Why can't I sell my shotgun?

[_CY_]

Okla Shooters is a pretty active forum... after a week or so of posting with clear pictures and detailed description ..... (incomplete ads that lack basic details don't count).

unless it's a super esoteric item that needs national exposure.
if it doesn't sell.... price is probably off...

by the way... what you paid may not have any bearing on going price.
a perfect example is ammo and other military weapons. if one paid $$$ at the peak of the spike.... don't be surprised/insulted if one gets offers at going price much lower that what you paid.

Thanks to you all. I did a little book value research and thought I might be on with the price, but was actually way off. I appreciate the comments.

 

[Deacon]

Well, sales theory dictates either the price is bad or the market is bad. If you researched your price and it sounds fair enough I guess you just need a better market.

Do yourself a favor and toss out the "lower the price until it sells" theory. Price it COMPETITIVELY, and market it effectively.

Example:
I had a 300$ knife for sale at 180$ and I didn't even get a nibble.

Once I got to that price point I held onto it and sold other stuff. If I decide I want to sell it again in the future, I'll evaluate what others are selling them for and price it accordingly.

 

[_CY_]

a high end knife is a perfect example of a specialty item that needs exposure to a national audience.

Well, sales theory dictates either the price is bad or the market is bad. If you researched your price and it sounds fair enough I guess you just need a better market.

Do yourself a favor and toss out the "lower the price until it sells" theory. Price it COMPETITIVELY, and market it effectively.

Example:
I had a 300$ knife for sale at 180$ and I didn't even get a nibble.

Once I got to that price point I held onto it and sold other stuff. If I decide I want to sell it again in the future, I'll evaluate what others are selling them for and price it accordingly.

 

[Antichrome]

While your price may be a bit high, thats not the whole story.
The market on A5's is just a bit soft right now, especially for non-belgian,
and even more so for 20ga.
Its a sweet gun that just doesnt get the respect it deserves.
Hang onto it for a while.

 

[SHOTGUN12]

Once you set your price, you may need to consider (as CY mentioned) posting it on one of the national sites .... that deal mainly with shotguns.
Not that your gun is all that unique, but if you can get it to an audience that is more into that 'specific' type of thing, your chances are a lot better.
About a year ago I listed a Bushmaster M4 type AR15 for sale here. I knew the price was right, but it just didn't move .... and there was no way I was going to lower the price.
After a couple weeks (and a few totally ridiculous offers), I listed it in the AR15.Com classifieds. In just a few days, a guy (a Marine) in OKC bought it, and even drove up here to Ponca from OKC to pick it up.
He emailed a few days later, to tell me how thrilled he was about the deal.

 

[J.T.]

I have sold two pretty odd ball over and under shotguns on here the past month or so and feel like the buyer got a steal and I got a fair deal. Probably lost 50-75 bucks under what I could have had if I had gone national or waited but did not have to mess with FFL's or shipping.

 

[ProBusiness]

when i was a kid a A5 was the gun to have. Everyone was looking for one.

Now, they are not so much in demand. i think they are thought of as an 'old gun'.

the cycling action has an extra movement to it that it not welcome and people do not like it.

if i bought one it would be for old times sake and basically would sit in the vault.

my opinion is that they are heavy and kick compared to the never semis.

 

[dennishoddy]

when i was a kid a A5 was the gun to have. Everyone was looking for one.

Now, they are not so much in demand. i think they are thought of as an 'old gun'.

the cycling action has an extra movement to it that it not welcome and people do not like it.

if i bought one it would be for old times sake and basically would sit in the vault.

my opinion is that they are heavy and kick compared to the never semis.

Its all about the grade and age of the A5. I have one in Sweet 16, with a Bishop Monte Carlo stock in the hi grade of wood that has been apraised well over 1K. It had never been shot prior to me owning it. Its a 1950's model.
I have a Model 12 Win that I refinished, and reblue'd that is a trap grade, worth a lot compared to a model 12 TG&Y model.
Re-blueing it reduced the value some as far as a collector is concerned, but with the horrible condition it was in before, the blue'ing probably increased the value in my opion.
I don't have one but the Browning O/U lightnings superposed had about 6 or 7 grades of finish or wood. If you go to gunbroker.com, they range from $600 to the mid $1500. You just have to know what your looking for.

Take some of the Rem 870's. Everybody thinks they are a good $300 SD gun, but they have been built in the trap and pidgon grades that would make your head swim if you were to try and buy one.

 

[ProBusiness]

I don't care what grade of wood it is. It is old technology and myself and the guys I hunt with, shoot skeet, trap, and 5 stand with are not going to spend $700 on a A5. PERIOD. Not even if it is a great buy. Not going to happen. Because they know they don't like shooting them and it will sit - REGARDLESS OF GRADE AND AGE.

The guy asked why he could not sell his gun for the $950 and then the $700 range. In my opionion, guys will spend that $700 on a quality o/u or a late model lighter, smoother, and better handling semi in the bretta, browning and maybe remington premier range that they will shoot.

Now that being said, maybe a A5 lover or collector will make his choice based on GRADE AND AGE.

Now, talking about semis - list a remington 1100, 1187, a bretta urika 391 or even an older 390 guns that guys are still shooting competition skeet and trap with and hunting with, and it will have a larger audience.

You said you have a sweet 16 A5 and when you bought it, it had never been shot. THAT's MY POINT.

 

[Hondafire]

I had a beautiful A-5 Japan made that was a mag twenty, screw in choke model and had it for sale forever. I started it out at $1000 or something close to that and ended up taking $700 about 6 weeks later.