I and a couple of friend's have had bows in the want ads for more than a week and barely get any response or interest. And for bows shipped at lower than half price with no waiting.
It is very disappointing that trading and selling is going so poorly. I hope all our bowyers and having better success at moving product. Maybe everyone is going fishing now that it is spring.

Yep, it is a lot different than in 2010-2012. Bows moved quickly and usually one had to only lose 10-20% Now if you can't give em up for 30-50% they aren't moving.

Of course there are a few exceptions such as Tips and Blacktails and a couple that NEVER come up for sale.

I have two bows on order. Both these bows will be done in about half the time (6-7 months) as when I ordered bows from them 3-4 years ago.  One of them though has added staff (Blacktail).

Yep, definitely a buyers market these days.  Only way they will move is if you practically give them away, and a lot of folks would rather hang on to the bow than do that.  So, sometimes the great deal doesn't happen.   Seems to go in cycles,  maybe down the road things will pick up.

Since my wife retired we are more or less on a fixed income which cuts into my buying/selling. I also believe the media confuses the average person. One day everything is wonderful, next day our economy is in the tank. Lots of uncertainty.

Some people are waiting on tax returns.
Plus since it's the paid members only to buy and sell maybe they have enough stuff now ?

This was a major force in me learning to build my own. I couldn't have enough bows and buying and selling got old fast. Now I get a hankering and go build one to suit.

My name is Chris and Im an addict......there, I said it!

many folks will not pay the fee to browse.  Fewer browsers=fewer buyers.  business degrees  confirm that obvious fact.

I've noticed that selling slows down a little this time of year.  Maybe (hopefully) everybody's saving for the St. Jude auction?    

I decided not to be a paid contributor this year.  I'm not living very high on the hog, and that $30 is something I should use elsewhere.  I'm probably not the only one.  

It would be nice if it was a one-time fee instead of annually.  It definitely impacts my browsing, and if I ain't browsin', I ain't buyin'.

On the bright side, they are "easy keepers" as they don't eat much...lol

God bless,Mudd

QuoteOriginally posted by ed cowden:
I and a couple of friend's have had bows in the want ads for more than a week and barely get any response or interest. And for bows shipped at lower than half price with no waiting.
It is very disappointing that trading and selling is going so poorly. I hope all our bowyers and having better success at moving product. Maybe everyone is going fishing now that it is spring.

Market does seem a bit slow but I saw your add and a better description as well as photos would help you out significantly    in closing a deal. I hardly won't buy a bow without seeing pictures and for some the trouble of emailing or texting is an extra inconvenience.

   Sometimes its love at 1st sight and with no sighting, aint no loving.

QuoteOriginally posted by Archie:
I decided not to be a paid contributor this year.  I'm not living very high on the hog, and that $30 is something I should use elsewhere.  I'm probably not the only one.  

It would be nice if it was a one-time fee instead of annually.  It definitely impacts my browsing, and if I ain't browsin', I ain't buyin'.

Yup.

Not that I don't want to contribute, but I need to stay away.

For me it was like an alcoholic walking past a bar...if he/she goes in, there could be trouble. If you don't go in. You have to look for trouble elsewhere  

I retired at the end of July, '14. Now I'm on a fixed income. But somehow I've bought about five bows since then (all vintage). Maybe I need to just disconnect from the 'net altogether....


NAH!

I'm still looking for my holy grail 65 Kodiak LH. I kinda hope it stays away so I can keep from spending the $ that is less disposing as it was a year ago.

Well Ed....I wish i could do more fishing.... I'm swamped with work at the moment. I'm at 5-6 month wait time on custom bows, and have very few in stock. I've got no time to build stock bows.....

But.... I am going Turkey hunting on the 10Th- 17th...... Gotta do it.  

It's a trend on all the sites no just here.  I have seen bows sale for way less than I would have thought.

I am not willing to pay to view the classified ads so that is why I am not buying anything there.

Used bow prices are way down, people have less money, people selling need the money many times, and will take something rather than just hang onto a bow they do not use.

I kind of like to look a bow over good and give it a good pull back or two.  Not much for dropping 2-3 hundred on a used bow anyway and not without having it my hands.  Can't say as if I have ever bought a bow without looking at it with one exception.  My Steve Turray baraga long bow.

Like others, when you are retired and on a fixed income you throw Cabelas catalogs away before they hit the family room.

There certainly are some good deals to be had and a buyer can be picky if items are not moving too fast. I can certainly understand if folks are watching their $$'s but if I really wanted a bow spending $30 to save hundreds seems pretty straight forward.

Also as Izzy mentions a good presentation of the item you want to sell could mean the difference between SOLD and still for sale. Pictures are very important to me when I look at something to buy.

A quick glance at the bows for sale first page shows a dozen SOLD's or SPF so there is movement and some folks that probably got a great deal.

I'm going to put my custom made Journeyman longbow that Jared donated to the St Jude's auction back in the auction this year so that Jared's generousity keeps helping the kids, so you won't have to pay $30 to bid for a very nice bow.

I think people need to sell more of their silver tips and black tails       especially the 64" ones in the low 40s

I am disappointed in having a bow at a steal of a price on there and not one hit. I have sold 2 quivers and bought one this year as a contributor and having zero concerns about the transactions is pleasant. You don't have to look very far down the board (PowWow) to see a recent thread someone posted on getting burned buying a bow on another site.