Mil Surplus Group Buy?

[brian.marcy]

Has anyone ever thought about doing a group buy on things from govliquidation.com?

I saw this listing but, it's way more than one person could use on their own so, a group buy could work:
463 ea. (approx.) Fat 50's Ammo Cans w/Lids
http://www.govliquidation.com/auction/v ... vertTo=USD

Current price, 2420.00 = $5.23/can.

Obviously, there are other lots that could work depending on interest.
http://www.govliquidation.com/auction/v ... vertTo=USD

http://www.govliquidation.com/auction/v ... vertTo=USD

[oldkim]

Well someone has in a round about way.

But to truly do a "group buy" someone has to pony up the funds, pick up, store and be the lead and then distribute all the items.

You're talking about 2400 cans... it's not going to fit on a pick up or even 4.

The pure logistics is amazing. Yes, you broke it down to $5 a can but you're not thinking about the cost of picking it up, hauling it and then storing them (unless you have all the above)... transportation cost alone would bump that up (rental fee, gas and driver).

I hope I'm providing some detail as to the true cost and time you will have to put in to do this... the reality is... you'll go broke doing it (unless you are a business or have lots of time and resources to waste).

[brian.marcy]

I know it would be quite involved coordinating everything which is more than one person could do by themselves.

Looking at the picture, the 463 cans are on 6 pallets which would be tailgate loaded onto ~6 pick-up trucks or the pallets could be unloaded by hand and filled into fewer trucks.

Regardless of the above, it's a moot point unless you get ~100 people to commit to, on average, 4.63 cans each w/o a firm price, just a price cap. If this could be accomplished, the possibilities are endless! I've seen lots of once fired brass for sale, too!

[oldkim]

It is tempting.

I have to say I have been tempted. The one person I know of that has done something like this is RENCORP.

You can ask him how fun that was. Granted it wasn't a "group buy" as you are suggesting...

The one thing I would have to do some more research is... would the post allow 100+ folks to come converge to pick up. More than likely they probably want just a few to pick it up and take it away (off post) and then you are free to distribute.

But again... it all starts off with someone willing and able to pony up the funds and lead the way.

[brian.marcy]

would the post allow 100+ folks to come converge to pick up.

Definitely not. Any non-military, DoD employee would require a "sponsor" to get them on the base. This being said, there's no reason they couldn't converge OUTSIDE the gates!

I would envision something like a volunteer from up North, and down South to distribute to participants in those regions.

[WhiskeyTangoFoxtrot]

Add me to the YES group if this were to come about

[Brads Guns & Ammo]

I've watched these auctions before and the price always seems to go way to high. Lots of work. Little payoff.

[Free Boer]

Done this once. all the nice pieces are stacked on the top and edges, while the dented rusty shit pieces are buried in the middle. Same with the boxes of LBVs, web gear, BDUs etc. Fuggin ripoff the way they hide the garbage from view.

[Tofan]

If some of you guys do get it done, I would be willing to help use my truck to help deliver for a very small nominal fee!

[CQBgopher]

I've watched these auctions before and the price always seems to go way to high. Lots of work. Little payoff.

Yup. Back a few years ago it was worth it, but not anymore. Too many people know about it now, and the big companies are sending in their millions to remove the secondary market.

That lot sold for $3,800. Factoring in the required 10% buyer's premium the total is $4,180. Plus WA state sales tax IIRC. That's over $9.00 per can BEFORE transportation and labor costs, and assuming every can is usable and in sellable condition without repair.

would the post allow 100+ folks to come converge to pick up.

Definitely not. Any non-military, DoD employee would require a "sponsor" to get them on the base. This being said, there's no reason they couldn't converge OUTSIDE the gates!

I would envision something like a volunteer from up North, and down South to distribute to participants in those regions.

Can't speak for that many people, but 5 folks in T & Ts to receive a govliquidation auction was easy peasy for us in 2011. Govliquidation sponsored us in. A military contractor can sponsor their subcontractors and vendors onto the Lewis side of JBLM without an actual military sponsor. I do it multiple times a year. The Air Force side has been a bit different in that regard. This through Lewis side CVIP gates at the Log Center and North Fort, and the McChord side CVIP gate off Perimeter Rd FWIW

For us, the govliquidation folks handled all the loading. I don't know if they are military, DoD, or what but they ran the forklifts. We tied down and hooked up to preloaded trailers. They got the axle weights dead on, it ain't the first time they've done it.

[DeltaBravo]

I've watched these auctions before and the price always seems to go way to high. Lots of work. Little payoff.

Agreed. I've watched them too... and considered becoming a big time ammo can dealer, but when it comes down to it, the price they usually end up selling for at auction based on what they sell for in a retail market, only allows several bucks each of profit - not worth the effort.

I think what ends up usually happening is they get bought up by huge retailers that can come in with a semi truck and load 'em up. Yakima Firing range sometimes has a large quantity of large "lots" of ammo cans - multiple lots that have 8-10 pallets of ammo cans.

I bought an auction of 160+ .30 cal ammo cans in October at JBLM. It's taken this long to sell them, and I still have some left. Granted, there are a lot of interesting things that come up for auction.

Over the last year and a half that I've watched ammo can auctions, they sell at auction for not much less than what they sell for at gun shows, so it's totally not worth the effort.

Some of the suppliers I deal with offer wholesale ammo cans in their product offerings... they are the ones that buy up the surplus market and load 'em up on their semi truck... LOL.

When you win an auction, the auction paperwork allows you to get on post - the auction office becomes the "sponsor" to get you on post from what I recall. In my situation it was a non issue getting on post because my dad is a retired DOD employee and picked them up since I was on the other side of the state at the time.