The price of used stuff!

[Goldman]

You know what, I'm really suprised by this thread.

There are only occasioanlly the really retarded deals (like a stock TM SR16 with extra hi-cap for $700), but you cannot really blame them. Not everyone can get an awesome deal from a retailer, for example, SR 16s used to cost what $650 as recent as last summer new, toss on a new Hi-cap bought from a retailer at $70, your looking at 720, if the SR is in good shaped or not used much, 700 shipped is a reasonable price given the initial investment.

Honestly, I'm sick of people bitching about prices, especially when you PM a seller, telling them "OMGWTFBBQ your pirces are teh high". These days, that will just make me never, ever, deal with you, ever. Look at the average market prices for these things NEW before bitching, or making an offer. The only time that someone should complain over a price if if its something like "Old Style TM M4, NIB $700", when they retailer signifigantly lower, only then should someone respectfully, and privatly point out that the price is way over the new market price, and should be adjusted.

The truth is, everyone expects to get everything, for nothing. This is especially true on these boards, while not so on others (AO,WPT, etc). Mostly becuase the majoirty of newbs end up here trying to buy kit for dirt cheap prices, thinking its like paintball. Not to mention that you often see upgarded AEGs selling for the same price as their stock counter-parts.

Honestly, these prices aren't that bad, and so long as your not a dick to the seller, you can often haggle the price down.

In short, prices here are relativly decent, and in fact lower than they used to be, due to how constrained the local ASC marketplace became due to the 18+ restriction. Now before some asshole jumps me for "OMGWTFBBQ you want to sell to min0rs!", let me note that many who are of age can not purchase until being verified, and until recently, there had been members waitingin 3+ months for their verification to be fucking acted upon.

[Ibby]

The only real gripe I have with regards to used sales are the terms "mint" and "NIB" followed by something like "only fielded once". If it's been fielded/played with in the basement/dry fired/shown around the room at a store, it's no longer mint *or* NIB. People use these terms far too liberally around here...

[ILLusion]

Simple economics, my friend:

Supply and demand is generally what controls pricing for ANY economy, whether it be used cars, air guns, mail order brides, computers or Yo-Yo's.

[Drake]

Goldman's right about the pricing, devaluation isn't just based on something being "used" and in the case of airsoft, a 2001 AEG that was used 4-5 times a year will probably have much less wear than a 2005 AEG that got used all year, every couple of weeks. And they're otherwise usually identical (if they're the same model).

I check the buy & sell sections daily, and the bulk of what I see are really good deals. Some packages are really expensive, but they include a lot of upgrades, accessories, etc, the value of which is lost on most noobs - not to mention some of the finely tuned stuff performs way better than it did stock. So if you wanna make analogies, compare this one with real estate; you buy a fixer upper, and the property does gain value.

Only a handful of ads were [IMO] overpriced. But for everyone of those, there was an incredibly good deal elsewhere so I guess it evens out.

In the end, it's supply and demand. Airsoft isn't a cheap sport, and people on a really tight budget should really think twice before jumping headlong into it. Prices are what they are because people are willing to pay that price. And if you think this is high, you should have seen prices in the late 90s when new items were barely trickling into the country.

What I'd like to hear from the original poster is what kind of price he thinks items should go for. I can justify current prices if I had to, so how do you justify lower prices besides "its used"?

[jerryliang2k]

I think people who post for sale items should justify their own prices if they put something up for sale. Like this:

Originally bought KSC Glock 19(Taiwan version) for $238
+ $30 for metal slide
- $10 for being used
- $30 for being fielded a few times
- $30 for leaky mag

Final price - $198

This way a potential buyer can see where all the prices are coming from and say something like "wait, how bad does the mag leak? If its real bad, how about -$50 for the gun?"

In addition, as sellers do this more often, the community can develop a general idea of how much "being used" should deduct off the final price. I can sort of picture a more formal system of selling guns being formed but it'll take some time to implement.

*edit*
I know SOME people do this, but just not enough

[ILLusion]

Guys, keep in mind that there is no actual governing body here that says how a seller should or shouldn't sell their product. It's difficult to enforce ANY sort of transaction on the internet. As always, for ANY internet transaction, buyer beware, do your research, know what you're getting and who you're getting it from and cover all your bases in case you ever end up getting shafted.

[Skruface]

I guess if you don't think the price is fair, you could always walk away from the deal.

I fail to see why people complain about prices for everything. If you can get it (*it* being a car, an airsoft gun, an new TV, whatever) cheaper somewhere else, just GO SOMEWHERE ELSE. If you can't afford it, save your money until you can. As a general rule, I ignore PM's where people ask me about items I'm selling and say "I really want it, but I only have $XXX". If you can't afford it, it's not my problem.

