Why is the sales section on here so disappointing at present?

[look no hands]

I have seen the nice airsporter that has been up for ages and it looks really nice but no takers and a few months ago they would be up for a few hours before selling.

I also saw that and commented on the sales thread, if I had the spare cash then I'd have snapped it up (and if it's still for sale when I have some spare cash then I still may buy it), unfortunately I have my old car (as well as my daily driver) I spend time and money on in the summer months (including tax and insurance etc) and the winter months are spent driving it and then working on my guns (and buying them when the cash is available).

One other thing I've noticed is the reluctance of sellers to post rifles, which has stopped me buying a couple of rifles this year.

Pete

[I. J.]

One other thing I've noticed is the reluctance of sellers to post rifles, which has stopped me buying a couple of rifles this year.

Pete

Ive noticed that!

Ive had several good deals done solely with e-mailed photos, bank transfer of funds and Parcel Force (whatever). It only takes a few moments to remove the stock and pack the action and wood work safely. To live near the coast and state 'collection only' severely limits the area of your market.

ATB
Ian

[harvey_s]

Ive noticed that!

Ive had several good deals done solely with e-mailed photos, bank transfer of funds and Parcel Force (whatever). It only takes a few moments to remove the stock and pack the action and wood work safely. To live near the coast and state 'collection only' severely limits the area of your market.

ATB
Ian

Problem with that is the restricted compensation available...
Pistols are OK the can still use RMSD and get £500 insurance, rifles on PF48 are limited to £100.
I would post entirely at the buyers risk if requested, but its all potential hassle I suspect most would rather avoid!

The other issue is valuation threads...which often are responded to by those seeking to maximise the future potential of their own collections or so it seems to me.
This means the bbs sports far fewer adverts at attractive prices.
Let the lazy ones do their own research unless its something actually a bit rare or unusual!

I religiously used to read the sales section, now not so much as there are only the odd tit-bits nowadays.

That plus some of the constant slanging actually depresses me after a while and I give it a rest from time to time before it turns me off completely!

[look no hands]

Ive noticed that!

Ive had several good deals done solely with e-mailed photos, bank transfer of funds and Parcel Force (whatever). It only takes a few moments to remove the stock and pack the action and wood work safely. To live near the coast and state 'collection only' severely limits the area of your market.

ATB
Ian

I sold my rammer a few months ago and that was posted out to the buyer, I then had the funds for another rifle and a couple of suitable rifles, which may I add where at very attractive prices for what rifles they where but because they where "collection only" didn't get bought by me and the money got spent of other things instead, if the Airsporter S mentioned earlier had been available then, then it would have been bought.

Pete

[Thamesides]

Isn't just a combination of various things .
People are on holiday or just paid for one .
Maybe seller expects top price & won't come down .
Buyer expects to get item at lower price .
As has been mentioned tyre kickers .

It's a different site to ten or more years ago .
Less haggling ,deals done before money was exchanged .
Members having more disposable income .

[Barryg]

I wonder if it could it have anything to do with the pending airgun law review whenever that is.

[Thegreg]

I wonder if it could it have anything to do with the pending airgun law review whenever that is.

This is a fair point and something I have considered seriously. If, ok lets be honest when licensing comes in what will happen to the value of air rifles? Are they something people want to invest in right now? I dare say a large portion of shooters would give up the sport if licensing came in.

Cheers
Greg

[MrChipShoulder]

This is a fair point and something I have considered seriously. If, ok lets be honest when licensing comes in what will happen to the value of air rifles? Are they something people want to invest in right now? I dare say a large portion of shooters would give up the sport if licensing came in.

Cheers
Greg

And that's EXACTLY what the government wants!!
Don't give in to our treacherous government, buy the licence if only to roll it up and stick it up your local MP's ass !!!!!

[Thegreg]

And that's EXACTLY what the government wants!!
Don't give in to our treacherous government, buy the licence if only to roll it up and stick it up your local MP's ass !!!!!

I will be getting the licence if/when it comes in, but a lot won't. Point is the market will shrink considerably, and demand will go down.

There still a level of uncertainty surrounding the matter, and people won't like it. It's fair to assume that this will affect people's decisions to buy air rifles right now. I don't want to open up another debate about licensing!

Cheers
Greg

[barrel]

Personally I don't think the prospect of a licence being introduced outside Scotland is the reason why the sales section on the BBS is as it is at the moment, the If air guns were possibly going to be banned then I would agree but at worst others will have to apply for a licence, the cost of which is not prohibitive for the vast majority of shooters. Don't get me wrong I don't agree with licencing but anyone seriously into shooting air rifles won't not purchase because of this issue, they may however use it as a justification to beat down an advertised price.

