they are up for trade.
Most of the ones on here for trade only have had mods done, and who knows if they were done properly or bubba'd.
Which always leads me to not being interested trading off my factory unmolested firearms for what could be someone's mistakes that are too expensive to make them right, potentially the entire reason it's up for trade.

The other thing I have considered is maybe a trade is offered in hopes of getting a firearm that is no longer produced or readily available.

What say you INGO?

 

[Creedmoor]

I love the Must Trades myself, as soon as someone pigeon holes themselves to a must trade this for this is a waste of time to deal with them.
The odds of someone wanting what you have and you having exactly what they want is very slim.
Just sell the ****ing firearm and go and buy the one you want.

Have I mentioned those that bump 8-12 ads in a row everyday....

 

[Michigan Slim]

I just deleted what I was gonna say.

 

[Twangbanger]

I have been in this hobby a long time, someone please explain to me why do some members want to trade only to get into new weapons? I have done a few trades and considered myself a very fair person.
To me usually a trade is going to involve some cash going either way.
I can't recall any one time that I have done a straight across trade.

A couple of questions I have are:

1. Why is trade value always higher than the cash value if a price is put on it?
2. What is the purpose of a straight trade? Did someone get into the gun on the cheap and they are trying to trade up?

For the record there isn't anything in the classifieds that I want right now. I have noticed a handful of members that "trade only."
And there have been some interesting guns offered, just not enough for me to want to trade any of my own higher end guns for.

I have also considered that some guns have been modded, which depending on the firearm can help or hurt. And in my mind I make the assumption that that is the real reason they are up for trade.
Most of the ones on here for trade only have had mods done, and who knows if they were done properly or bubba'd.
Which always leads me to not being interested trading off my factory unmolested firearms for what could be someone's mistakes that are too expensive to make them right, potentially the entire reason it's up for trade.

The other thing I have considered is maybe a trade is offered in hopes of getting a firearm that is no longer produced or readily available.

What say you INGO?

I generally don't trade, however - for people who don't enjoy the process of haggling, it is a really good way to weed out the a**holes who just want to haggle on money and are going to ask you to take less when they show up at the FTF. It shuts them down quickly. I can see why people would do it, because it's kinda difficult for the haggling a**hole to say, "Well, I don't like the condition of your gun, so can I reduce the value of the trade by taking the rear sight and grips off my pistol to make it even?"

The person has something in mind they want. They also have something they don't want. If they can solve both problems in one FTF meeting, without cash or 4473 forms changing hands, I can perfectly understand why they would do it. If the right trade doesn't come up, and the person gets impatient enough, they'll eventually do a cash deal for something. Until that time, they're probably not ready yet.

 

[Creedmoor]

I just deleted what I was gonna say.

What fun is that?

 

[NyleRN]

I love the Must Trades myself, as soon as someone pigeon holes themselves to a must trade this for this is a waste of time to deal with them.
The odds of someone wanting what you have and you having exactly what they want is very slim.
Just sell the ****ing firearm and go and buy the one you want.

Have I mentioned those that bump 8-12 ads in a row everyday....

I get tired of seeing the same ads getting bumped 75 times over a 4-5 months period. There should be a time or bump limit. It's common sense if you have to bump your ad 75 times then your price is too high or no one wants it

 

[Creedmoor]

I get tired of seeing the same ads getting bumped 75 times over a 4-5 months period. There should be a time or bump limit. It's common sense if you have to bump your ad 75 times then your price is too high or no one wants it

LOL, Years ago on the Maryland Shooters Forum there was a set of Bongo's that were listed and bumped ferociously for 9 months to a year. Everybody complained about them. But they were within the rules of the forum.
A new thread was started and a bunch of members kept getting donations to buy the bongos and put them out of their misery,
As I recall, they went to a range and did a mad minute with a bunch of full autos on those poor bongos.
Its a thread better than the Wallet here.
Andy might remember it also.

 

[Ashton1911]

Most people sell on the classifieds at a lower than new price. Most of us already have the essential guns (1 pistol, 1 rifle) and are looking for something new that tickles our fancy. It might be a long term thing, it might just be to sample. Trading is much more economical than selling a gun and buying something else whenever you want to try something new, but are not certain of what you want.

