GB Non-paying buyer suggestions

[daekken]

I've bought several firearms off GunBroker without issue.
Decided to sell one for the first time last week.

About 11 hours before the end of the auction, I got a message from one guy asking me if I'd end the auction and sell it to him for $875 shipped (auction was at $765 at the time). I did not respond since the auction was nearly over anyway and I wasn't sure if that would be OK under GB's terms of service.

Fast forward to the end, and this guy ends up winning the auction after a small bidding war. Final price $966 and shipping not included, so roughly $125 more than he offered via message.

I sent him a GB message the morning after (1 am finish time), then followed up with an email two days after that, and no response at all. Per GB's policies, there's a 5 day period to make payment arrangements.

He's got A+ feedback, 11 reviews...including two in the last month, so he knows how this stuff works.
I was thinking one last message 24 hours before the end of the 5 day period and then initiating the non-payer report a couple hours past the 5 day deadline.

What do you guys think? One more message? Just wait to 5 days and report? Give him more time? I don't expect immediate contact but even if he needed time to get a paycheck or something, I think it's bad form to not even contact the seller after 3+ days...

 

[Deleted member 67409]

 

[Garys]

Wait the five days, then send the report. It smells like a scam to me.

 

[Rockrivr1]

Gunbroker will take the side of the seller every time. If you've already sent him emails and he hasn't responded I'd let it run it's course at this time. Once the 5 days are up report him and Gunbroker will restrict his account for 3-6 months. You can work with Gunbroker to contact the next highest bidder to see if they are still interested at their final price. If not, unfortunately you have to start all over again with a new auction. Sucks.

 

[enbloc]

Yep, Email again and CC the GP customer service depart. (or, whatever it's called) then, 5 days per the rules...

Then start a fresh posting.

 

[76Too]

maybe he died? probably eaten alive by murder hornets if i had to guess?

oh, and why the hell are you selling stuff on GB and not offering to the inmates (NES). shame on you for wanting to deal with (more often then not) paying customers and not getting skin flinted 10 ways to sunday

...standing by for incoming!

 

[enbloc]

Lol. I'm holding out for "Man-slaughter" Hornets...

 

[daekken]

maybe he died? probably eaten alive by murder hornets if i had to guess?

oh, and why the hell are you selling stuff on GB and not offering to the inmates (NES). shame on you for wanting to deal with (more often then not) paying customers and not getting skin flinted 10 ways to sunday

...standing by for incoming!

I've heard the "family emergency" stuff plenty of times. I typically believe the other person, but it's honestly happened to me like 3 times buying and selling stuff. Frequently enough that auction sellers and buyers must be among the most high-risk segments of the population.

The item isn't MA legal so my market would be NH, ME, RI, maybe VT. I ended up with 22 bids on a seven-day auction, so non-payer aside, decent interest.

If it were one of those "RARE IN MA!" guns, you can rest assured I'd add all the "custom" buzzwords and a full parts listing in order to generate max MA revenue.

 

[DJBrad]

I've heard the "family emergency" stuff plenty of times. I typically believe the other person, but it's honestly happened to me like 3 times buying and selling stuff. Frequently enough that auction sellers and buyers must be among the most high-risk segments of the population.

The item isn't MA legal so my market would be NH, ME, RI, maybe VT. I ended up with 22 bids on a seven-day auction, so non-payer aside, decent interest.

If it were one of those "RARE IN MA!" guns, you can rest assured I'd add all the "custom" buzzwords and a full parts listing in order to generate max MA revenue.

I’m now curious. So what was it?

 

[Deleted member 67409]

I've heard the "family emergency" stuff plenty of times. I typically believe the other person, but it's honestly happened to me like 3 times buying and selling stuff. Frequently enough that auction sellers and buyers must be among the most high-risk segments of the population.

The item isn't MA legal so my market would be NH, ME, RI, maybe VT. I ended up with 22 bids on a seven-day auction, so non-payer aside, decent interest.

