Classified Sales Very Slow - Why Do You Think

[joelpend]

For some time now sales have been very slow. I am sure it is the same on all forums, Gunbroker, EBay, etc. I assume that inflation has put the average person where it takes all their income for essentials and very little left over for pleasure and hobby spending. Reportedly consumer confidence is up now but confidence does not put money in your bank account. Just curious what others take is. I have noticed that there are some killer deals on stuff that folks obviously really want to sell and the items remain unsold.

 

[Kracken McGraw]

I’m sure also worries of scams and putting your personal info out there has some holding back.

 

[joshb]

It’s the typical pre Christmas doldrums. It happens every year. This year may be worse because of horrible inflation, tho. It’s slowing everything down.
I was behind a gal at the grocery store, yesterday. She had a full cart and her bill was over $700. Just crazy.

 

[Olspark]

Some may object paying today‘s price for a 40 year old product as well. If I’m paying today’s price, I expect today’s product. YMMV

 

[Kracken McGraw]

It also maybe a bad gamble if those bullets didn’t shoot in your rifle, will they shoot in mine.

 

[R.Morehouse]

Shipping stuff SUCKS this time of year and the cost is going up. USPS all around here is hiring, those jobs used to be unobtanium, but now it's signing on the dotted line and you're in......A new crop of " Dock Apes " to handle your new to you scope etc.......Rant Over......sorry

Regards
Rick

 

[hogpatrol]

The matches at the range I frequent are still well attended but the daytime attendance is down. If one didn't stock up before prices went schidzoid, reloading isn't exactly cheap anymore.

 

[Walt Krafft]

Some of the ads are terrible. Poor photos, too many items in one post, retail prices plus shipping costs. Looked at one this morning with over 100 posts, a lot of bumps, bumping it more than a couple of times without a price drop or some other change is a waste of time.

 

[Knotwild]

I don't have the money available. I retired, and retiring will show you what inflation really means.

 

[urbanrifleman]

For some time now sales have been very slow. I am sure it is the same on all forums, Gunbroker, EBay, etc. I assume that inflation has put the average person where it takes all their income for essentials and very little left over for pleasure and hobby spending. Reportedly consumer confidence is up now but confidence does not put money in your bank account. Just curious what others take is. I have noticed that there are some killer deals on stuff that folks obviously really want to sell and the items remain unsold.

The economy is much worse for the average guy than anyone wants to admit.

Post COVID massive price increases on everything has finally caught up the average guy. That pickup that Joe used to buy every 4 years went from 30 grand to 80 grand.... Over a 100k for a fancy truck. Eggs were 99 cents now they are 4 bucks... People upside down from trying to maintain their pre COVID lifestyles... People are deep in debt.

 

[M-61]

Scams, time of the year, shipping costs.
If each takes 10% cut that’s 30% less right there. And as said in a previous post paying $700.00 for groceries well that’s another reason…. no disposable income.

 

[Downeast]

I might be wrong but it seems that overall the younger crowd is not into materialism as much as my older age group. They don't seem to collect anything. Be it guns, knives, coins, trinkets, whatever. Growing up it seems like everyone was collecting something but now no one seems to have the interest or desire. One of my good friends who just turned 30 and has a high income has a very simplistic lifestyle. He and his wife live in a very nice but very spartan house. They have very few furnishings and very few trinkets or "dust collectors" to speak of. Not even many paintings on the walls. But everything he does own is of high quality. He owns a few shotguns for bird hunting and one rifle for deer hunting. That's it. Basically he only owns and keeps what he needs. And he could afford to buy whatever he wants.

But I read that over the holidays sales will break all time records again. So people are still buying like crazy, the big question being what are they buying? Personally, I haven't bought a firearm in quite some time. A small group of us go out every month to visit a new gunshop and then find a place to eat. Going to the gunshop is basically an excuse to go eat. I've probably looked at thousands of firearms, both new and used, and I have found nothing that peaked my interest enough to contemplate a purchase. I have all that I need and I'm actually thinking of getting rid of some that I no longer shoot. I have enough powder, bullets, and primers to last me at the going rate at least another decade or so. So that's not a problem either.

So basically, the reason I don't buy anything is because I don't need it and if I do buy it I have to keep up with it. Sounds like a total PITA!

 

[urbanrifleman]

I might be wrong but it seems that overall the younger crowd is not into materialism as much as my older age group. They don't seem to collect anything. Be it guns, knives, coins, trinkets, whatever. Growing up it seems like everyone was collecting something but now no one seems to have the interest or desire.

This is a very interesting point.

My wife and I often talk about the rise of the "mini storage". They are everywhere. People have their stuff. Then they get more stuff. Then they rent a place to store more stuff. We watch "barn find" shows on Youtube. There are literally people who have 50 muscle cars rotting in barns and they won't sell any of them. Just sitting there rotting. But NONE are for sale.

You have to wonder.

 

[Blackthorn]

I actually gave up trying to sell stuff anymore. I give it away with donations to AS. Stuff seems to move that way and it’s a good cause.

 

[wright brothers]

R.M. I'll tell her who called her a dock ape lol.

I camped on these ads until I got a run around. I still glance.
By the time I called a wtf the original posting was gone.
Not whining, you asked I told.

 

[SEM]

Covid, social media and the internet, what more is there in their minds, no more collectors, very few want to own as much and be stuck in one place because of it. my kids and their friends are of that mind set and they have good jobs and more money than I did at their age.... they dont even want what I have to leave them.....

Guns are evil, Things are unnecessary leave all your money in the bank... Buy an electric car sounds like socialism communism to me

 

[davidjoe]

Some may object paying today‘s price for a 40 year old product as well. If I’m paying today’s price, I expect today’s product. YMMV

Here’s a 40 or more year old example of what I thought had been priced high.

Most of my 40-X’s lately come from a Cabela’s store, somewhere.

We can’t see the bores, they never once have included a bore scope picture. They describe them all as “bright”.

I haven’t been disappointed, but this kind of buying in the dark is risky.

The listing shows a reduced price and it’s a nice chunk, and so I bought it. It’s the same price as a new stock.

To clear the market, old items have to seem like a far better deal relative to new products.

This is a terrible reality, but honest sellers of great old items are paying the price for sellers who have passed off their known problems, which is not a perceived risk buying new inventory.

 

[okie]

FWIW ...My business slows drastically this time of year (to the point of working solely for the purpose of keeping employees paid) 22 year track record on this. EXCEPT for this year!!! I assume our recent election has put some hope in peoples hearts because i am as busy as ever!! its crazy! never happened before.

 

[Sniperhandle]

Most Americans have used their homes as an ATM, Refinancing once in a while to pay off their debts, They can't afford that anymore with the interest rates doubled.

My home is paid for and I would never consider starting the clock over to 30 years even if rates were at 2%.

One of my best friends just bought a modest home for $340,000 his payment is almost $2500.00 a month. If he had bought in 2019 it would have been $1100.00 a month and he would have paid $160,000.

I really feel for my Grandkids and their generation, It's going to be tough.

So the reason the classified have come to a screeching halt is inflation and the cost of borrowing. Wages have stagnated and the cost of living has tripled.

As far as reloading stuff goes, The Ukraine war and AI and electric vehicles have caused metals to skyrocket.

 

[nmkid]

But I read that over the holidays sales will break all time records again. So people are still buying like crazy, the big question being what are they buying?

Melt those credit cards!