 

[BugI02]

There are two situations where I might trade

The most likely one is I got something nice that I don't want as part of another trade

The other is I have something unusual, which is what I mostly have, and I want something unusual. These trades work out more often than you think, as long as you know what you've got. Proffering something rare and unusual can shake loose the same where the owner might not otherwise consider a change. It's better not to specify a specific want and just see what comes up, I've traded for things I didn't know I wanted until someone offered them up

 

[LEaSH]

Something that I want is rarely going to be available for trade.

But it never hurts to ask.

If I don't need the cash, why would I sell anything?

If I find what I'm looking for (in a shop or online), I'll just buy it if I can afford it. If I can't afford it I will go without it.

 

[jy951]

I kind of think the person with the trade only is bad with money. So instead of selling the item, getting the cash and buying the item they want, they end up getting the cash and spending the money on whatever, and end up with one less gun and nothing good to show for it. Or, once putting the cash in the general fund, has a hard time parting with it.

The other thing I think of when someone wants to trade only for a common item is that they have problems with background check.

 

[nipprdog]

1. Why is trade value always higher than the cash value if a price is put on it?

Always wondered that myself.

 

[Itchytriggerfinger]

LOL, Years ago on the Maryland Shooters Forum there was a set of Bongo's that were listed and bumped ferociously for 9 months to a year. Everybody complained about them. But they were within the rules of the forum.
A new thread was started and a bunch of members kept getting donations to buy the bongos and put them out of their misery,
As I recall, they went to a range and did a mad minute with a bunch of full autos on those poor bongos.
Its a thread better than the Wallet here.
Andy might remember it also.

We might need to consider this for a pony.

 

[jy951]

Always wondered that myself.

I think trade value is higher than cash value because to sell an item you have to put in effort which cost $$. So if I list an item for $500 cash, and you want to trade, I want that item to be worth $550 because I need to put in effort to sell it to get my $500 in cash. If you are on the other side of the trade, then why not just sell your item for the $550 you think it's worth and pay with cash if you think your getting a bad deal.

 

[Creedmoor]

We might need to consider this for a pony.

Its getting there for sure...

 

[223 Gunner]

I generally don't trade, however - for people who don't enjoy the process of haggling, it is a really good way to weed out the a**holes who just want to haggle on money and are going to ask you to take less when they show up at the FTF. It shuts them down quickly. I can see why people would do it, because it's kinda difficult for the haggling a**hole to say, "Well, I don't like the condition of your gun, so can I reduce the value of the trade by taking the rear sight and grips off my pistol to make it even?"

The person has something in mind they want. They also have something they don't want. If they can solve both problems in one FTF meeting, without cash or 4473 forms changing hands, I can perfectly understand why they would do it. If the right trade doesn't come up, and the person gets impatient enough, they'll eventually do a cash deal for something. Until that time, they're probably not ready yet.

Price haggling is supposed to get worked out before the exchange takes place.
Part of that can be additional pics or answers to questions about condition etc.
Once a time and place is worked out both parties know what to expect.

 

[Reale1741]

I collect old milsurp guns and have absolutely zero interest in modern guns. Some old milsurps are extremely rare and I'm unlikely to run into one at a gun shop. Trading is something I do more often than selling. And rarely have I ever expected someone to give me cash on top of a trade, and likewise I have rarely had to give money on top of a trade. To me, by offering something for trade only, I am more likely to find something I need for the collection than I am running into it at a shop. This is coming from the perspective of a collector though.

 

[12many]

I saw a trade on here and I wanted the gun. I had two of the guns that the person wanted in trade.
Personally I felt I was getting the better end of the deal because the person didn’t ask for any cash on my side.
So I brought 50rds of range ammo and a 20rd box of self defense ammo to throw in with my gun
That person was happy and I was as well. So it worked out for both of us.
If that’s how a person wants to do it let ‘em be.

 

[BGDave]

We might need to consider this for a pony.

Anybody else immediately think of "Give away Don" the used car dude ?
Been a while. But having some minor experience with Shetland ponies, you might be on to something.

 

[Expat]

I like when they are willing to trade their $500 gun for your $1000 gun.