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Reasons Your Gun Didn't Sell

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R.J.Bruce

40 Cal
Joined
Apr 10, 2019
Messages
324
Reaction score
436
I have been visiting various m-l forums for more than a decade now.

Like most of us, I probably spend time on these forums as much to "Window Shop", as for any other reason that I visit.

When I view someone's FOR SALE add, the first thing I notice, after any incorrect written information about the offer, are LOUSY, BLURRY, DARK, INDISTINCT, POORLY LIT, BAD BACKGROUNDS, TOO FEW IMAGES, OR NONE AT ALL!!!!!!!!

If the true purpose of a FOR SALE add, is to sell an item online, then quite a few posters here do not seem to have their hearts in the job.

First impressions on a job interview are critical, and the same applies to an online FOR SALE add. PERIOD.

I am about as technologically challenged as any man walking this planet. But, if I REALLY wanted the best chance of selling my gun here then I would take the time TO LEARN how to pick a proper background material that would best highlight my gun, arrange the lighting do that there were no shadows & no glare, and take sufficient images to show EVERYTHING about the weapon that I know is going to be asked about it.

Todays cell phones have sufficiently sophisticated cameras in them, that there is NO EXCUSE for bad images. Except not caring enough to post them. Stating online that you don't know how to post images is lame. There is plenty of help to be had from the moderators of any forum to show how to post images.

Stating online that you can't take good images shows that you don't care enough to provide the potential purchaser of your gun, with the information necessary to make an informed decision .

That information includes both clear images, and all the written data about the gun that YOU KNOW.

Type of military arm?
Type of trade gun?
School of longrifle?
Maker of barrel?
Length of barrel?
Straight octagon?
Swamped octagon?
Octagon-Round?
Caliber?
Bore diameter?
Groove diameter?
Type of grooves?
Rate of twist? (gain twist?)
Flintlock or percussion?
Maker of lock?
Maker of trigger(s)?
Maker of any special parts?
Engraver?
Maker of gun?
Weight of gun?
Length of gun?
Length of pull?
Drop at comb?
Drop at heel?
Width of the butt?
Height of the butt?

In short, ANYTHING that might aid in completing your sale.

If you have a FOR SALE add here, and your gun is not selling, then at the top of the list is probably poor images, too few images, no images, or not enough data. Or some combination of the four.

If this seems like a PET PEEVE of mine, that's because it is. I wan't EVERYBODY to sell their guns. It's just hard to.make a sale if people are struggling to see, or understand, what YOU ARE TRYING TO SELL!!!!

Of course, your gun might not sell just because no one wants to buy it. Nothing much you can do except repost at a later date. But, it sure won't help if ANY of the above applies to your online add.
 
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At all costs, make it easy for someone to buy it. Lots of pictures posted in the ad post, not added later. Not "Ask for pictures to be emailed". That doesn't cut it.

I would also add the measurements of the barrel flat to flat. That makes it easier to estimate weight.
 
R.J.Bruce your post ought to be made a sitckie. I'm 100% in agreement with you about images and excuses for poor ones. If a person has difficulties taking and/or posting pictures there is probably someone in the household that can help. I see dark photos to the point of obscuring any detail or ones that could be cropped or otherwise edited. Simple issues that could be corrected with the photo editing program on the computer or phone. Something that is not difficult to learn or use. I have spent a lot of time shopping and buying online as well as selling (that unmentionable auction site) and when I see blurry images, often with an excuse, my thoughts are someone is trying to hide something and I don't give it a second glance. Another irritant is those who don't post photos saying they will e-mail them if requested and then there are those who open an ad saying photos will follow or they are just testing the waters. Learning to post images is even easier that learning to edit and an ad without photos is an ad ignored, at least by me. I do a lot of "window shopping" and have passed over an ad only to keep going back to look at the images and read the description till I convinced myself that I really did need the item. That never happens with a poor description or lack of good photos. First impressions are the most important ones. Time spent in learning to edit and post will be repaid many times over in selling and posting quality images on social media and e-mails too.

You have an excellent list of things that the potential purchaser ought to know thought I'm not sure it all needs to be in the ad but the basics should be. PMs or conversations (Yes, the seller and potential buyer both need to understand how to start one before the ad goes up) can be used to answer specific questions and send photos as requested as well as exchange personal info. It should be recognized that specific information isn't always available specially in the case of an old build or if the seller didn't obtain the item from the builder but an honest effort should be made to provide all that can be verified.
 
On another forum, i passed on two possibly Uberti .36 al Navys. Seller would not take any addition pics or comment on condition, or confirm if they were Ubertis. Being that they were 1969 & 1972 brass framed, i passed. They are still for sale although packaged with another rifle that the vendor refuses to comment on.
so if you want fast sales and keep your reputation, be very clear with what you have. I personally post all possible pictures in my initial listing.
 
