View Full Version : The gun deal that never was, X4
In the past month I've had 4 gun deals go south (I was the buyer in each).
DEAL # 1: In response to a want ad someone offers me a nice collectable pistol that wasn't exactly what I was looking for, and a bit more than I wanted to spend, but from the pics and description it seemed to be in really nice shape and it got me interested. Online communication with seller was difficult and several meets were postponed by him. I'm still waiting to see this thing, but now, after nearly a month, I've just about lost interest.
DEAL # 2: Fellow on another forum posted a gun similar to the first, but in used condition at half the price. Pic looks good and seller tells me there is "a little pocket wear" and there is a "chip" in one of the grips. After telling seller about the first deal (postponed again that morning), I said I would like to take a look at his pistol but I couldn't commit to buy until after I met with seller #1, and seller #2 was fine with that. I drive an hour to find that all the bluing is worn off to the bare metal, a penny sized chunk is missing from a grip, and the gun looks like it hadn't been oiled in years. He then proceeds to bullshit me, attempting to use the condition of the gun as a selling point and telling me how two other guys want to buy it but he doesn't want to sell to them because he knows they are going to resell it at a profit. I made what I thought was a fair offer, which he turned down, so I left. The next day I got several phone calls from him trying to manipulate and hard sell me on his gun, claiming that someone just called him and wanted to buy it. When I told him I didn't want it he flipped out and demanded an explanation. This gun he allegedly had sold 3 times over is still on that board a week later now priced at what I'd offered him.
DEAL # 3: Again, in response to a want ad, someone offers me a pistol at above market value. I try to negotiate but he is firm on price. I then find out that it is LNIB and agree to pay his asking price, after which I hear nothing back from him for days. After 2 follow up emails he tells me he decided to keep it.
DEAL # 4: A guy has a pistol I'm interested in on another board. Endless emails back and forth. I tell him I have cash in hand and I'd like to see the pistol and he says "okay" but doesn't provide a contact number or tell me where to meet. Emails me back and says someone else is coming by to look at it and he'll let me know if it sells. The next day he again says I can look at the gun, again without providing a number or a location, then on a follow up email says he is waiting to hear back about a trade. Pistol remains posted and haven't heard back since.
I'm starting to think I have cooties or something.
You're a bad buyer, I'm leaving negative feedback.
-Clint45 has failed to follow through on 4 SEPERATE deals!
Byte Stryke
04-14-2011, 23:22
Karma Sutra
It's where life screws you in as many ways as possible.
Act more like a jerk. Works with the ladies.
i recently had a bad not a deal as well . (from that other site)
guy said he was lookin for a pistol i had . so i contact him through emails told him what i had and asked what he has in trade . He responds that he did not want to waste my time until he saw pics , no big deal i sent pics. so we first sent over 20 emais back and forth about a trade for my pistol for a rifle and then poof the rifle is no longer around (he traded it). then we star to negotiate over another gun . his price started at 900 and over the next 20 emails that price went from 900 to 2000 . So that one got taken of the table . Are you starting to notice a trend ?? on to the next gun offered , less than mine was worth and he wanted me to drive to him (almost 7 round trip ) . so to some it up , we went through 78 emails over 3 days with no deal and the guy had the nerve to act like i was shorting him in some way . i guess when its all said and done im glad i did not trade with the guy as i ended up trading with a fella from this site with no fuss at all .
Seamonkey
04-15-2011, 07:56
I'm starting to think I have cooties or something.
[Poke]
Glad I'm on the only one! I had deal #3 and one where a post and PM were ignored then the guy keeps listing that the gun is for sale in the same thread on this site so you are not alone in wondering if you have cooties. All I can say is "some people's children...."
Why list an item for sale if 1- you aren't going to sell it, 2- you aren't going to reply to inquiries? 3- does it matter if I have cooties? you could accept the cash with latex gloves on, put in a bag and wash it when you get home.
Hey, at least you didn't buy from an ATF straw man!
At least you are finding something that you are interested in going after.
