What's wrong with my Auction

[Boba Debt 350]

[sunnybean 939]

Probably not the problem, but what's a "reak" AK bullet Guide?

[vulcan16 971]

Normally I have several people watching my auctions on GB, even the crazy ones.

 

Most of the time it doesn't sell but I don't have a single watcher for the auction for my flat top Saiga

 

Is there something wrong with the title or description?

 

http://www.gunbroker...?Item=203888208

 

"I used a reak AK bullet Guide and Trigger Guard when I restored this back to it's AK Configuration "

 

To those that don't know your work and the Saiga, this may sound possibly like a dining room hacksaw job.

You may simply want to rephrase the bullet guide and trigger guard part.

Also it's holiday time, and money is being spent elsewhere.

[yakdung 2,926]

Personally I don't do business when I see:

 

"MONEY ORDER / BANK CHECK / Money Transfer"

 

A buyer needs to feel some sort of recourse or protection when doing business on the Internet.

 

Just my observation.

 

Good luck to you,

Yakdung

[Shandlanos 1,470]

You don't have "AK" "AK-47" or "AKM" anywhere in the auction title. Somebody typing in 7.62 will find a million listings, it's unlikely someone will bother: "7.62x39" might be more helpful. The auctions with a lot of key words in the titles are much more likely to be near the top.

[Jpanzer 1,265]

Personally I don't do business when I see:

 

"MONEY ORDER / BANK CHECK / Money Transfer"

 

A buyer needs to feel some sort of recourse or protection when doing business on the Internet.

 

Just my observation.

 

Good luck to you,

Yakdung

 

BINGO! I gotta feel safe when I bid. PayPal for small stuff, credit card for the big stuff. If I cant get a weapon off the internet on CC I don't buy...

Edited December 5, 2010 by Jpanzer

[L5K 162]

You don't have "AK" "AK-47" or "AKM" anywhere in the auction title. Somebody typing in 7.62 will find a million listings, it's unlikely someone will bother: "7.62x39" might be more helpful. The auctions with a lot of key words in the titles are much more likely to be near the top.

 

I also would add these keywords to the title. As it's a unique item, it would get more traffic listed with AK's as well as Saiga's. Most people aren't looking on Gunbroker for a Saiga, they are looking for AK's, some of those AK's just happen to be Saigas.

Hell, people add guns that aren't even remotely similar to titles all the time....

[Norty 13]

You have limited your potential buyers with NO sights on a rifle. I know you have it setup with a flat top for optics but you also stated the you restored it back to its AK configuration. You may have converted to PG Configuration but not really AK configuration with no FSB, Rear Sight, & with a flat top rail system. You may need to put a Red Dot, Scope, or some sort of sight set on the rifle if you want it to sell. I would think you should add more pictures with details of the cover & rail setup. And like others said add AK47, AK-47, AKM, Russian, etc....to the title description.

[MN.9130 44]

Lack of keywords, yes. Payment options, also yes.

 

But the first thing I noticed was, only one photo? I know you've got more! Show me all angles, up close on interesting stuff. Also, clean your lens and don't go so crazy in levels trying to get an "all white" background. You're killing the contrast and emphasizing the gunk on the lens.

[Boba Debt 350]

[yakdung 2,926]

Don't know but I found this:

 

http://www.westernunion.com/WUCOMWEB/staticMid.do?pagename=optionsPage&countryCode=US&languageCode=en&pid=USHP_Header_Pre&method=load

 

Don't have any experience using Western Union but I would check into it.

 

Yakdung

[Paulyski 2,227]

Just add that it can hit a 5 gallon bucket at 25yd.

You'll be fighting them off.

[Arik 565]

Don't know but I found this:

 

http://www.westernunion.com/WUCOMWEB/staticMid.do?pagename=optionsPage&countryCode=US&languageCode=en&pid=USHP_Header_Pre&method=load

 

Don't have any experience using Western Union but I would check into it.

 

Yakdung

 

I know every one looks at this ad and sees different things. personally I dont really care about the CC all that much but when I see Western Union, to me, it screams SCAM! There are a lot of scams on ebay & craigslist and most try to assure of their legitimacy by talking about or western union. This is just my .002 cents. There really is no perfect way to advertise so that everyone is interested. However, pics do help. If I'm kinda interested in a gun or rifle but dont know that much about it and I see what looks like 1 stock photo I move on to the next ad.

 

The sights (iron / optic) are a plus but this is a personal taste thing. There are lots of flat top ARs for sale and most lack sights. Just type in FNAR into the GB search and you'll see most are lacking sights while still in the $1200-$1500 range. Maybe you can throw in the sights or install them if the buyer wishes. Maybe have a pic with a scope or red dot sight to let the buyer have an idea of what it looks like with optics. If you dont want to sell it that way just add "optics not included"

 

Descriptions would help a lot. Not just two or three words. Maybe something about how the rail was modified. How about "accepts standard AK47 mags" Or something that lets a potential buyer, who's new to AKs or Saigas, know that it takes common mags and not some $80, hard to get mags. Maybe have a pic with a regular steel AK mag in it.

