Bow depreciation

[Tsalt]

50% is really disheartening.  I had no idea that would be considered standard.  I've had a nice one year old bow in the classifieds since October.  It was a $1000 new and I just lowered it down to $800 tyd.   I figured the fact that it was only a year old and in perfect condition would keep the value up.  I also figured there was some increased value in that the bowyer has a year wait on any order.    

[McDave]

I'm sorry, I didn't mean to imply that 50% was standard.  It's just the observation of one person who has bought and sold a few bows.  Whatever discount a bow may sell for off list price is a result of a lot of things, like the economy, the type and specs of the bow, and the demand for one particular bowyer's bows over another's.  10 years ago, the market for used bows seemed to be stronger than it is today; maybe there were less of them around. 10 years from now, used bows may be selling at a premium if there is inflation in the economy, perhaps a shortage of materials, and a variety of other factors.

[Doc Nock]

McDave,

Back in the "old" days of classifieds, I visited but bought little.  I did enjoy reading a few guys who would buy/sell over and over and over...just for the sheer joy of shooting a myriad of bows...

There were two s'uthin boys who bantered a bit...one joked that at least he, unlike his buddy, shot the bow in question before he re-sold it!

I guess it can be an addiction... but in the back of my head, twisting a limb stringing, dry firing, string breaking...there are sooo many things that could happen to a stick bow that would give me the heebie jeebies to buy used, unless I knew the seller and the bow...

The lack of warranty is huge IMO.

[longbow fanatic 1]

Originally posted by Tsalt:
50% is really disheartening.  I had no idea that would be considered standard.  I've had a nice one year old bow in the classifieds since October.  It was a $1000 new and I just lowered it down to $800 tyd.   I figured the fact that it was only a year old and in perfect condition would keep the value up.  I also figured there was some increased value in that the bowyer has a year wait on any order.        

My personal feeling is that in a down bow market, the seller could look at it in a positive way. The depreciation has already occurred, so shoot the heck out of the bow. Enjoy the bow because you're not going to lose a significant percentage over 50% by shooting it.

I have a couple up for sale and if I can't sell them for my asking price, over very close too that, it's not worth taking the hit financially. I'd rather keep them and shoot them.

[Bjorn]

I generally go with 50% when there are no real flaws. When I want to make some room on the rack the sooner they are gone the sooner I can buy some more.
50% is my target for selling; and buying too-it all works out!  

[damascusdave]

In reality what the seller thinks a bow is worth has no bearing on a sale if they really are wishing to sell it...unless a buyer is willing to pay a particular price there will be no sale...if you buy a new bow with the idea of selling it you are going to be disappointed...that is one reason I have only bought 3 new bows out of the 40 or so that I have owned

DDave

[damascusdave]

There are a lot of us who consider ourselves to be collectors of classic bows...we seem to do okay without a warranty...I have never had a problem with any old bow I have bought other than some limb twist which was relatively easy to fix...pretty clearly with today's collectible selling prices we did not buy them to make money, but for the pure joy of owning them

DDave

[longbow fanatic 1]

Originally posted by damascusdave:
In reality what the seller thinks a bow is worth has no bearing on a sale if they really are wishing to sell it...unless a buyer is willing to pay a particular price there will be no sale...if you buy a new bow with the idea of selling it you are going to be disappointed...that is one reason I have only bought 3 new bows out of the 40 or so that I have owned

DDave

DD makes a good point. If you look at buying a new bow with the idea of selling it, you're buying a depreciating item with little chance of recovering your investment. If you're not in NEED of the money, then wait. The market will improve and you can sell your bow for a little higher price later or keep shooting it and sell it for the 50% later, after you've had your fun.

There are TG'ers who consistently sell bows for 75% of the value of their investment. That said, it's critical that you purchase a bow which is sought after. Then, purchase a bow between #40-#50 lbs. Do that, and you will likely receive the highest return on your money. My 2 cents!