I have had a three month dry spell on finding anything that I really want to buy. I do see a lot of sellers that have very high prices and annoying "requirements" of BOS, sign statements. I won't even consider those people.
At least you are finding something that you are interested in going after.
I have had a three month dry spell on finding anything that I really want to buy. I do see a lot of sellers that have very high prices and annoying "requirements" of BOS, sign statements. I won't even consider those people.
must have bos , co dl , ffl ,ccp , note from mother , blood type , 3 report cards from high school , bank statement , 100% positive feed back on your ebay account , proof that your dog has its shots and then maybe just maybe i might feel comfortable selling you a gun [ROFL1][ROFL1][ROFL1][ROFL1] im just kidding but i too have come across some stupid as well . actuall had a guy tell me he would not sell me a single shot 12g because i dont have a ccp !!
BPTactical
04-15-2011, 08:47
If I can't stitch up a deal in 5 or 6 e mails I walk away. I don't have time to bounce back and forth over it. I have had a few potential deals on "That Other Site" that the seller/buyer wanted to e mail a ton of times and ask 10000 questions. Pretty quickly you can catch on that they are tire kickers that aren't serious. Once the deal is pretty well set I like to follow up on the phone. It gives me a good idea of what I am dealing with and if somebody is sketchy you can usually pick up on that as well.
Trust your gut Clint45.
Changing the pricing in the middle of the deal, stiffing you because they got a better offer AFTER you reached a deal, changing your mind AFTER agreeing to a deal are all worthy of outing the other party so the rest of us can avoid them and or advise the mods.
HBARleatherneck
04-15-2011, 09:03
ok, i will play.
i had my glock on armslist several weeks ago. i said I dont drive, must meet at my house, dont respond unless you will drive here. i said trade for xd or xdm. guy responds from Divide. basically says he wants the deal. sends me 2 dozen emails. then he says he doesnt ever drive up north, and he thinks he will keep it. then a week or so later contacted me again, not understanding it was still the same ad.
WHY waste my time. I have sold cars and bikes on the internet with 2 emails. i bought my house in less time than some of the gun deals.
I have any pistol you want. Just let me know what it is and we can make a deal! Price is 20% higher than the msrp.
Let me know!
kidicarus13
04-15-2011, 09:31
I can't speak about other sites but I hope you would leave negative feedback if they are selling on this site so other can choose to deal with them or not.
I have any pistol you want. Just let me know what it is and we can make a deal! Price is 20% higher than the msrp.
Let me know!
ill take it only if you add 100 bucks because you owned it and it better not come with any extras . also id like to drive at least 4 hours round trip and feel free to tell me you sold it when i get there !!![LOL][LOL][LOL]
sniper7, OK I want an S&W 1076. The MSRP may be 20 years out of date, but we won't worry about inflation will we? no tax, no paper
I insist on phone interaction. For some reason, it seems to weed out the idiots. If you won't have a telephone conversation, I'm gone.
Daniel_187
04-15-2011, 10:19
Karma Sutra
It's where life screws you in as many ways as possible.
+1. But these are great things to know. So when I sell my A.R.M.S rail set-up I will chrage full retail and jerk everyone around LOL. Sorry OP that you did not get what you were looking for but if you stop looking it might just land in your lap. works all the time when am looking for shit and can't find it I.E. car keys, glasses, the beer I just opened.
I can't speak about other sites but I hope you would leave negative feedback if they are selling on this site so other can choose to deal with them or not.
Well, 2 of them are on this site, but those 2 aren't the ones I had the real problems with. If a guy is a LEO on pager duty with family issues I can respect that -- duty and family take priority over other things, and I've dealt with him before and he is a decent guy. Other guy who offered me the Jetfire, well, Jetfire is a nice little pistol and I don't blame him for changing his mind.
Other two guys are on cologunmarket. One guy has been selling there for years and is a collector who knew very well what he was doing, the other guy is new and I'm guessing he is a twenty-something dumbass who doesn't know what he is doing. I don't know that it would be appropriate to out them here since neither is a member.