How about the flash hider? What is it? Who made it? iis it screw on, pinned, welded, duct taped ? Can it be removed? Is the barrel threaded underneath?

Stock! Is it Tapco or original factory Russian AK/Saiga stock?

 

You're the salesman. Pretend I saw you at the range with that and was interested in getting one. What would you tell me about it?

 

My 0.002 cents

Edited December 5, 2010 by Arik

[Norty 13]

Don't know but I found this:

 

http://www.westernunion.com/WUCOMWEB/staticMid.do?pagename=optionsPage&countryCode=US&languageCode=en&pid=USHP_Header_Pre&method=load

 

Don't have any experience using Western Union but I would check into it.

 

Yakdung

 

I know every one looks at this ad and sees different things. personally I dont really care about the CC all that much but when I see Western Union, to me, it screams SCAM! There are a lot of scams on ebay & craigslist and most try to assure of their legitimacy by talking about or western union. This is just my .002 cents. There really is no perfect way to advertise so that everyone is interested. However, pics do help. If I'm kinda interested in a gun or rifle but dont know that much about it and I see what looks like 1 stock photo I move on to the next ad.

 

The sights (iron / optic) are a plus but this is a personal taste thing. There are lots of flat top ARs for sale and most lack sights. Just type in FNAR into the GB search and you'll see most are lacking sights while still in the $1200-$1500 range. Maybe you can throw in the sights or install them if the buyer wishes. Maybe have a pic with a scope or red dot sight to let the buyer have an idea of what it looks like with optics. If you dont want to sell it that way just add "optics not included"

 

Descriptions would help a lot. Not just two or three words. Maybe something about how the rail was modified. How about "accepts standard AK47 mags" Or something that lets a potential buyer, who's new to AKs or Saigas, know that it takes common mags and not some $80, hard to get mags. Maybe have a pic with a regular steel AK mag in it.

How about the flash hider? What is it? Who made it? iis it screw on, pinned, welded, duct taped ? Can it be removed? Is the barrel threaded underneath?

Stock! Is it Tapco or original factory Russian AK/Saiga stock?

 

You're the salesman. Pretend I saw you at the range with that and was interested in getting one. What would you tell me about it?

 

My 0.002 cents

 

 

 

You are no doubt correct about lots of ARs lacking sights and that is the point. He is selling an AK and if you search GB I am sure his AK will be the only one without sights. No sights on an AR is accepted because most (not all) AR guys run some sort of optic. The AK I believe is the opposite most guys run irons. This is why I say he has limited his potential buyers. This setup eliminated anyone that would want iron sights. So he is left with a very, very, very limited crowd using an Optic only AK actually I doubt if there is even anyone running an AK in that manner.

[DrGonZo 157]

When you add the pictures of the top rail, throw in one with a mag inserted. You dont get the full feel without one.

[Boba Debt 350]

Lots of good input.

 

I'm going to tune it up when I relist it

[David Mark 2,452]

Just add that it can hit a 5 gallon bucket at 25yd.

You'll be fighting them off.

 

[Boba Debt 350]

I just made a ton of changes to it and I'm going to work on the photos this afternoon.

[MN.9130 44]

I looked over this again after getting some sleep: I think you're already much closer, but when you relist, consider replacing all references to '7.62' with '7.62x39' or '7.62x39mm'. I'll second the advice of showing a cheap combloc mag in there, just to emphasize the point.

 

Also, you don't have many auctions/feedback under your belt: consider grabbing up/selling off some small stuff just to prove to folks you've handled many transactions and are a pro.

[MT Predator 2,294]

Just add that it can hit a 5 gallon bucket at 25yd.

You'll be fighting them off.

[MT Predator 2,294]

You need to add that you have shrouded the barrel in special ballistic conduit and include that uber cool red dot sight with the built in laser for bucket killing gratification.

You still have a typo BTW and maybe you should have left the whole restoration part out. To the average mall ninja, it sounds like something bad was done to the rifle, then you restored it back to orignal condition/configuration. We may like to say "restore" on this forum but we know what it means. You should have listed what the rifle was and the parts on it period. Don't explain what you did to it as people don't know who you are or your experience working on weapons. (If they did, you are sure to be stuck with the rifle). Seriously, I am not buying a weapon with a shitload of modifications done to it by some random dude in his garage.

[cobravenom39 17]

You guys are all joking, right?