I remember back in the late 90's when I started playing, a *new* TM M16A2 was almost $700, plus shipping. Nobody bitched about prices, because there were hardly any guns to be found in-country. Some of you n00bs have no idea how good you have it today.....

[Blackthorne]

I buy used only (OK..I bought my first gun new, but it was a demo at 007!) because I don't really want to upgrade anything...

Keep in mind I buy local so I can actually see, and maybe even try it, before I make any descisions.

I would rather pay a little more for a gun that is all done up, than pay a guntech for his time and for the parts. I get what I want, and I get it now.

[FOX_111]

Maybe we need a black book or Blue Book of airsoft. Like for cars.
:roll:

[Manaconda]

Ok but this isn't the late nintys is it. It is not difficult to get these items any more. There are roughly 14 dealers on this very site listed in the Canadian retailers that a person can purchase from without being verified. I just think that if I bought something new it's automaticaly fifty bucks less and if I have used it a bunch o times it's another fifty less. Perhaps I upgrade it and now its 100 bucks more but I use it for a year and it is a hundred bucks less due to wear and tear. So I sell it to a buyer at that price. They inturn use it for a time and decide to sell it for less than the price they bought it at. It just keeps on losing value doesn't it. In the end it's your decision to buy or sell at whatever price you like I just thought I'd find out the reasoning behind it. So far I guess it's just because it's a sellers market and you might as well buy new just to make sure there are no problems and head aches that can't be rectified.


Just my oppinion. MUch like an ass hole evey one has one.

cheers

[Sgt_Lynch]

I buy guns new only.

But I sell alot of 'used' parts, which for the most part aren't used at all. They are taken off the day the gun arrived to be replaced by mod parts or kits. I only sell because it's a nessesity to offset the cost of $1000+ guns. Otherwise I'd keep the parts.

Generally, I don't buy used guns because of the fact I don't know how the gun was treated or who had their hands in it. I've fixed plenty of 'headache' guns modified by other people and now refuse to even look at another upgraded gun because of the fucked up shit I've seen. My suggestion is to bring it back and demand it gets fixed by the person who screwed it up in the first place.

[Igor01]

Compared to even a year ago the prices of the used airsoft guns are way way lower and you now get a lot more variety compared to the standard TM assortment of AEG's and TM/WA/KSC blowback pistols that was the norm only a few years ago. I'd say it costs a LOT less to get into the sport now with many more weapons to choose from.

[rat]

Originally Posted by Ibby

The only real gripe I have with regards to used sales are the terms "mint" and "NIB" followed by something like "only fielded once". If it's been fielded/played with in the basement/dry fired/shown around the room at a store, it's no longer mint *or* NIB. People use these terms far too liberally around here...

well i believe, or at least i hope what you are getting at is seller intregrity and how sometimes their view of "mint" may not coincide with the buyer's.

any time i say that my used guns are physically mint or "like new"...they are...no doubt. that is just because i have no interest in lieing about a sale and tarnishing my name....its just not my style.

the terms "mint" and "NIB" are two COMPLETELY different things with CLEAR differences between them.

[Kokanee]

Originally Posted by dynomite69

Ok but this isn't the late nintys is it. It is not difficult to get these items any more. There are roughly 14 dealers on this very site listed in the Canadian retailers that a person can purchase from without being verified. I just think that if I bought something new it's automaticaly fifty bucks less and if I have used it a bunch o times it's another fifty less. Perhaps I upgrade it and now its 100 bucks more but I use it for a year and it is a hundred bucks less due to wear and tear. So I sell it to a buyer at that price. They inturn use it for a time and decide to sell it for less than the price they bought it at. It just keeps on losing value doesn't it. In the end it's your decision to buy or sell at whatever price you like I just thought I'd find out the reasoning behind it. So far I guess it's just because it's a sellers market and you might as well buy new just to make sure there are no problems and head aches that can't be rectified.


Just my oppinion. MUch like an ass hole evey one has one.

cheers

I think you're forgetting that there is a baseline price for everything - in that, I mean that for instance, if I wanted to sell me ics m4 - m203, there is a minimum price that is considered reasonable, for any working m4+203.

"wear and tear" really isnt an issue if you are a reputable seller, because you will keep that m4 in working condition by replacing worn out parts, cleaning etc. So the fact that it has been fielded for a year and gone thru two people does not mean that it should suddenly be selling for $200-$300.

I think your real beef is with sellers whom try and pass off damaged/defective goods at "servicable" prices. Fortunately there are less of those cases around these days, with the feedback system etc.

[GMTII]

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