Someone explain something about Gunbroker

[kbkatl]

I just bought an Alien Pistol and am watching them pop up on Gunbroker. But I see that some have listed with no reserve, others have no bids and the auction closes.

I am wondering how people "game" the system. Everyone paid 5,000 to get one as a base price. For those that don't have a reserve, I can't imagine they would take a loss - so do they bid it up themselves? Do they have friends who submit bids to keep the price going up and if they don't get what they want, do they just "fake" the sale and never send it out?

I don't buy or sell on Gunbroker (I did buy one gun, but it was a long time ago). I saw one auction that had a starting price of 7,500 and there was one bid at that price and then a "buy now" at 8,500. I can't believe someone just did a "buy now" for that price when there were others still active that could be bid for much less.

I'm assuming there is some price fixing and gamesmanship, but I have no idea how all that actually works.

If I could sell my Alien for 9K, I might have to let it go, but I don't believe that is actually happening.

So from those who know what's going on - how are people fixing the game on GunBroker?

thanks

 

[baxterday]

I once bid on a SAAB in Key Largo, I was out bid at the last minute then noticed it relisted a short time later. I inquired and the seller told me his buddy was bidding on it for him so it wouldn't go so cheap. I got them both banned from Ebay at the time. Jerks!

 

[jeep78]

Shill bidding or just cancel the auction and relist.

 

[ReloaderBen]

I've suspected there is the same thing going on on Gun Broker. Buddies or extra accounts bidding items up.

 

[kbkatl]

I once bid on a SAAB in Key Largo, I was out bid at the last minute then noticed it relisted a short time later. I inquired and the seller told me his buddy was bidding on it for him so it wouldn't go so cheap. I got them both banned from Ebay at the time. Jerks!

That is what I am thinking is going on. I wondered if Gunbroker had safeguards in place. Does the seller owe Gunbroker a commission when an item sells? that could be a deterrent. or can the seller just say the deal fell through and relist it if they don't get their price?

I saw a completed auction on an Alien for 11K and I just don't believe it could sell for that much. I'm trying to figure out what is going on. I bought mine with the intention to shoot, but there is a price where I would let it go - I just don't believe that these guns could sell for some of what I'm seeing.

 

[GeauxLSU]

I just bought an Alien Pistol and am watching them pop up on Gunbroker. But I see that some have listed with no reserve, others have no bids and the auction closes.

I am wondering how people "game" the system. Everyone paid 5,000 to get one as a base price. For those that don't have a reserve, I can't imagine they would take a loss - so do they bid it up themselves? Do they have friends who submit bids to keep the price going up and if they don't get what they want, do they just "fake" the sale and never send it out?

I don't buy or sell on Gunbroker (I did buy one gun, but it was a long time ago). I saw one auction that had a starting price of 7,500 and there was one bid at that price and then a "buy now" at 8,500. I can't believe someone just did a "buy now" for that price when there were others still active that could be bid for much less.

I'm assuming there is some price fixing and gamesmanship, but I have no idea how all that actually works.

If I could sell my Alien for 9K, I might have to let it go, but I don't believe that is actually happening.

So from those who know what's going on - how are people fixing the game on GunBroker?

thanks

Why not? If I thought $8,500 was a good price why would I not grab it rather than wait for other bids on other guns to exceed it? Again, if I thought it was a good price.
"No reserve" doesn't mean no minimum bid. The reserve price is hidden, the minimum bid is not (obviously).

 

[GeauxLSU]

Does the seller owe Gunbroker a commission when an item sells?

Yes. https://www.gunbroker.com/c/user/fees/

 

[Bryan]

I just won an auction yesterday on GB . I put in my max bid and don’t look at it again until it is over. Not going to get caught up in a bidding war at the end.

 

[GAgunLAWbooklet]

It seems like on gunbroker people *do* game the system
by having friends or family members bid outrageous high numbers,
probably with no intention of completing the sale
if it's a friend or family member that wins (gunbroker will charge a fee for a completed sale, which can be significant for high value guns).
But if some stranger gets sucked in to the fake bidding frenzy up that high, well great! Windfall profit (if the stranger follows through to buy the item like he should).

 

[GAgunLAWbooklet]

One thing we all need to keep in mind about GunBroker is that the highest bid we see published on their website for any active auction is not really the highest bid that has been committed and put into the system--
rather, what you see is the lowest possible dollar amount that beats the second highest bid that's been entered into the system.