Realistic Pricing of AEGs

[AnthonyG]

Been browsing the AV'd classifieds lately as well as several of my local facebook groups that post trades/sales of AEGs.

I've been bothered by the feeling that a lot of people price their AEGs way too high. I mean sure, maybe your gun has some super-kewl EOTech sight and a living-room worth of magpul furniture, but come on, is your gun really worth THAT much?

The formula I see a lot of people using tends to be: (Base price of Gun + price spent on replacement parts) +/- 10% = resale price

My thought is that unless you're giving me all the parts you took out when you modified your gun, upgraded parts shouldn't count towards additional value, but only help a gun retain its value. This is different if you're adding something the gun didn't have before, like a mosfet or external attachments, but even then, it's used so don't expect to sell for near-retail value.

Given how much wear and tear airsoft equipment experiences, even after a few uses, it scares me how much some people ask.

Discuss?

[lurkingknight]

used is used... plinked or gamed it's the same to me. rounds through means it's used. not NIB and plinked and sold at NIB price.

NIB means still wrapped in plastic.

[AnthonyG]

Was going to post a poll but timed out:

[Red Dot]

A lot of it obviously also depends on the seller and upgrades. EOD Steve has been putting up several AEGs with uber high price tags but when you know he's a good gun tech and the quality of the work/parts that go into his builds then it makes sense.

I've found my purchases/trades to be excellent off the forum, but research is the key.

[lurkingknight]

yes, but that's eod steve. We know who he is and what kind of work and what kind or parts he uses.

not some dude from some unknown shop that has put in "a custom gearbox" and "a mosfet" and suddenly the gun is worth 300$ over retail.

WHO built it?
WHAT's IN it?

HOW many rounds since the last service?

Very few guns are ever worth the sum of it's parts.

My favorite is the clearsoft tommy gun that is "NIB" never gamed but plinked only with a few drums through it. A FEW DRUMS. yeah just plinked.

[brock0]

i don't see a lot of overpriced stuff actually selling here, although plenty is posted.

High cost custom builds from quality techs are the exception but even that can stagnate. After all, if someone is going to put down for a snazzy custom, wouldn't you want to pick your own doodads? I think lots of people do.

As for the actual used guns, "new" or "like new" you still need to discount because I don't know many people who wouldn't rather have it brand new with a receipt from a retailer. Call me crazy but if the choice is 450 for "like new" or $500 for actually new, I'm going actually new every time.

Guns in decent shape that have been gamed and perhaps upgraded should be like 25-30% off stock AEG price, at least 50% off internal upgrade part costs, and all unique snowflake "accessories" made available for extra $ if the buyer wants them, not lumped into the sale price.

[Danke]

Don't like the prices for used stuff?

Don't buy used. Don't even shop used.

[Kozzie]

I'd say 15-25% of what I see in the classifieds I would label as being priced too high. Each gun has a different story, to echo lurking and Red Dot, plinked and gamed are not the same thing; and something that has been upgraded (by a competent gun doc) is worth more then just the parts installed, there's time and expertise involved. You have to do your homework on the individual gun to see if it's worth the price.

I think a lot of people probably price them a bit high so they have somewhere to bargain from, It's incredibly rare that you get offered full asking price. Ultimately, it's worth what someone is willing to pay for it, if it's overpriced it won't sell.

[Fireboy]

Many will disagree but IMO there is no resale value of upgrade parts. Take a single shot through that inner cool barrel or sweet gearbox its upgradedness is moot. So you replaced all the internals of a gun?? That means you cracked a gearbox. A Popped cherry is no where near as attractive as a fresh one ever with a box mag of plinked shots.


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[hollywood...]

A lot of sales include extras such as

eg;

KWA MP7 with Power Up Suppressor and 5 -6 mags for $xxx

I had one up for sale that was reasonably priced and no one jumped on it.

I do not disagree that some stuff is overpriced, but at the same time, don't expect people to give stuff away.

[Moses015]

100% agree. It's one of the biggest frustrations for me with the airsoft market. People are looking to make a profit on what they paid for the gun, and it's just greed pure and simple. When you're selling, you're asking the buyer to take a HUGE risk in shelling out hundreds of dollars basically based on your word.

Granted you flip to the other side of the coin and you see some pretty stupid shit from buyers. The amount of lowballers I've run into is laughable and insulting at the same time. The worst I've seen was myself trying to sell a Real Sword Type 56-2 at a damn reasonable price, and I had someone try to offer a straight up trade for a stock CTAC VSR-10, no extra cash, no rifle scope, nothing. Couldn't believe it.

[Brian McIlmoyle]

Complaining about too high resale prices won't reduce them.. not buying at that price will. It is a MARKET.. the price is set by the market.. not by what any one particular buyer thinks any particular object is worth.

Prices are down in the market by easily 50% from 5 years ago.

[Aper]

Originally Posted by Brian McIlmoyle

Complaining about too high resale prices won't reduce them.. not buying at that price will. It is a MARKET.. the price is set by the market.. not by what any one particular buyer thinks any particular object is worth.

Prices are down in the market by easily 50% from 5 years ago.

Exactly. I remember when we used to pay a TM 500$.

Heck my first gun was a TM M16A2 with a TM M203 and I paid 650$ in 2003.

[Desmodus]

Originally Posted by Aper

Exactly. I remember when we used to pay a TM 500$.

Heck my first gun was a TM M16A2 with a TM M203 and I paid 650$ in 2003.

....I remember those days. Never again.

[AnthonyG]

Originally Posted by Fireboy

Many will disagree but IMO there is no resale value of upgrade parts. Take a single shot through that inner cool barrel or sweet gearbox its upgradedness is moot. So you replaced all the internals of a gun?? That means you cracked a gearbox. A Popped cherry is no where near as attractive as a fresh one ever with a box mag of plinked shots.

This is how I feel, if you had to replace it, chances are because it broke. Why did it break in the first place?

Used car mentality. The second you drive it off the lot it isn't worth anywhere near the original price.

Originally Posted by Brian McIlmoyle

Complaining about too high resale prices won't reduce them.. not buying at that price will. It is a MARKET.. the price is set by the market.. not by what any one particular buyer thinks any particular object is worth.

For sure, I like to think what we're doing is less complaining, and more of a PSA.