You think the reason no one is interested in this gun is because of some jargon and a typo?

 

Nobody's said it, but I think it's a little pricey. You're starting it out at $600. A month ago you could get a brand new M&P Smith and Wesson OR AR for $599.00 after rebate from CDNN. The market just isn't what it used to be. I look for good deals on GB and I'm kinda sick of seeing the SAME used guns clogging up the listings for months.

 

You can say what you want about what you have in to it and such, but the bottom line is you're not a reputable builder and the market speaks for itself. The amount of viewers on Gunbroker makes it a microcosm of the current state of the market.

 

If want honesty, that's it. Drop it a couple hundred and let the market price it. Your title could read, "Rainbow colored Hot Air Balloon," and if it was an appropriately/competitively priced restoration you would have over a dozen watchers.

 

I'm in the market for another Saiga and though maybe I should buy a converted one. Then I checked the prices for USED ones and they're at least $500+. I would pay about $450 for a home grown conversion with quality parts. That's a current customer in the market talking.

Edited December 5, 2010 by cobravenom39

[22_Shooter 1,560]

Don't know but I found this:

 

http://www.westernunion.com/WUCOMWEB/staticMid.do?pagename=optionsPage&countryCode=US&languageCode=en&pid=USHP_Header_Pre&method=load

 

Don't have any experience using Western Union but I would check into it.

 

Yakdung

 

I know every one looks at this ad and sees different things. personally I dont really care about the CC all that much but when I see Western Union, to me, it screams SCAM! There are a lot of scams on ebay & craigslist and most try to assure of their legitimacy by talking about or western union. This is just my .002 cents.

 

+1.

 

I don't do a whole lot of selling, but I've sold a few "high" dollar items on Arfcom; complete uppers. I only accept US Postal Service money orders (and that's what I'll pay with too, if I'm the buyer, and the seller doesn't specify what kind of money order he wants). There's more protection for the buyer and seller, compared to other money orders. On top of that, it's a helluva lot easier to receive the MO in the mail, go to the post office with your package and MO, cash the MO and then ship the package.

 

 

 

 

I also agree with everyone on the pictures comments. It needs more of them (and preferably bigger, and with the mag that you're including). At least for me personally, if I'm gonna be dropping $600+ on an item that I can't physically handle, I'd like to see something more than a fairly small picture that has a very "stock" photo. ("Stock", as in, it looks like a generic pic off the internet)

 

 

 

Cobravenom.....it's pretty unlikely you're going to find a converted Saiga with quality parts (homebrew or not) for $450 or under, unless someone is really looking to make a sale. BTW, "looking for deals on GB" is like looking for church girls at a strip club!

[cobravenom39 17]

 

Cobravenom.....it's pretty unlikely you're going to find a converted Saiga with quality parts (homebrew or not) for $450 or under, unless someone is really looking to make a sale. BTW, "looking for deals on GB" is like looking for church girls at a strip club!

 

I'm not disagreeing with you. I will not find a converted Saiga for $450, which is why I will buy one and convert myself and the same guns will be not selling on gunbroker. This doesn't change the fact that $500 is too much for a converted Saiga. It is.

 

The sellers dictate the price of a gun. The OP's listing is for $600 and did not sell. Like I stated, Gunbroker is large enough to be indicative of the current state of the market, which means that the OP's gun is not worth $600.

 

It's nothing to get pissed about. I buy guns and sell guns on gunbroker and on Arfcom, too. The market just isn't what it used to be. Period.

[cobravenom39 17]

Cobravenom.....it's pretty unlikely you're going to find a converted Saiga with quality parts (homebrew or not) for $450 or under, unless someone is really looking to make a sale. BTW, "looking for deals on GB" is like looking for church girls at a strip club!

 

I'm not disagreeing with you. I will not find a converted Saiga for $450, which is why I will buy one and convert myself and the same guns will be not selling on gunbroker. This doesn't change the fact that $500 is too much for a converted Saiga. It is. Ask yourself the question, "Would I buy a Saiga converted from an individual for $500?" You'd be kidding yourself if you say you would. You would convert one yourself of find an Arsenal for $650.

 

The sellers dictate the price of a gun. The OP's listing is for $600 and did not sell. Like I stated, Gunbroker is large enough to be indicative of the current state of the market, which means that the OP's gun is not worth $600.

 

It's nothing to get pissed about. I buy guns and sell guns on gunbroker and on Arfcom, too. The market just isn't what it used to be. Period.

Edited December 5, 2010 by cobravenom39

[22_Shooter 1,560]

 

Cobravenom.....it's pretty unlikely you're going to find a converted Saiga with quality parts (homebrew or not) for $450 or under, unless someone is really looking to make a sale. BTW, "looking for deals on GB" is like looking for church girls at a strip club!

