Anyone care to share their experience using Gun Broker ?
You can email me if you want to keep it private: dstone005 @ neo.rr.com no spaces

A large part of my business is selling on Gunbroker. I've bought a number of things off of it, too. What are you looking to do? Buy or sell?

My intent is to sell several handguns and rifles.

However, I've never sold anything. I've been thinking about it lately though but I keep getting hung up on the shipping bit. I understand the laws about shipping but the most economical method still eludes me. I can't see spending significant money shipping a rather insignificant gun.

Pictures, pictures, pictures. Good, clear, in focus, detailed pictures. Above all else, pictures! LOL Seriously, pictures sell your guns. The guns I sell on average have between 20-30 pictures, both overall shots and detailed zooms on every surface of the gun. Some guns will have twice that many, like collectible guns where I am showing every matching serial number, military proofs, etc.

Add to that a detailed description. More than ever, people don't read. 90% of the questions I get emailed are already answered in the description, but most people don't read that. However, the detailed description (and detailed pictures) will save your bacon in the rare event someone complains about something undisclosed that makes them want a partial refund. And, there are the rare people who do actually read a detailed description and appreciate it.

If you do not have an FFL, I would strike a deal beforehand with a local dealer to help you with shipping in the event the receiving FFL won't receive from a non-FFL. That is very common anymore. Also, an FFL can mail a handgun, whereas an individual must send it via contract carrier, which means overnighting it due to carrier policies. You will likely save money having a dealer mail a handgun versus you overnighting it.

If you have no feedback on Gunbroker, or very little, expect people to be leery at first. List your lower end first to get some positive feedback under your belt before you list the good stuff. You'll realize higher prices once you have some positive feedback as a seller.

Finally, figure out your shipping supplies situation before you list anything. What boxes will you use? How will you pack the guns? I buy boxes for rifles from ULine.com. I buy bubble wrap from starboxes.com. In a shipping insurance claim, being able to say you used new boxes and new packing material takes away the first thing they will use to try to deny your claim - insufficient/used packing. If you are mailing handguns, Regional Rate A and B boxes are your friend. That is usually cheaper than Flat Rate Medium and Large, but some guns require the flat rate boxes because of size. Anywho, auction end is not the time to realize you don't have boxes and/or padding materials. Ask me how I know. :)

There is a website Shipmygun.com run by Bud's gun shop that makes it relatively easy and at a savings to standard rates. Used them once and will again for shipping from an individual to an FFL.

I just want to mention that photos protect you as well as inform the buyer.

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Sincerely,

Hobie

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I've sold somewhere between 20 and 30 guns on gunbroker and bought about as many over the last 10 years. Cubrock nailed it.

One thing about shipping: I make clear in the ad that shipping and insurance are additional to the final bid price and then give my purchaser the option of how to have the gun shipped, subject to the shipper's requirements. I also provide that if I have to ship through an FFL, that fee is additional. So far, no one has required an FFL to FFL shipment. I don't always get the shipping estimate correct, but I'm generally pretty close and when I miss it's sometimes over and sometimes under, so I've broken even overall.

For shipping long guns, I've made it a practice to buy the inexpensive plastic cases that come in cardboard boxes off Walmart or Amazon's web site. They are about $20 delivered, which isn't much more than the boxes from a box manufacturer and they seem to hold up quite well. The buyer likes that he gets to keep the case as well.

Just some thoughts.

nm

If you scroll down you'll see a problem I recently had with G-Broker. I've been selling rifles on Gunbroker for 3 years or more. The Georgia Secretary of States office scammed my credit card for $350 for a "corporate fee". It just so happens that Gunbroker is based out of Georgia. The last gun I sold I sent Gunbroker a check for their part. I cant help but believe someone who works for Gunbroker gave the Georgia Secretary of State's office my credit card number. Bank of America replaced my money in 2 days.

I'll still use Gunbroker I guess.