Byte Stryke
04-15-2011, 10:38
Other guy who offered me the Jetfire, well, Jetfire is a nice little pistol and I don't blame him for changing his mind.
/Disagree
If you hang it out there and someone gives you asking price, tough shit, It's Sold. I suggest you think about it more next time before you offer something up for sale.
I feel people that do crap like that have no moral fiber. Their word is worthless, either you do or you dont want to sell. Don't stick a number on something and then recant later when someone takes you up on it.
hurley842002
04-15-2011, 10:51
I can't speak about other sites but I hope you would leave negative feedback if they are selling on this site so other can choose to deal with them or not.
THIS is the bottom line. You can bi$% all you want (which is sounds like many of you have valid reasons), but in the end, unless you call them out, they will keep doing the same thing to other folks. I too, can not speak about other sites, this is really the only one I Buy/Sell/Trade on.
ChunkyMonkey
04-15-2011, 10:54
so on the other hand, if you say you take it, then upon inspection, you change your mind, you have no moral fiber either? [Tooth]
Because I have few guys that have changed their mind even after delivery. Some of which have real legit concerns while others are just being asses. Once it was my piece of shit AK47 wasr that kept on misfire on certain mags. I took it back and gave full refund after being disputed that I didn't explain the issue enough - my bad. Another was an AR Lower which fully disclosed in pictures etc and was told that he was looking for a 'pistol marked' but would take it anyway if I would knock off $50 after I drove 30 miles to meet him - yeah right. Most of bad deals typically are miscommunication. I know I barely speaky engrish, so I know I have offended others whether its lack of description or another.
I think my point is, it is still a free market. If 2 out of 3 deals went well, I am happy! I take those odds anytime rather than having something that will work out 100% all the time yet being govt regulated or to trade in/buy from shops. Just saying...
BlasterBob
04-15-2011, 11:11
/Disagree
I feel people that do crap like that have no moral fiber. Their word is worthless, either you do or you dont want to sell.
If a man's WORD is no good, then that man is not worth a good shit! IMHO
Guess I have been very lucky with no crappy deals in either buying or selling - so far.
Byte Stryke
04-15-2011, 11:28
so on the other hand, if you say you take it, then upon inspection, you change your mind, you have no moral fiber either? [Tooth]
Because I have few guys that have changed their mind even after delivery. Some of which have real legit concerns while others are just being asses. Once it was my piece of shit AK47 wasr that kept on misfire on certain mags. I took it back and gave full refund after being disputed that I didn't explain the issue enough - my bad. Another was an AR Lower which fully disclosed in pictures etc and was told that he was looking for a 'pistol marked' but would take it anyway if I would knock off $50 after I drove 30 miles to meet him - yeah right. Most of bad deals typically are miscommunication. I know I barely speaky engrish, so I know I have offended others whether its lack of description or another.
I think my point is, it is still a free market. If 2 out of 3 deals went well, I am happy! I take those odds anytime rather than having something that will work out 100% all the time yet being govt regulated or to trade in/buy from shops. Just saying...
Holy shit?
We are going down this road?
Well then if I Showed up with Monopoly money you'd have to sell, right?
or would you agree with the term "Not as advertised."
If you show up and the guy doesnt have the weapon as advertised,(Broken, malfunctions, other undisclosed damages or concerns) you aren't any more obligated to buy it as if I were to show up with 500 in Monopoly money.
Now, that being said, if I show up and buy it without taking it to a smith for inspection and I later find damage, malfunctions, that's my own damned fault.
I guess common sense really isn't common...
even here.[Rant1]
Ive been lucky I think its been 7 deals and no real problems. The first guy wanted to sell, I met his price. He decided to keep it. Then he called me a few days later and dropped the price and I picked it up.
I agree with everyone else. If you make an offer buyer or seller you should keep your word.
John
alan0269
04-15-2011, 12:56
If you agree to sell it, sell it. We've all had firearms that as soon as we hand it over to a buyer we regret doing so, but a deal is a deal.
