GL's Surplus on Demand

GL has had this site up for a while and I was wondering how they are doing this. They have a Surplus on Demand website where they sell brand new items surplused from the government. Now how is that not a conflict of interest or fair? I was curious on how they are doing this. I tried to find out from the site but it didn't tell me much.

I bought one item from them back when they started this to see how it worked. They sent me the wrong item. I had to file a GL claim took another 3 weeks before I got the correct item.

The conflict I see is that they get to pick the stuff that will bring the most retail profit and get it dirt cheap. They are then in direct competition with dealers (their own customers) that have to purchase items at auction, pay GL's buyers premium and sales tax.
Business as usual for gooberment contrators.
I think it smells to high heven.
But then again I'm a cynic.

It's not that there is something I don't like about it. After reading what you wrote it makes sense to me. This is just leftovers they are selling that didn't sell at auction (hopefully). It just made me wonder because I was looking at some of the boots and they said that they were brand new. I thought there was just something fishy about that. Maybe its just my paranoia and distrust of GL.

That is my train of thought wreckerman. Well put. I just couldn't write what I was thinking. Thanks!!!!

MWMULES said:

I bought one item from them back when they started this to see how it worked. They sent me the wrong item. I had to file a GL claim took another 3 weeks before I got the correct item. They also sell on Ebay now out of OKC.
Set of 6 Military Truck HEMTT Wheels 5 ton M813 M818 - eBay (item 180410323328 end time Sep-26-09 08:40:48 PDT)

Click to expand...

this link is not a gl link, it is a company owned by one of our members

I may not like them bringing higher prices when I am buying but I do not see any conflict of interest. I want to get my stuff cheap but if someone wants to pay more I either need to pay more or hold my tongue. As a taxpayer I want them to get the max amount of money for the stuff they sell as that is that much more money the government makes. They get a percentage of the sale. They do not pay a set amount then sell for whatever. The more they make the more we make as taxpayers. Another upside to the stuff going for more money is it drives up the value of the stuff we already have. If someone can get trucks cheap everywhere our stuff is devalued. The more they cost from GL the more we can get for our trucks. No matter what it is a give and take. You just want to make sure you buy when the stuff is cheap then sell when it is expensive.

I don't think I'll ever order from GLSOD. If I want to pay retail prices for surplus items I need, I'll visit a surplus shop and give my money to them. As it turns out, I am pretty thrifty, and I shop more in bulk (which would necessitate buying from GL, but via auction) and at the MV shows.

This all makes perfect sense. Sell everything themselves, shuts down smaller stores (like mine) and when most of the surplus stores are closed, GL will have yet again another monopoly. Also, there would be less 'noise' about the flow of surplus stopping one day. No or hardly any surplus store owners to fight anything.

ida34, I would be willing to bet, that way more of that 'increased value' winds up in GL's pockets instead of our Governments. After all, they are a business. And 98% of businesses are not in business to help others. They are in business to make maximum profit for themselves and their shareholders.