Current State of Ebay Market

[marauder]

I know we have a specific thread for specific cases of "shame," but I wanted to discuss a few things about the current state of the market.


There are A LOT of guns out there. They are overpriced, and they aren't selling well. I think this is a combination of oversupply, and products being overpriced. XP 85s for $35, a broken SS 200 for $60, Super Soaker Plane for... $450...This 1 guy is selling 3 Monster X for ~$185. I made him a $20 offer for laughs.

For those of you who know more about economics, or ebay, than I do. What do you think? Do you think prices will go down any time soon? What do you think is causing people to sell so high?

[Nitro123PG]

These sellers see something with the name "Super Soaker" printed on it,and they think it's worth a fortune. If they see "Larami" on it, they get excited. If they see "CPS" or "Monster" on it, they freak out because they think they can retire now.

I don't think prices will be going down anytime soon. Sellers don't want to accept that these guns are not worth a fortune. Once, in a CPS 1000 listing, the price was $90. (it was a Buy it Now listing) I sent the seller a message asking for the true condition of the gun, because sellers never list the most important parts of the guns condition. All they ever is say in the description "holds pressure." Anyway, he said it leaked out of the nozzle when it was pumped. Easy enough, just needs a rubber band repair. But the gun was broken nonetheless. I sent him a message saying I would offer $20-$25, because the gun was broken. He replied say I was a "jackass" and to "f*ck off." This happened a month ago, and the CPS 1000 has yet to sell.

But we created this mess in a way. Simply put, STOP BUYING GUNS THAT ARE NOT A REASONABLE PRICE. Eventually, these sellers will figure out were not willing to pay $90 for a broken CPS 1000 or $100 for a CPS 4100. I think the most people in the community are willing to pay for a water blaster nowadays is $40-$50, am I right?

Here's the listing for the CPS from Mr. Nice: http://www.ebay.com/itm/Rare-Vintage-La ... 599wt_1179

[marauder]

That's hilarious. Yeah, I always have to go in depth when I ask sellers about guns. It's crazy. I offered $20 for a $185 Monster X and was counter offered $165 hahaha.

For me, value is dependent upon need. I am willing to pay $200 for an SS 300. I have a lot of money for once in my life. But I already have a CPS 2000 mk1, Monster XL, 2500, 1500s, 1200, 2100, 1000... I am not buying any other high end guns unless they are brand new and even then I'm not going to be paying more than $70.

Your friend lowered the price to $80.10. I just offered him $15 haha. It was declined. All you need to know about this guy his his sn, "retiredassassin." lol

[isoaker]

With spring coming, prices get inflated. While there is some science behind economics, end prices end up being based on what people are willing to pay and some people are just crazy so prices can get inflated. In many cases, sellers only need to sell one or two so they just need to identify one sucker to pay a premium. Then again, value is in the eye of the beholder and, whether we may think so or not, to someone, a blaster may just be worth that much for the memories they bring.

[DX]

I think it is from A - bandwagoning and B - risk. Sellers see other sellers putting up high BINs and they think their gun is worth that much, so they list it high. They also don't want to risk a rare, big CPS gun selling low in an auction style listing. The guy with the "3010" MXs is definitely doing as iSoaker posted, hoping to snare one sucker every now and then. The payoff more than makes up for the Ebay fees racked up from repeated listings.

[scottthewaterwarrior]

Do you think $75 was too much for a 2500? I got one about a month ago and this thread is making me think I might have gotten ripped off. The gun is in perfect working order with barely a scratch on it and all the stickers.

How much is a CPS 2000 worth anyway, I've been thinking of buying one (not now, I've promised myself not to buy anything else until I sit down and buy all the LEGOs I need to resupply my collection), but if it is fully working, what would be a fair price? (a people were trying to sell some here for $200, but I didn't bite.)

[marauder]

As others have said, value is relative. What else could you have bought with that $75? If there is nothing else that would have brought you as much happiness (including saving with interest) for that $75 then you did right.

I would pay $200 for an SS 300, but I would pay no more than $30 for a Monster X. Does that mean that the SS 300 is $170 better than an MX? No, but I already have a 2500 which is much like an MX, but better, so I don't really have much of a need for one. Same with, I would only pay ~$30 for a CPS 2700. I have a Monster XL which I like better, and they pretty much do the same thing on the battlefield (although designed much differently). I have no need for a Monster X or a 2700, I would just buy them cheap and sell them to make a profit.

[DX]

Average value of a 2500 so far in 2012 is $66. Average value for a 2000 mk2 is $95, well the only one that's been priced low enough to sell on Ebay so far has been $95. So many variables go into the value of a water gun, and each person's individual formula has so many subjective variables that it's tough to say with certainty what x is worth.

I personally would not go over $150 shipped for a 2000 (of either mark). Thus, my ceiling is around $120-130 for the actual gun. Keep in mind that much of the cost is in the condition. Your $75 2500 is in excellent shape and thus you can expect everything to hold up longer, with less maintenance, and easier servicing. Meanwhile, my $40 2500 had spiderwebs in the screw holes, striprusted screws, dead earwigs in the nozzles, a cracked 5x cone, a rusted solid trigger valve return spring, misaligned seal inside the valve, blah blah blah. All that amounts to more work. The only time you should feel ripped is if you see something in equal condition go for less, and that's usually just luck of the draw in a random market. There's nothing one can really do about that.

Also, consider that the 2500 is one of (imo) the best investments for a long term arsenal. With that McMaster rubber as a failsafe, cylindrical CPS has a theoretically unlimited future lifespan. While stock rubber weakens with time, I'm pretty sure that water guns are rated for thousands of shots. If you shoot it a couple hundred times a year, it may still expand and contract normally for like a decade, and then you have the fresh replacement rubber to work with. Additionally, I think that 2500s can be power modded to 2000 mk1 levels with said McMaster rubber, so there is another good reason to hold onto 2500s.

[scottthewaterwarrior]

Well I will have to wait a little while before I try and mod it. I'm bad enough at fixing guns as it is, the last think I want to do is start experiments on a perfectly working $75 gun. Thanks for the advice, a return policy or buyer protection is a must when buying used products I find, maybe I will get a 2000 this year, but right now I really want to try my 2500 first to see if I even like the feel of it. Right now I have had one battle since I got it and the 12 year old neighbors weren't willing to fight if I used it.

[marauder]

I agree with your assessment of 2500s and other cylindrical bladder CPS guns. Has anyone tried the pressure chamber replacement in a 2500 to see if it improves performance? I think I have the proper rubber bladders back home.

[DX]

Haven't ordered the stuff yet, haven't had time.