Kindest regards

Barrel

[Portzy]

One other thing I've noticed is the reluctance of sellers to post rifles, which has stopped me buying a couple of rifles this year.
Pete

I'm one of those . But only with items that I'm reluctant to post such as rifles.

But, I usually offer to travel a certain distance either inland or up coast. I think it shows a bit of honesty and willing on my part plus the buyer gets to see the item and seller together. On the upside there is also an amount of "cameraderie" too, especially if the meet can be near a shop that sells bacon sarnies!

Ultimately, I just want the buyer to be happy and me not have sleepless nights.

If you are a genuine private seller like me and time is not a factor then if the item sells it sells, if not I either use it or put it back in the cupboard for later. If it's your sideline to supplement another income though, I can understand the frustration.

[robs5230]

The economic climate must be having an impact.
I for one have seen my real income spiralling and costs going the other way, meaning in real terms I just have less to spend on luxuries.

Social media is also playing its part. No longer are the forums "the only place" to sell.

I buy and sell on here and do post rifles and have had no issues ever, buying or selling. Some folks fear of posting by pf48 does seem a little irrational to me though I guess some may have had bad experiences. Folk offering collection only face to face deals must recognise they are limiting their market on what is a national forum.

Another aspect for me is folk advertising rifles as a full kit. I'm generally just wanting the rifle as I've acquired enough accessories over the years to serve me.

Years ago the expected value of a secondhand item used to be about 50% of the new price. At some point I must have blinked and the expected value of secondhand goods jumped to 2/3 of the new price.

Things are just how they are. I'm still happy using the forum to buy and sell but I do pick my deals and do use other sales and buying options.

[MrChipShoulder]

The economic climate must be having an impact.
I for one have seen my real income spiralling and costs going the other way, meaning in real terms I just have less to spend on luxuries.

Social media is also playing its part. No longer are the forums "the only place" to sell.

I buy and sell on here and do post rifles and have had no issues ever, buying or selling. Some folks fear of posting by pf48 does seem a little irrational to me though I guess some may have had bad experiences. Folk offering collection only face to face deals must recognise they are limiting their market on what is a national forum.

Another aspect for me is folk advertising rifles as a full kit. I'm generally just wanting the rifle as I've acquired enough accessories over the years to serve me.

Years ago the expected value of a secondhand item used to be about 50% of the new price. At some point I must have blinked and the expected value of secondhand goods jumped to 2/3 of the new price.

Things are just how they are. I'm still happy using the forum to buy and sell but I do pick my deals and do use other sales and buying options.

2/3rds of new price is totally correct, and be grateful it's only 2/3rds!
In my professional world of scale 16mm live steam model railways, the locos are now 95% of new price !!!!!
How the hell that works I will never know, but 95% is what it is !!

In the world of 00 railways, because of the way new prices have shot up in recent years, you can make profit on the newer boxed type packed SH models !!! If you bought a new model 3-4 years ago and the box is the new type (they keep changing), you'd have paid about £80. Now that same model in the same type box sells new for about £120-130!! So profit on new prices 3-4 years ago is able to be made if sold now!

[robs5230]

2/3rds of new price is totally correct, and be grateful it's only 2/3rds!
In my professional world of scale 16mm live steam model railways, the locos are now 95% of new price !!!!!
How the hell that works I will never know, but 95% is what it is !!

In the world of 00 railways, because of the way new prices have shot up in recent years, you can make profit on the newer boxed type packed SH models !!! If you bought a new model 3-4 years ago and the box is the new type (they keep changing), you'd have paid about £80. Now that same model in the same type box sells new for about £120-130!! So profit on new prices 3-4 years ago is able to be made if sold now!

Regardless of anyone's estimation or belief of what used values should be, the fact is values are determined by the buyers not the sellers.

Anyone is free to stick out for the price they want for an item. If the item sells then it was the right price for that buyer on that day. Unfortunately what one buyer may pay one day, isn't too representative of what someone may want to pay another day.

If I'm after a used rifle, or any used item come to that, I'll pay what that item is worth to me. If that happens to be the asking price then everyone's happy. If the seller wants more than I'm willing to pay then I don't buy.

Just supply and demand.

Oh and your dismay with the triggers... unfortunate that. The cheap price certainly did provoke some interest.

[harvey_s]

Sometimes sellers also lump in other accessories such as scopes or other items which may not be wanted and bump the price to that approaching a new item.
Some will split - but there are some that expect you to sell off the bits you don't need when they can't be arsed themselves...