So you guys that buy and sell often, what is the state of bow sales?
It goes in cycles. I'd like to say it was super busy a handful of years back and that it seems slow lately BUT honestly it all depends on what you're selling. The top shelf/ well known stuff still sells pretty quick if the specs are good, and there are oddballs that either sit for a while or get snapped up like hotcakes. It's fun to observe. You just never know. I've sold bows that I thought would take weeks in a matter of hours, and had stuff that should be gone immediately take weeks if not months. There are certain times of year when it picks up and when it slows down anyway. I'd say for the last 3 years it's just been steady. The online website sales took a small dip when FB and Instagram sales started to gain momentum, but way too easy to get burned there. TG and Stickbow are my mainstays for a fix, LOL.
Oh and I'd better get it in, "TG has never been and will never be centered around bow sales".
I think prices are down for average bows like Red Wing Hunters and Grizzlys...great bows selling off their highs. In the archery industry overall, it is "really, really slow" overall and that is based on knowledge from folks who supply archery dealers. Of course, this is one man's opinion!
Maybe the improved economy has more money going into New bows?
Just a WAG.
The used bows in the over 50#+ draw range seem to be not selling based on what I saw and heard at a recent shoot.
I think I am about to purchase my first custom. Looking at Wagstaff bows..
Problem is, being out of Canada, I'm getting screwed by our terrible dollar value.
QuoteOriginally posted by Paul/KS:
The used bows in the over 50#+ draw range seem to be not selling based on what I saw and heard at a recent shoot.
^ That reminds me of a quote i heard a few summers ago.... "....a phased plasma rifle in the 40 watt range....- hey, just what ya see pal!" :D
Bow sales are always slow while your waiting to sell one and seem to be great when selling a used bow seems like a viable option for financing a new one.
I still stumble on to them. I bought a real nice Swift Wing target bow the other day and walked away from a 70's Black Widow take down.
The problem is you have everyone and their "grandmother" buying up archery items and putting them on -bay.
QuoteOriginally posted by JusAGuy:
QuoteOriginally posted by Paul/KS:
The used bows in the over 50#+ draw range seem to be not selling based on what I saw and heard at a recent shoot.
^ That reminds me of a quote i heard a few summers ago.... "....a phased plasma rifle in the 40 watt range....- hey, just what ya see pal!" :D [/b]
A classic line from a great movie... :thumbsup:
:)
If the sales are slow, it may be partially due to the sellers failing to post pictures. For me, if I'm interested in a particular bow and there are no pictures posted I just move on. I don't want to have to ask for texts of emails of the pics. It seems like in recent years, fewer and fewer member post pics.
If a bow is priced fairly it will sell. As far a pics I have bought bows without even seeing it. I will take the sellers word. If a bow is priced with in 100-150 of a new one.......it will be there for a long time unless the specs are perfect for the buyer.
Not to change subject but I always wondered what new bow sales are like and how many bows the average bowyer produces. 25 plus bows or a 100!?..
Who knows. :knothead:
The traditional archery sales can be buffered from other economic pressures. Chatting with Paul Craig Roberts, he pointed out that anything that does not directly compete with Amazon should be a stable investment. Amazon is even affecting the housing prices. The big dude, Bezos, that controls Amazon, now Whole Foods, and many other things, would take away your right to have a even pocket knife if he could pull it off. He is not the traditional hunters friend. American traditional archery businesses are a true form of globalist resistant and nationalistic free enterprise.
I have bought some but mostly sold lately. It seems all based on price. If you are asking top dollar it will sit around but a good quality bow in normal weight range from a well known bowyer has sold fast for me if priced far.
I got a steal on a Kwyk Styk a couple months ago!
I'm always on the lookout for a few bows. Overall, I'd say used sales have slowed over the past 6-9 months. Folks are keeping what they have.
Unemployment may be down, but wages haven't kept up with prices, and a lot of folks are having trouble making ends meet.
I think it is still a buyers market. I guess I may be in the minority in this category but it works for me. Buy used bows that are like new for half or less and if they don't happen to fit you sell them at a break even price point and move on to another. I should of been a used car salesman instead of a plumber. LOL
QuoteOriginally posted by longbow fanatic 1:
If the sales are slow, it may be partially due to the sellers failing to post pictures. For me, if I'm interested in a particular bow and there are no pictures posted I just move on. I don't want to have to ask for texts of emails of the pics. It seems like in recent years, fewer and fewer member post pics.
Truth! :readit:
Slow...I used to look and be tempted all the time but now it seems like the same handful of bows are up and it seems like finding something out of the 40# range is getting tougher
As stated before pics help. But if there is one that pops up that sounds like a great bow a great price...I am ok texting/emailing to see it. It is tough now I think. I have sold a couple and they had to go cheap to get sold. And these were high end bows. I think the classifieds are moving slower than usual. I check in and see the same stuff,in the same spot as it was the day prior. It might have something to do with the way pics are formatted on here. I do not know. I just use my phone to post ads with and cant have multiple browser windows open to do the pic uploads. It is for sure slower now than a few years back. bows were being sold in minutes. I don't know though,just opinion. rat'
Sales are slower, listing of bows is also slower. I had money to spend, but nothing showed up. It is what it is.
I wish u could post pics right from the gallery on your phone or computer. Even then its sometimes difficult.
I tried to post pics of my new double barrel flintlock on BP Gang using the lowest setting on my phone and it was still too big.
Folks seem to be expecting top dollar for used bows as of late. I've been looking for a particular bow for a while and a couple have finally showed up, but prices are 90+ percent of new prices.
