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Is my pricing right on this collector's gun?

idahogunbrokeridahogunbroker Member Posts: 131 ✭✭
edited November 2013 in Ask the Experts

Comments

  • rufe-snowrufe-snow Member Posts: 18,650 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    http://www.GunBroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.aspx?Item=374648274


    Your photos don't do justice to the gun, IMHO. You need quality indirect lighting to properly illuminate the gun.

    You might try bouncing two flood lights off the ceiling, with the camera set up on a tripod at a 45 degree angle. With the timer on the camera set for a long exposure.



    EDIT #1,

    Thanks for posting the better photos. Try to do something about the color balance though. I don't know what it is, but it does strange things to the case hardening? Almost makes it look like it's been painted on.
  • mark christianmark christian Member Posts: 24,443 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    The price is within reason but the photos are not up to the quality that would entice me to bid $15K. Either step up your game behind the camera or hire a pro to take a series of very detailed photos which you can use in your listing as well as e-mail to interested bidders.
  • asphalt cowboyasphalt cowboy Member Posts: 8,904 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    http://tinyurl.com/kk3t8c8

    Make the small investment in a set of those and practice with your camera. Good quality images go a long way with bidder interest. They will also help avoid buyer complaints/returns as even minor flaws can be shown and described.
  • nmyersnmyers Member Posts: 16,891 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    I think your starting price is unrealistic.

    Search the completed listings for Francotte (the manufacturer). Page after page of high quality doubles, not a single bid. All have an unrealistic starting price (& all are lower than yours).

    If you really want to sell it, start it at $1,000 with no reserve. Otherwise, you are wasting your time.

    Neal
  • competentonecompetentone Member Posts: 4,696 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by nmyers
    I think your starting price is unrealistic.

    Search the completed listings for Francotte (the manufacturer). Page after page of high quality doubles, not a single bid. All have an unrealistic starting price (& all are lower than yours).

    If you really want to sell it, start it at $1,000 with no reserve. Otherwise, you are wasting your time.




    I don't know anything about the value of that shotgun, but I would advise you against taking any advice suggesting an auction where you start it at some extremely low starting bid.

    Very low starting bids can work well for common items where there are a lot of people looking for such an item, but for a very rare and expensive item, with few people looking for it, a low starting-bid will likely mean you'll end up selling your item for a fraction of what it would be worth if you were willing to wait to find the (retail) buyer willing to pay a higher price.

    GunBroker isn't getting you item noticed by "the entire marketplace" likely to be interested in your item -- that is particularly true for a rare, expensive item with limited collectors who would be interested in buying it.

    If you list that shotgun with a very low starting bid, you will certainly sell it -- and the person buying it will likely be a reseller who will then make a few thousand dollars because he'll be willing to wait to find the "retail" buyer.

    If you're OK with receiving a low "wholesale" price and just want cash "fast," then go ahead and list it with a low starting bid, otherwise, keep doing what you're doing in trying to find the "right" (retail) price for it, and then be willing to wait to find a buyer.
  • jonkjonk Member Posts: 10,121
    edited November -1
    I would agree that the pictures leave something to be desired. They're up to par for an old Mossberg shotgun, but for that fine piece, I would take the pictures outside on a bright day, with the sun at my back (but not glaring on the gun); or invest in good photographic gear.

    Here's a good example of what I mean. This Krag sight was taken with a cheap 3.2 megapixel camera, but done so outside in natural light, with light cloud cover eliminating glare. Look how sharp and exact the picture is.

    DSCF4750.jpg
  • MG1890MG1890 Member Posts: 4,460 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    Quite honestly, it isn't the pictures that turn me off, it is the description. Nothing in the description tells me anything of value about the gun. I have had an Eagle grade Francotte, it was gorgeous.

    For that money nobody cares about anything except the gun. Gives us the details.
  • toad67toad67 Member Posts: 13,008 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Agree with MG1890, a description would help out alot. What are the barrels choked, condition of wood and finish, blueing, etc?
  • p3skykingp3skyking Member Posts: 23,916 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    You need either warmer lightbulbs or a FL filter for your camera and if digital, use a manual setting. Something is cooling the photo so assume you're using fluorecent (sp?) lighting.
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