If it were one of those "RARE IN MA!" guns, you can rest assured I'd add all the "custom" buzzwords and a full parts listing in order to generate max MA revenue.

@76Too, it wasn't a $1500 Glock with $200 ancient mags, no need to be concerned.

 

[daekken]

I’m now curious. So what was it?

The emergency, or the item?

I won an ebay auction once and I didn't hear from the seller for two weeks. He then finally contacted me and said the delay was because he was a 76 year old man and he tried skydiving and broke his hip during the landing, lol.

 

[Eric H]

I've heard the "family emergency" stuff plenty of times. I typically believe the other person, but it's honestly happened to me like 3 times buying and selling stuff. Frequently enough that auction sellers and buyers must be among the most high-risk segments of the population.

The item isn't MA legal so my market would be NH, ME, RI, maybe VT. I ended up with 22 bids on a seven-day auction, so non-payer aside, decent interest.

If it were one of those "RARE IN MA!" guns, you can rest assured I'd add all the "custom" buzzwords and a full parts listing in order to generate max MA revenue.

Make sure to call it a SAVAGE sale while you're at it.

 

[DJBrad]

The emergency, or the item?

I won an ebay auction once and I didn't hear from the seller for two weeks. He then finally contacted me and said the delay was because he was a 76 year old man and he tried skydiving and broke his hip during the landing, lol.

The gun. But your story is a good one too.

 

[jpm]

He probably got pissed that you didn't respond to his offer and got in a bidding war he now regrets. Or he decided to outbid anyone else to screw you.

 

[daekken]

The gun. But your story is a good one too.

Converted Saiga in 7.62x39.

 

[daekken]

He probably got pissed that you didn't respond to his offer and got in a bidding war he now regrets. Or he decided to outbid anyone else to screw you.

Thought about that, too. I've heard of people bidding on other peoples' auctions for the same make/model with no intention of paying in order to benefit their own auction by "affecting the competition."

 

[Deleted member 67409]

Thought about that, too. I've heard of people bidding on other peoples' auctions for the same make/model with no intention of paying in order to benefit their own auction by "affecting the competition."

I don't think driving up fair market value applies here because your buyer had no feedback as a seller, only as a buyer. Is he selling anything?

Spite is unfortunate but possible.

 

[daekken]

I don't think driving up fair market value applies here because your buyer had no feedback as a seller, only as a buyer. Is he selling anything?

Spite is unfortunate but possible.

No, I don't think he was trying to affect the price on mine like that (i.e., another seller). I think he either went over his budget and regretted it or wanted to screw with others by continuing to bid with no intention of following through.

But in the latter case, that seems really silly...getting a 3-6 month suspension potentially because a guy didn't respond to an offer to end the auction early? My response was just going to be "no sorry" anyway...

 

[Garys]

I worked for a woman who would pull that crap when she didn't want to do something for some reason. Suddenly, her son would "come down with something." and she'd promise to reschedule.

I've heard the "family emergency" stuff plenty of times. I typically believe the other person, but it's honestly happened to me like 3 times buying and selling stuff. Frequently enough that auction sellers and buyers must be among the most high-risk segments of the population.

 

[oppressed]

.

 

[Dennis in MA]

@76Too, it wasn't a $1500 Glock with $200 ancient mags, no need to be concerned.

You're behind. Someone sold a G19 preban mag for $275 last week on the XC.

 

[Reptile]

Call him on the phone and leave a message if he does not answer.

If after 5 days, call again. At about 7 days, file for none paying bidder.

Given the info you told us, the guy sounds legit.

Better to get the price he bid than having to restart the auction.

If he fails to pay - that is the risk of using GB.

A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush.

If no luck, set a Buy it Now for a high price and wait it out till the other bidders get wind of it.

 

[drgrant]

Converted Saiga in 7.62x39.

This is just gods way of punishing you for selling an AK right now.

-Mike

 

[daekken]

This is just gods way of punishing you for selling an AK right now.

