Outdoor Liquidators?
 

Outdoor Liquidators is a seller on gunbroker.com. Does anyone know anything about them? A Google search basically turns up nothing. No website. No address. They list their location on gunbroker as Lebanon, GA but no street address. There is information on gunbroker.com stating that their business is based on buying other retailers' overstock or unsold items thus the "Liquidators" part of their name. One bit of info I did find was that they may have previously been located in Pennsylvania which is a little curious as well.

When you read their feedback ratings on gunbroker they run about 33% negative over a 12 month period. Not good. Most of the negative feedback seems to be that buyers did not receive their items in a timely manner or not at all, even when the item was listed as "In Stock". Communication is stated as basically non-existent and several buyers have had to get their credit card companies involved just to get a refund.

The only reason I am asking about Outdoor Liquidators is that they currently list a new gun that I want as "In Stock" (more than 20 available) and at a really attractive price.

I hope it is not just bait to pull in unsuspecting buyers but, on the other hand, they did get more than 50% positive feedback over the same 12 month time period. Is part of the problem that they are simply overwhelmed with orders? I should also point out that they sell other items besides guns and that includes gun parts and ammo.

Before placing an order I have sent the seller two messages through gunbroker.com. One was to ask about a discrepancy in the item description and the other was to ask how my FFL dealer is supposed to provide Outdoor Liquidators with a signed copy of their firearms license which is a gunbroker.com and federal requirement. Under "Additional Terms of Sale" they do make the following statement: "FFL’s can be provided via email or fax, noted below in CONTACTS". Well, there is no "CONTACTS" information below or anywhere else that I could find so I assume the only way to "contact" the seller is through the "Ask Seller a Question" option on gunbroker.com.

I have a sneaky suspicion that at least some of the buyers who had problems with receiving their guns never met that requirement. Unfortunately, due to the seller's poor communication with those buyers, that may never have been explained to those buyers. However, it is spelled out pretty clearly by both gunbroker.com and the seller so there really isn't any good excuse for a buyer not to be aware of the requirement.

The buyer also needs to have an agreed upon way to provide that information to the seller which is why I asked the seller my second question. A copy of the license obviously can't be mailed or faxed since there is no mailing or fax address provided. Hell, there isn't even an email address. As I stated previously, the only method I could see would be for the buyer's dealer or the buyer himself to attach a copy of the dealer's license to a message sent through gunbroker's website via the "Ask Seller a Question" option. Clear as mud???

I guess I'll see if and when they respond to either of my questions. Based on all the negative feedback I suspect I won't be getting any answers and they probably won't be getting any orders from me...

Perhaps Gun broker acts as the middle man to transmit the fax or mailing address from the seller to the buyer.

That was kinda my assumption too but it needs to be spelled out more clearly for my feeble mind. The whole process of contact between buyer and seller seems to be similar to other auction websites including eBay. The auction house wants you to work through them which is totally understandable. As best I can tell the only way to communicate any information is via gunbroker's "Ask Seller a Question" option. At least eBay has provisions for making payments, requesting returns, refunds, etc. and resolving any issues. Gunbroker.com not so much. Once the sale is complete you're on your own, or so it seems. In most cases the sale is final and there are no return options. If you never get the item it seems to be your problem to deal with and gunbroker is out of the picture at that point.

My only previous experience with gunbroker.com was an intra-state purchase of a Savage 99. Because it was a transaction between two private parties within the same state there was no requirement, at least at that time, to use an FFL dealer.

There should be a message seller option. And a view seller contact as well. That should have an email and sometimes a phone number.

I don't go through GunBroker after the auction is closed. I contact the seller, by phone if possible. Get clear directions on payment. And give clear directions on my shipping expectations.

When I sell on there I email the buyer as soon as the auction is closed with their shipping options and where to send the check. When I receive payment I notify them, and keep them notified until they receive the item.

-Jake

I agree those things should be available but for this particular seller I couldn't find any of that. What am I missing?

Edit: As I stated before there is the "Ask Seller a Question" option but that's it.

Okay, now I feel a little bit better about this seller. They did answer both of my questions and they did provide an email address where I can attach a copy of my local dealer's FFL license.

I would probably go ahead with the purchase.

-Jake

Well, that didn't work so well. After they answered my questions they raised the buy it now price by $228! Excellent way to lose a sale...idiots.

My local gun dealer quoted a price for the same gun that is now $138 less than the new price on gunbroker and I don't have to pay for shipping.

Sounds like you found a good deal!

-Jake