Tips for Buying and Selling Used Airsoft Items PDF Print E-mail
Written by GZDonner   
Wednesday, 13 July 2011 09:41

Buying and Selling used airsoft guns and gear requires a commitment that both parties must adhere to for the transactions to take place smoothly.   Here are some tips that should help aid anyone wanting to buy or sell something on a forum or a dedicated sale section like we have here on ASCO.

In no particular order:

  1. Photograph from several angles the items you wish to sell.  Any party interested in your items will most likely ask for photos 99% of the time.
  2. When starting a for sale or want to buy thread, start the title off with WTS/FS (Want To Sell / For Sale) or WTB (Want To Buy).  This helps prospective viewers narrow down what they are looking for and zero in on your items.
  3. At the beginning of your thread list what your rules are:
    • Taking Trades / no Trades
    • Shipping included / Will not ship
    • Prices Firm / OBO / sold as-is
    • Payment method be it cash, paypal etc. Payment after shipped?  before shipping?  Cash in hand?
  4. List your items in a bullet fashion.  NO one wants to read a run on sentence paragraph with items you want to sell.  If it's easier to read, people will take the time to look.
  5. Give out contact information that you will check and know you will be reachable at.  There is NOTHING worse than giving out an email address that you only check once a week!
  6. Once you have a prospective buyer lined up, keep the communication between you and the party.  Tracking numbers, where you will be if you are unreachable for a certain amount of time, etc.  This goes for you if you are the buyer also!
  7. COMMUNICATION.
  8. DO NOT over exaggerate the item's condition! You will have an angry buyer.  At this point:
  9. Be prepared to take returns when you sell airsoft items.  Sometimes things just don't work out.
  10. Communication.
  11. Be reasonable with your prices.  No one knows that you dropped your gun 10ft off a rock but it still "looks Brand new". 
    Fully upgrading a gun with a bazillion 3rd party parts is a double bladed sword in the world of FS/WTB. 
    A:  It makes the gun shoot harder, stronger, faster more accurate, looks cooler et al.
    and B:  It tells the buyer you've broken the gun down, fiddled with the parts and managed to get into the gearbox. The buyer doesn't know you're a super expert on fixing airsoft guns or if the gun was a guinea pig for your first ever upgrade you did by yourself with no prior experience.  Get the point?

Now, those are just some small tips to help.  I emphasize communication because without it, you will go down in flames in terms of reputation selling items and your reputation on the field.  This is a big facet because if you do tarnish your FS/WTB reputation, you will have a harder time selling items due to your past. 
Please post in the comment section below if you have any other input on this subject!

Goggles on!
Last Updated on Wednesday, 13 July 2011 12:35
 

Comments  

 
0 #3 GZDonner 2011-07-15 18:43
Thanks guys for the comments, these types of conversations will help those who wish to "test the waters" and will hopefully steer them to a clean transaction where both parties are happy.
 
 
0 #2 GZDynastar 2011-07-13 17:11
Only buy and sell on trusted sites. Some sites are so large they are perfect for scammers.

Try to use tracking when shipping that way you are both cleared it the package is "lost".

Don't send the money as a gift (PP) unless you know the person personally. PP doesn't help if you get ripped off if the money is sent as a gift.

If buying, don't offer your crappy non-working famas and 50 bucks cash money for a $400 KWA. AKA- don't lowball or you wont even get a response.

pics pics pics
 
 
+1 #1 mazmaz 2011-07-13 12:32
+1 to Donner. I do a lot of Buying/selling/trading on one of the national forums and I have to say, making your post easy to read is one of the most over looked aspects of the WTS/WTB listings. Clear pictures and easy to locate info is the way to go.
Your reputation is important as well. Most sites have a rating or blacklist system. In 3 years of pretty steady sales and trades, I have only had one really bad transaction. Unfortunately it was completely my fault but I was up front with my buyer and got it fixed. Be prepared to fix a problem. You might have that 40 or 50 dollars in hand once the deal is done, but when he gets home and realizes he got screwed, you will lose a lot more in the long run. He will tell his friends and the guys he knows about it, and it will effect you eventually. Airsoft is a small community, sooner or later it'll bite you on the hind-quarters. Plus...Nobody likes a turd. Be fair and be upfront.
 

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