[killinstuff]

Well, you could tee it up first before you list it for sale. I see guys start posts about how great this bow is or who likes and shoots that bow and it builds interest. Fellas post pics of their bows, the post is read by other guys that feed the post by commenting on them and so on. Next thing you know you have a few guys that want such a bow. A bit of chum in the water to start a little feeding frenzy.

[longbow fanatic 1]

Originally posted by killinstuff:
Well, you could tee it up first before you list it for sale. I see guys start posts about how great this bow is or who likes and shoots that bow and it builds interest. Fellas post pics of their bows, the post is read by other guys that feed the post by commenting on them and so on. Next thing you know you have a few guys that want such a bow. A bit of chum in the water to start a little feeding frenzy.

I like it! Chum the waters!

[GreyGoose]

I wonder whether the discount realized for high draw weight also applies to high quality, high inherent value bows?

Over the past 5 years I've bought 4 used longbows (for me, a couple more for my daughters) from the TG classifieds and sold one, all in the price range of $200-$400, and all between 40% and 60% of their current price new.  These have given me a good idea of the features I'd like to have in a higher end bow, and I have a much better sense of what I'd be getting now if I bought a used one that had most of those attributes and I could accept getting less of a discount than I have been blessed with so far.  But that said,  if I'm looking at paying 80 % of new for a high-end bow, I'd probably go whole hog, both to get exactly the features I want AND the warranty.

[Orion]

Good observation killingstuff.  I agree with some others, too, that it is a bit of a down market right now.  A sought after name in a good draw weight might bring 60-70% of new, but 50% of new is much more common.  I don't buy new much anymore.

[riverrat 2]

I agree with the 50-60% rule. Most of the time. As stated before though..there are exceptions. Some bows are just sought after more. And those will return 70% provided they are in good condition,you have good pics,and they are not over a few years old. rat'

[Hatrick]

Funnything about used bows. The older classics go for 3X (and some even more) then what they cost new. The New "flavor of the month" bows go for 60% +- of their new cost. I've purchased my share of both.

This is not meant to degrade the new bows. They look great, most shoot great, and the bowyers certainly don't make a killing for the time they put into them. It's just that after a while you realize that older recurves shoot just as good as the new ones.

It's modern design R/D longbows and low stretch string materials where most of the improvements have been made and they still lose 40% +- value after purchase. I'll put some ASL longbows into that category as well.

[Tsalt]

Originally posted by killinstuff:
Well, you could tee it up first before you list it for sale. I see guys start posts about how great this bow is or who likes and shoots that bow and it builds interest. Fellas post pics of their bows, the post is read by other guys that feed the post by commenting on them and so on. Next thing you know you have a few guys that want such a bow. A bit of chum in the water to start a little feeding frenzy.

Great idea!  Let's start a feeding frenzy for my Cari-bow wolverine that's over in the classifieds!    
Just kidding!  
This thread is quite informative for me.  Looking at it from the buyer's perspective, I totally understand not wanting to spend 80% of new cost for a high end used bow....as was said above, might as well buy new and get the warranty.  I guess I'm gonna bite the bullet and adjust my price.  Another selling challenge for me is my bow is  61lbs...well outside the popular range.

[Tsalt]

But I've got another question for you guys....
I have had my bow listed at about 80% of new (it's just a year old and in mint condition).  If someone was interested but though I was a couple hundred too high, would they just make an offer?  Is haggling over price and making offers considered taboo or something?
I have only had two guys interested, both of whom wanted a trade... Which I was not interested in.

[McDave]

Speaking for myself only, of course, if I think someone is a little high, I might make an offer $100 lower and see where we end up.  If I think someone is more than $100 over what I want to pay, then I won't bother.

OTOH, if I decide I want to sell a bow, I'll price it pretty close to what I think the market is.  I'd rather take it off the market rather than haggle much.  I've had people try to haggle with me to the point that they become a nuisance, and actually get irate that I don't want to haggle back.  So I may have lost some sales by underpricing to start with and not leaving much room to haggle.