QuoteOriginally posted by Biathlonman:
Folks seem to be expecting top dollar for used bows as of late. I've been looking for a particular bow for a while and a couple have finally showed up, but prices are 90+ percent of new prices.
I agree 100% - in my 6 or 7 years of following Traditional archery, the price point of used bows has gone way up.
QuoteOriginally posted by Keith Zimmerman:
I wish u could post pics right from the gallery on your phone or computer. Even then its sometimes difficult.
I tried to post pics of my new double barrel flintlock on BP Gang using the lowest setting on my phone and it was still too big.
According to a recent thread by Terry that is likely coming when the site is revamped. Not positive, though.
Keith, I have been using an app called Fastpic. It lets you post from the gallery straight to the forum and does the resize in the process.
(http://i93.fastpic.ru/big/2017/0623/47/70adf74e50b4ad612d68f9bf2b192047.jpg)
That took less than a minute.
QuoteOriginally posted by J. Cook:
QuoteOriginally posted by Biathlonman:
Folks seem to be expecting top dollar for used bows as of late. I've been looking for a particular bow for a while and a couple have finally showed up, but prices are 90+ percent of new prices.
I agree 100% - in my 6 or 7 years of following Traditional archery, the price point of used bows has gone way up. [/b]
I'm gonna call BS on this, just MHO. I dont know what sites youre cruising, but I see all kinds of good deals lately. What you may be seeing on occasion is high initial asking prices, in a buyers market you can't list too low then all you'll get is lowball offers...if you see a bow listed high you can almost be assured the seller just wants a fair offer and wants to avoid all the jokers trying to get something for nothing. 50-75% of new has been common for years all depending on the age, condition, and WHO made the bow. In the past 6 months I bought one mint bow that was over 1400 new (with a year+ wait) for 650 and another mint bow that was over $1k new for 625. Those are deals if I ever heard of one.
Monterey, I will check it out. Thanks.
Bud, I read thst thread. That will be something everyone is looking for.
QuoteOriginally posted by Holybeardman:
I think I am about to purchase my first custom. Looking at Wagstaff bows..
Problem is, being out of Canada, I'm getting screwed by our terrible dollar value.
It can be frustrating not knowing or predicting where the final cost ends up for sure. Ordered a LB just about a year ago, between then and currently there sits a $200 difference in conversion rates alone. Unfortunately thats the game we Canucks have to play when ordering custom bows.
If you are not set on a particular Bowyer, the classifieds here or a sponsor like RMS Gear, Big Jims Bows etc and places like the Footed Shaft always seem to have good rotating stock coming in. Half the fun is searching these other options on daily/multiple times per day basis.
QuoteOriginally posted by Biathlonman:
Folks seem to be expecting top dollar for used bows as of late. I've been looking for a particular bow for a while and a couple have finally showed up, but prices are 90+ percent of new prices.
^^^THIS
A year ago I'd see Strikers go for 375-400...now everyone wants 625.00. They're 650 new. The market rate for a used Predator recurve is around 400-450...but the last ones I've seen posted(still posted) the guys are asking 850ish. It's gonna take weeks of refreshing the post dropping the price 5.00 a pop to get those bows sold.
Same thing for ILF risers. ILF limbs seem to be moving pretty well, but any used ILF riser should be in the 200-225 range.
QuoteOriginally posted by nineworlds9:
QuoteOriginally posted by J. Cook:
QuoteOriginally posted by Biathlonman:
Folks seem to be expecting top dollar for used bows as of late. I've been looking for a particular bow for a while and a couple have finally showed up, but prices are 90+ percent of new prices.
I agree 100% - in my 6 or 7 years of following Traditional archery, the price point of used bows has gone way up. [/b]
I'm gonna call BS on this, just MHO. I dont know what sites youre cruising, but I see all kinds of good deals lately. What you may be seeing on occasion is high initial asking prices, in a buyers market you can't list too low then all you'll get is lowball offers...if you see a bow listed high you can almost be assured the seller just wants a fair offer and wants to avoid all the jokers trying to get something for nothing. 50-75% of new has been common for years all depending on the age, condition, and WHO made the bow. In the past 6 months I bought one mint bow that was over 1400 new (with a year+ wait) for 650 and another mint bow that was over $1k new for 625. Those are deals if I ever heard of one. [/b]
You can call BS if you want to "in your opinion" but based on the responses here I'd say you can keep your BS. The original post was a generalization about the state of bow sales, not one or two good deals here and there. I've bought my fair share of bows over recent years and will continue to; the market dictates price and that's 100% fine. But prices of used bows - in general - is indeed higher in recent years. You either buy them, or you don't - not a complaint, just an observation.
A prime example is the older Bear Recurves - the $150-225 a few years ago is now $250-$275 and up. Not wrong either way, just a change in the market point and as 90% of the responses here indicate...it has slowed the market.
I don't do much buying, but I do a lot of lurking on sites that sell bows. It seems to have pretty wide swings over fairly short periods sometimes. I'm a fan of the old zebrawood BP Hunters. I've seen them go for anywhere from $75-$125 on auction sites for a couple years, then a couple months back, I saw one go for $175 and one for $305 in a two week period. Now they seem to be back around $100. I guess maybe it's just a matter of finding a couple of guys that really want it sometimes. I did luck into one that was painted camo and posted with a terrible description for $55. Cleaned up real nice.
(http://i1246.photobucket.com/albums/gg614/tomsm44/IMG_3877.jpg) (http://s1246.photobucket.com/user/tomsm44/media/IMG_3877.jpg.html)
Been slow for me. I started building my own and have been selling some of my old bows
built by popular bowyers. I've never sat on bows this long. Usually a week or two and they are gone, not this year.