selling guns online can be a hassle

[AlongCameJones]

I've just sold two guns via Gunbroker.com by auction, no reserve, minimum bid. This is my first online selling experience. The first time, I was sent a personal check because the buyer didn't want to be bothered by waiting at the post office to buy a money order. I decided I would go ahead and take the personal check. I would only ship the gun after confirmation that the check had cleared. It took several days for the personal check to get to me in the mail. I deposited the check on a Monday at my ATM but got no email alert that the check had actually cleared for one week. The buyer got antsy and emailed me about it. I had to call my bank on the telephone. I complained that I never was notified by email that the check had cleared but they said they comfirmed that it cleared on their end. I then went to ShipMyGun.com to buy the shipping label using a credit card. It took until the next day for me to finally get my shipping label because they had to have a human verify the FFL info. I finally shipped the gun off to the buyer today at my local USP Hub. The long gun was shipped in its orginal box and covered with white Reynolds freezer paper because no firearms-related markings are supposed to show. One cannot ship a gun using the UPS Store, which is closer and quicker for me to ship usually, but in my town, Lawton, it is real fast to use the UPS Store to ship things with prepaid labels. I'm usually in and out of there within a minute to drop off a preapid shipment and get a receipt and tracking number. It took about 20 minutes at my local UPS Hub to drop the prepaid-label gun off for shipping and get a receipt with tracking number.

Now, today I have just deposited the USPS money order I got for the second sale at my bank teller in person. My ATM won't take a money order for deposit like a check so I had to use the human teller inside. The woman told me it will take until tomorrow for the USPS money order to clear as there have been cases of counterfeit of even postal money orders. I could have taken the money order to the post office to be cashed, but that is much farther away to drive, wait in line there then have to drive back to my bank to deposit the cash.

I can't use PayPal because PayPal doesn't allow firerarms transactions. I've also made it a rule of mine to accept no more personal checks for online sales. I could use the GunBrokerPay system at GB.com, but they asked me for my username and password that I log into my bank online with and I said the devil with that. If I link a bank account with eBay, amazon or PayPal, they only ask for the routing number and account number of my checking account. Why GB wants my online banking login information I can't say.

After all the above is said, I'm wondering if anybody here has sold guns online and found it to be somewhat of a pain. I have used Armslist before and had good luck with it but then had bad luck this year trying to get rid of two long guns while paying a subscription fee of $6.99 month after month for 5 months straight. Online gun sales, for all their hassles, open up a much larger buyer market, however. It's still cheaper to sell online than give up a 20% cut to a local gun shop on a consignment sale. Gunbroker takes a cut on your sale but not nearly 20%.

 

[ratski]

Well, first, you can use one of the other cash payment aps like Venmo or Zelle. No restrictions there that I know of on firearms.
In your postings, state clearly No personal checks, Venmo, Zelle or USPMO only.
As to shipping, why UPS? It was a long gun, couldn't you ship thru the post office?

 

[harley128]

Yes. And you are correct. It is a hassle. That’s why I don’t do it very often. Unless you are really getting a premium for the gun, a local sale washes out about the same.

 

[Catswithguns]

I’ve bought many firearms off of GB, mostly because you can find a large selection of different weapons for sale. Now that they collect sales tax, I try gunsinternational for most purchases. Never had a problem with personal checks, but then I’m not usually selling them either. I sure as hell don’t like the fees they charge for credit cards. They want the convenience of fast pay, but don’t want the business expense of CC’s.

 

[Oklahomabassin]

 

[PanhandleGlocker]

I've just sold two guns via Gunbroker.com by auction, no reserve, minimum bid. This is my first online selling experience. The first time, I was sent a personal check because the buyer didn't want to be bothered by waiting at the post office to buy a money order. I decided I would go ahead and take the personal check. I would only ship the gun after confirmation that the check had cleared. It took several days for the personal check to get to me in the mail. I deposited the check on a Monday at my ATM but got no email alert that the check had actually cleared for one week. The buyer got antsy and emailed me about it. I had to call my bank on the telephone. I complained that I nverer was notified by email that the check had cleared but they said they comfirmed that it cleared on their end. I then went to ShipMyGun.com to buy the shipping label using a credit card. It took until the next day for me to finally get my shipping label because they had to have a human verify the FFL info. I finally shipped the gun off to the buyer today at my local USP Hub. The long gun was shipped in its orginal box and covered with white Reynolds freezer paper because no firearms-related markings are supposed to show. One cannot ship a gun using the UPS Store, which is closer and quicker for me to ship usually, but in my town, lawton, it is real fast to use the UPS Store to ship things with prepaid labels. I'm usually in and out of there within a minute t drop ioff a preapid shipment and get a receipt and tracking number. It took about 20 minutes at my local UPS Hub to drop the prepaid-label gun off for shipping and get a receipt with tracking number.

Now, today I have just deposited the USPS money order I got for the second sale at my bank teller in person. My ATM won't take a money order for deposit like a check so I had to sue the human teller inside. The woman told me it will take until tomorrow for the USPS money order to clear as there have been cases of counterfeit of even postal money orders. I could have taken the money order to the post office to be cashed, but that is much farther away to drive, wait in line there then have to drive back to my bank to deposit the cash.

I can't use PayPal because PayPal doesn't allow firerarms transactions. I've also made it a rule of mine to accept to more personal checks for online sales. I could use te GunBroker Pay system at GB.com, but they asked me for my username and password that I log into my bank online with and I said the devil with that. If I link a bank account with eBay, amazon or PayPal, they only ask for the routing number and account number of my checking account. Why GB wants my online banking login information I can't say.

After all the above is said, I'm wondering if anybody here has sold guns online and found it to be somewhat of a pain. I have used Armslist before and had good luck with it but then had bad luck thsi year trying to get rid of two long guns while paying a subscription fee of $6.99 month after month for 5 months straight. Online gun sales, for all their hassles, open up a much larger buyer market, however. It's still cheaper to sell online than give up a 20% cut to a local gun shop on a consignment sale. Gunbroker takes a cut on your sale but not nearly 20%.

why didn’t you just post them up on here?

 

[Revolvers4Life]

I have only sold a couple rare collector guns online, otherwise its not worth my time or headache. Plus the more you sell on here the more relationships and contacts you can build that can help you out in the future

 

[turkeyrun]

Many buys and sells through the OLD Armslist. Never a problem. Refuse to pay them to look at listings.

Have bought 2 online. No problems. Get mightymouse to handle it for you.

Haven't sold any online. Do it local or gunshows. I prefer ftf

I have only sold a couple rare collector guns online, otherwise its not worth my time or headache. Plus the more you sell on here the more relationships and contacts you can build that can help you out in the future

 

[JEVapa]

There are some days when I think he's for real, but...nah

 

[AlongCameJones]

Well, first, you can use one of the other cash payment aps like Venmo or Zelle. No restrictions there that I know of on firearms.
In your postings, state clearly No personal checks, Venmo, Zelle or USPMO only.
As to shipping, why UPS? It was a long gun, couldn't you ship thru the post office?

ShipMyGun.com by BudsGunShop.com did not even offer USPS as a shipping option at its site. I try to avoid the post office anyway if I can help it. Long waits in line and sometimes crabby USPS workers. It was about $25 and change to ship a long gun out of state via UPS Ground which the buyers pay anyway.