-Mike

I have two other AKs including an Arsenal and the funds are either going to a suppressed M92 Krinkov build, FAL # 2, a Daewoo K2, or an AUG, lol.

 

[TPNES]

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[TPNES]

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[mwalsh9152]

The emergency, or the item?

I won an ebay auction once and I didn't hear from the seller for two weeks. He then finally contacted me and said the delay was because he was a 76 year old man and he tried skydiving and broke his hip during the landing, lol.

ROFL that's a great excuse!

Years ago I bought an extended swingarm for my ATV on Fleabay. Seller totally ghosted me. I reported it to ebay, and got the middle finger. I even filed a claim with his AG online. Like 9 months later a package randomly arrives with a swingarm in it. It was longer than I wanted, but at least I got something.

 

[mac1911]

I've bought several firearms off GunBroker without issue.
Decided to sell one for the first time last week.

About 11 hours before the end of the auction, I got a message from one guy asking me if I'd end the auction and sell it to him for $875 shipped (auction was at $765 at the time). I did not respond since the auction was nearly over anyway and I wasn't sure if that would be OK under GB's terms of service.

Fast forward to the end, and this guy ends up winning the auction after a small bidding war. Final price $966 and shipping not included, so roughly $125 more than he offered via message.

I sent him a GB message the morning after (1 am finish time), then followed up with an email two days after that, and no response at all. Per GB's policies, there's a 5 day period to make payment arrangements.

He's got A+ feedback, 11 reviews...including two in the last month, so he knows how this stuff works.
I was thinking one last message 24 hours before the end of the 5 day period and then initiating the non-payer report a couple hours past the 5 day deadline.

What do you guys think? One more message? Just wait to 5 days and report? Give him more time? I don't expect immediate contact but even if he needed time to get a paycheck or something, I think it's bad form to not even contact the seller after 3+ days...

with all the crazy shit going on give him a few days.
If you considered his offer you could accept his winning bid to include shipping. ?

 

[EJFudd]

In my GB experience, folks with significant positive feedback history and no negatives rarely turn out to be frauds. Once, due to extreme sickness, even I screwed up and failed to notice that I had won an auction. Thank God the seller eventually called me. I apologized profusely (felt like a damn fool) and mailed payment 30 minutes later. I also remember when an A+ dealer here in MA died a while back and folks on GB who had won his last auctions were all leaving negative feedback. They had no idea that he had passed.

In other words, stuff happens. Be patient, follow the rules and I'll bet it all works out okay in the end.

 

[daekken]

with all the crazy shit going on give him a few days.
If you considered his offer you could accept his winning bid to include shipping. ?

In my GB experience, folks with significant positive feedback history and no negatives rarely turn out to be frauds. Once, due to extreme sickness, even I screwed up and failed to notice that I had won an auction. Thank God the seller eventually called me. I apologized profusely (felt like a damn fool) and mailed payment 30 minutes later. I also remember when an A+ dealer here in MA died a while back and folks on GB who had won his last auctions were all leaving negative feedback. They had no idea that he had passed.

In other words, stuff happens. Be patient, follow the rules and I'll bet it all works out okay in the end.

I don't think he's a "scammer" per se, in the sense that he's trying to rob me. I think it's possible he went over the budget and regrets it or felt spiteful for whatever reason. I would have considered his offer if he made it when the auction was at $650 and still "fresh." As many of you know, the price usually jumps a good bit at the end, and this was no exception. The last six hours it climbed $256. There was no incentive to accept his offer with less than 12 hours to go.

Still, he's now past the GB allowed time to make contact.
My messages were not threatening or anything--my auction had "buyer pays actual shipping" and I asked him to provide FFL address so I can quote shipping, and asked him to have his FFL contact my FFL with his license to get the ball rolling.

Neither I nor my FFL have receive any contact from him at all.
I wasn't going to negative feedback, yet, just start a non-paying buyer report so I can relist it.

Going to give him until Friday evening. A full week, 2 days more than GunBroker's policy requires. I think that's fair.