As far as the "I'll take it" goes, "I'll take it" means that it is sold and a done deal - all that is left is to exchange the money and the item being sold. If I want to buy something and want to make sure it is what the person states it is (haven't dealt with them before, paying more than avg. going price for something, etc) I give them an "I'll take it based on inspection" or "It sounds like what I'm looking for, but I would really like to meet and check it over prior to committing to it". If they won't agree to one of those, I need to decide if I want to commit to purchasing the item or move on to something else. On the other hand, I have let people back out of deals without any negative feedback when they have had an emergency come up and can't follow through with what we agreed to - that is something that we each need to determine if we find it acceptable on a case by case basis, and depending on the issue they are having.
funkfool
04-15-2011, 12:56
Well - I seem to have had real good luck here... couple of emails...maybe a phone call and done deal. 10x over.
BPTactical
04-15-2011, 13:26
If a man's WORD is no good, then that man is not worth a good shit! IMHO
+1
You are only as good as your word.
You make a commitment-follow through.
Thats nothing I once was gonna sell this gun to a guy.. and ...nvm
[ROFL1]
For me an "I'll take it" is still based on ftf inspection. I personally would never expect someone to commit 100% without actually seeing it in person. Only exception is if I'm mailing it. But I know a lot of other people take that phrase as 100% commitment no matter what. So I avoid issues by just saying I'd like to look at it or check it out.
ChunkyMonkey
04-15-2011, 13:54
or would you agree with the term "Not as advertised."
I guess common sense really isn't common...
even here.[Rant1]
I dont know Guy, I have sold enough accessories and firearms to know that once awhile you will run into potential buyers who cancel upon inspection even though everything is upto specs and so on. I guess same goes in selling houses, cars and so on. Sometimes, people simply changes his/her mind. That's why I am one of those who screen buyers. Where as it used to be first come first served... now its all about your feedback and seniority in the forum.
I have a few PM bitching on how I am not willing to sell him/her certain item at asking price while my listing is still active for the right buyers for that reason.
I have also refused to sell even though I have given my word because the fool showed up in a lowered honda civic dressed like a gangbanger wannabe.
For me an "I'll take it" is still based on ftf inspection. I personally would never expect someone to commit 100% without actually seeing it in person.
I've only had that happen to me once. A fellow offered to trade me his pistol for mine, we met halfway, he looked over my pistol and said it was in really nice shape and exactly as described but he didn't care for the balance/weight of it in his hand. I was a little disappointed, but I certainly didn't hold it against him. In fact, when another guy bought that same pistol later that night I called the first guy back and made arrangements to pay cash for his gun the following day. And everyone was happy.
Well - I seem to have had real good luck here... couple of emails...maybe a phone call and done deal. 10x over.
I can say the same thing. Very good experiences with the folks on this forum. 4 screwy experiences just this past month, but the 2 bad ones were both on cologunmarket. I'd expect this sort of thing from the clowns on armslist, but you need to pay $30 to register with RMGO to post on cologunmarket and I expected better. No feedback area there either.
Colorado Luckydog
04-15-2011, 15:21
I can say the same thing. Very good experiences with the folks on this forum. 4 screwy experiences just this past month, but the 2 bad ones were both on cologunmarket. I'd expect this sort of thing from the clowns on armslist, but you need to pay $30 to register with RMGO to post on cologunmarket and I expected better. No feedback area there either.
I've always had great experiences from AR-15. I have had good experiences at Colorado Gun Market but lately it has seemed a little like Graigs List. I have decided not to sell anything there anymore and just stick to this site. I don't need any BS when it comes to buying or selling and this site has been painless.
Deal is not a deal until money and the product is transferred.
I learned that from craigslist deals I had. SO many flakes, and ads that they don't describe damages and etc on the craigslist ads.
BushMasterBoy
04-15-2011, 16:36
I had a trade for silver coins. Seller pointed me to a auction site to state value, I bought those coins! Seller balked at my offer which at the time was over the cash value he wanted for the firearm. Since then my silver coins have doubled in value...less than a year ago. I'm glad the deal did not go through. I could sell those coins now and buy two brand new rifles!