I have been visiting various m-l forums for more than a decade now.

Like most of us, I probably spend time on these forums as much to "Window Shop", as for any other reason that I visit.

When I view someone's FOR SALE add, the first thing I notice, after any incorrect written information about the offer, are LOUSY, BLURRY, DARK, INDISTINCT, POORLY LIT, BAD BACKGROUNDS, TOO FEW IMAGES, OR NONE AT ALL!!!!!!!!

If the true purpose of a FOR SALE add, is to sell an item online, then quite a few posters here do not seem to have their hearts in the job.

First impressions on a job interview are critical, and the same applies to an online FOR SALE add. PERIOD.

I am about as technologically challenged as any man walking this planet. But, if I REALLY wanted the best chance of selling my gun here then I would take the time TO LEARN how to pick a proper background material that would best highlight my gun, arrange the lighting do that there were no shadows & no glare, and take sufficient images to show EVERYTHING about the weapon that I know is going to be asked about it.

Todays cell phones have sufficiently sophisticated cameras in them, that there is NO EXCUSE for bad images. Except not caring enough to post them. Stating online that you don't know how to post images is lame. There is plenty of help to be had from the moderators of any forum to show how to post images.

Stating online that you can't take good images shows that you don't care enough to provide the potential purchaser of your gun, with the information necessary to make an informed decision .

That information includes both clear images, and all the written data about the gun that YOU KNOW.

Type of military arm?
Type of trade gun?
School of longrifle?
Maker of barrel?
Length of barrel?
Straight octagon?
Swamped octagon?
Octagon-Round?
Caliber?
Bore diameter?
Groove diameter?
Type of grooves?
Rate of twist? (gain twist?)
Flintlock or percussion?
Maker of lock?
Maker of trigger(s)?
Maker of any special parts?
Engraver?
Maker of gun?
Weight of gun?
Length of gun?
Length of pull?
Drop at comb?
Drop at heel?
Width of the butt?
Height of the butt?

In short, ANYTHING that might aid in completing your sale.

If you have a FOR SALE add here, and your gun is not selling, then at the top of the list is probably poor images, too few images, no images, or not enough data. Or some combination of the four.

If this seems like a PET PEEVE of mine, that's because it is. I wan't EVERYBODY to sell their guns. It's just hard to.make a sale if people are struggling to see, or understand, what YOU ARE TRYING TO SELL!!!!

Of course, your gun might not sell just because no one wants to buy it. Nothing much you can do except repost at a later date. But, it sure won't help if ANY of the above applies to your online add.

Agreed
This is an attention to detail hobby.
Taking good photos with a cell phone for an ad should be one too.

I am digital technology challenged myself. But if I ever need to post ad photos, they will be good ones.
I take very good pictures, but I may have to get my tech-savvy wife to post them.
 
Don't be too hard on pic QUALITY. Not all phones have great cameras. Mine certainly doesn't. However there is no excuse for taking pics out of focus or lighting and poor background. Take pics of it all and from several angles/sides just as if you were going to pic it up and inspect it in person if YOU were going to buy it yourself. Good lighting goes a LONG way to making a good pic.
 
Well said and great advice. When I post an ad I try very hard to provide all the information possible as well as at least 3 quality pictures. I have sold a pile of stuff in the last 18 months and all at top prices. Most is sold the same day I post the ad yet i see good guns listed for months that don't move for exactly the reasons you talk about.
 
Funny, I've been thinking about posting a topic about needed info in certain advertisements.
I don't understand why sellers don't pay attention to the same questions that get asked of every classified offering of a long gun, if not already provided.
"What is the length of pull, or l.o.p."?
"What does it weigh?"
Along with the obvious pertinent info that usually does get posted in the ad the 1st time.

In a similar vein. Powder horns.
Selling a powder horn meant for use?
How about a picture or two showing how the horn, especially the tip, will orient when worn hung from a strap?
 
Agree. Good pics are very important. But other factors are involved. Most especially the number potential customers this, or any, site can reach. This is a good forum with a fair number of devoted ml'ers. But, as a market, the numbers of people who may be interested in buying your rifle is quite small. I have had luck here. But also could not get bites on an offering. Putting the rifle on a large vendors web site exposed it to hundres, maybe thousands, more potential customers. I always sold promptly. BTW, the vendor took and posted the pics.
 
I have a pet peeve as well; I have been asked to take a ton of extra pictures of an item I am selling above what I have already posted. I spend a bunch of time taking, editing and resizing the extra pictures, email them to the guy and he never even acknowledges receiving them or makes a yea or nay comment about buying the item.

Dang tire kickers......
 
Some people have made it their hobby to be $&@holes. Or maybe that's their job, I dunno.
 
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