 

I'm not disagreeing with you. I will not find a converted Saiga for $450, which is why I will buy one and convert myself and the same guns will be not selling on gunbroker. This doesn't change the fact that $500 is too much for a converted Saiga. It is.

 

The sellers dictate the price of a gun. The OP's listing is for $600 and did not sell. Like I stated, Gunbroker is large enough to be indicative of the current state of the market, which means that the OP's gun is not worth $600.

 

It's nothing to get pissed about. I buy guns and sell guns on gunbroker and on Arfcom, too. The market just isn't what it used to be. Period.

 

Yeah, I'm not saying Boba's gun is worth what he's asking (I honestly didn't read too much into what he had done to it). Rolling your own is more fun anyway. The only way I'd buy a pre-converted Saiga nowadays, is something like a Tromix or RedJacket S12 shorty.

 

(.......and no ones getting pissed. Not sure where that came from.)

[22_Shooter 1,560]

Ask yourself the question, "Would I buy a Saiga converted from an individual for $500?" You'd be kidding yourself if you say you would.

 

Me personally? No. See my post above about rolling my own. (I must have missed this part of your post before)

 

 

But for example, ClassyKalashnikov had/has a converted x39 in the WTS section for $499. If I were the type that didn't want to hassle with converting for myself......I'd pay it. When you break it down; $350ish for a factory x39 and then add in the parts he has, and the labor involved....he's taking a loss at that price, IMO.

 

 

But everyone's opinion will vary on the "worth" of anything. It's subjective.

[cobravenom39 17]

Ask yourself the question, "Would I buy a Saiga converted from an individual for $500?" You'd be kidding yourself if you say you would.

 

Me personally? No. See my post above about rolling my own. (I must have missed this part of your post before)

 

 

But for example, ClassyKalashnikov had/has a converted x39 in the WTS section for $499. If I were the type that didn't want to hassle with converting for myself......I'd pay it. When you break it down; $350ish for a factory x39 and then add in the parts he has, and the labor involved....he's taking a loss at that price, IMO.

 

 

But everyone's opinion will vary on the "worth" of anything. It's subjective.

 

You're right, $499 for a ready to go rifle (converted by someone with quite a reputation around here). is very reasonable. But $600 (starting) then BUIS is out of the ballpark, right now.

 

Oh, and I know you're not getting pissed. That wasn't directed at you. It's directed at those who bought up masses during the Obama craze and are still trying to unload at those prices.

[MT Predator 2,294]

You guys are all joking, right?

You think the reason no one is interested in this gun is because of some jargon and a typo?

Nobody's said it, but I think it's a little pricey.

The lack of interest surely is his starting price but his description of what he did to it may turn some off. The misspelled words shows his attention to detail is lacking on this ad. What about the rifle???

I'd leave the ad stating what it is and what it has with more pics and I agree, drop the start price! Stating you put a real AK bullet guide in an AK? Come on, that just sounds stupid as you are selling it as an AK so it should have one right? Boba needs to quit factoring in his $50/hour labor on his projects as well. Maybe drop the hourly rate to that on par with what the monkeys building rifles for Century make?

Edited December 6, 2010 by MT Predator

[Mayor Al 41]

I recently sold an M1 Carbine using our local throwaway weekly newspaper classifed to really minimize my expense, and avoid any FFL conflict and fees by selling "in-state". My gun was a post-Korea "Universal" in about 85% condition. Before running the ad I took it to a local FFL dealer to see what he would give me for it. He said, what any car dealer would say, that there was no market for the gun, and it books at $200 so he would go $175, to take it off my hands. I thanked him and left. Then I cruised the pages of Gun Broker and Guns America to establish a price curve (ranging from $290 to $1000 with a variety of makers and conditions). I wanted to get it gone quickly, along with a short-barrel Savage Mod 69 that I had for 20 years. So I priced it at $375 and the Shotgun at $250. The carbine sold the first day the ad came out in the paper. Yeah I could have charged about a hundred more and still sold it...but hindsight is great and the deal still cleared my shelf. The shotgun sat for two weeks with only 3 calls about it. I did sell it out the door for $225.

 

My point being that it depends on how bad you want to part with the item, when YOU set the price. I see Saiga's priced ALL over the place $300 to $2000 and many time the owner is trying to recap much of the investment he put into the gun. Any car appraiser will be glad to explain that You may have put that $2500 BLANKENPHATT Stereo in you 1991 Toyota Corolla, but the Blue Book allows $75 for a CD-player in the allowance, and that's what he will give you. It's all a matter of compromises.. Supply/Demand, Need to sell/costs of sale, Lots of things beyond the extra Mag in the photo apply to your desire to sell the item!

 

Good luck getting the ad organized and finally getting the job done.

AL