Byte Stryke
04-15-2011, 17:23
I have also refused to sell even though I have given my word because the fool showed up in a lowered honda civic dressed like a gangbanger wannabe.
Common Sense.
I am talking about backing out "just because I change my mind" or "I underbid myself" kinda shit.
I Fully understand the whole "Seller reserves the right not to sell to persons he/She believe not to be legal to purchase"
in firearms that sort of goes without saying.
Now if Same Gangbanger wannabe has a badge, CCW and a note from the BATFE it might change your mind. Not because you put it up, Schmo A Says "I'll take it" and and then you decide schmo "B" might offer you more.
JohnTRourke
04-15-2011, 19:45
For me an "I'll take it" is still based on ftf inspection. I personally would never expect someone to commit 100% without actually seeing it in person. Only exception is if I'm mailing it. But I know a lot of other people take that phrase as 100% commitment no matter what. So I avoid issues by just saying I'd like to look at it or check it out.
If you want to come inspect it and check it out
that's fine
but I"m not driving across town/city/state so you can finger fuck my firearm which is exactly as pictured and defined.
I'm not a gun shop.
if it's not as described, then fine, fair enough.
but otherwise, "I'll take it" is pretty binding IMO. (for both sides)
and, if you haven't said "I'll take it", it's still on the market and I can sell it to someone who says "I'll take it".
If you want to come inspect it and check it out
that's fine
but I"m not driving across town/city/state so you can finger fuck my firearm which is exactly as pictured and defined.
I'm not a gun shop.
if it's not as described, then fine, fair enough.
but otherwise, "I'll take it" is pretty binding IMO. (for both sides)
and, if you haven't said "I'll take it", it's still on the market and I can sell it to someone who says "I'll take it".
+1 right on !![Beer]
sniper7, OK I want an S&W 1076. The MSRP may be 20 years out of date, but we won't worry about inflation will we? no tax, no paper
That is not a problem but I do have to ask you give me $100 an hour for MH time plus double the cost of gas that either one of us use completing the transaction as well as the gas for the shipping company getting it from the plant to it's final destination. Also need a fuel surcharge fee and a going green fee.
I have also refused to sell even though I have given my word because the fool showed up in a lowered honda civic dressed like a gangbanger wannabe.
You're just jealous cause my caddy has hydraulics!!!
Well, just had a few unforeseen expenses come up, so I suppose it is a good thing I didn't buy those 4 guns.
sbouslog
04-28-2011, 18:29
Armslist blows. Some fag just backed out on a deal. Why post a gun if you are just going to say that you decided to keep it? I fucking hate people like this. I had an idea that he was gonna flake when he didn't give me his phone number when I asked for it. I offered him his full asking price and even offered to drive to him. I have never had a good experience with that site. Fuck armslist and fuck you Eric McCall of fort collins!
"...and fuck you [edited out by cebeu] of fort collins!
LOL
clublights
04-28-2011, 20:11
Armslist blows. Some fag just backed out on a deal. Why post a gun if you are just going to say that you decided to keep it? I fucking hate people like this. I had an idea that he was gonna flake when he didn't give me his phone number when I asked for it. I offered him his full asking price and even offered to drive to him. I have never had a good experience with that site. Fuck armslist and fuck you Eric McCall of fort collins!
I had someone do that on here too ...
only part that pissed me off was that since I committed to buying his.. I passed up on other sales ( as in I didn't post an "I'll take it just to be clear) since my cash was committed to his....
Oh well I got over it.
sbouslog
04-28-2011, 20:26
Sorry about the rant earlier. I got pretty worked up and needed to vent. I'm sure karma will come back to haunt him. I just wish that some people's parents would have instilled better values in their children.
clublights
04-28-2011, 20:33
Sorry about the rant earlier. I got pretty worked up and needed to vent. I'm sure karma will come back to haunt him. I just wish that some people's parents would have instilled better values in their children.
I didn't mean my post to make you feel bad...
it was pretty annoying at the time...
besides a slightly better deal came along not long after that one went south so I guess it was a good thing :-)
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