Blog Details

Everything has a price, and these days, the price of many things is pretty high.  Along with rising prices, the value of the currency just isn’t what it used to be. With the high cost of living, the “used” market has become increasingly popular in the past few decades. This is true even in the business world.  Buying used equipment can save a lot of money, but there are drawbacks. As a seller of some pretty fantastic used equipment, we thought we’d break down the pros and cons of used equipment for people on the fence.

Advantage of buying a used product

• Businesses are constantly coming and going, which means when they’re on the way out they sell their equipment cheaply. It might only be a year or two old and you may even be lucky enough to get something that is still under warranty. It can also mean you’re able to buy a particular model that may no longer be on the market. For example, older models can have different and sometimes better functions.
• Buying anything used (except antiques) is less expensive than the new alternative, sometimes up to 90% cheaper, but generally at least 50% cheaper. Your currency will go farther if you buy used, and maybe you will be able to afford buying local organic food or more Peak Oil supplies. So you can (pick one): save twice the money, or buy twice the stuff.
• Every manufactured product is responsible for a certain amount of resources consumed – from farming cotton, clear cutting forests, mining for metals, or pumping out oil. The production of new books and furniture require trees to be cut down. Anything made of plastic is produced from oil pumped from the Earth. The metals in cell phones, jewellery, computers, all must be scraped out of the planet, with horrible environmental consequences. Luckily, there’s an alternative – used items don’t require any new resources to be consumed.
• The growing and producing of stuff pumps a lot of pollution into the environment – including toxic chemicals, pesticides, and carbon emissions.
• It can be really difficult to find a way to recycle all that packaging, or even more annoying, to have to throw it away. When you buy used from your local thrift shop, you don’t have any packaging to deal with.

Disadvantage of buying a used product

• You can never really be sure what you’re getting when it comes to second-hand items. Are there any parts missing? Is there any hidden rust or mould? Some used equipment may also need maintenance and can be more prone to breaking or having mechanical issues. If you don’t know how it’s been used, it can be hard to judge how it will stand up during peak times. Older equipment may also have older technology, which can mean your business isn’t operating as efficiently as possible.
• In a time where everyone is trying to save a buck or two, buying second hand goods has become the “in” thing to do. You see it on television all the time; buying antiques and even what some would consider junk, is now so popular that some people look down their nose at you if you actually buy something brand new! It is always a good idea to recycle and reuse anything that still has some life left in it.
• One must ask themselves, when considering purchasing used gadgets, why the person or place is selling this older item to begin with. If it was such a great item, wouldn’t the owner still be using it? Some people get rid of items when they have started showing signs of problems.
• So you decide that buying second hand gadgets is the way to go and end up having to have one repaired. Ouch! It might not end up being such a cheap way to get gadgets by the time you pay those repair bills. Worst case scenario is that the gadget you have either will cost an arm and a leg to have fixed or is so outdated that no one is willing to work on it and you are left with a paper weight.
• When you buy second hand gadgets, you know you will have to put up with your friends and family laughing at you for not having the latest and greatest things like they have. If you are one of those people who do not care about keeping up with everyone else, then that is a good thing. Although you may still have to deal with the hassle of your older gadget not being compatible with your friends’ gadgets.

Safety Tips:

There is no distinct way to identify a fraudulent seller or buyer. We appetite you to practice good awareness and keep these tip in mind.

• It is recommended to purchase items directly from the seller. Always meet the Seller at a safe location and checkout the item before purchasing. Following this one rule will helps you to avoid most of the scams. The best way to accomplish is to collect the item and pay at the same time. Never transfer funds or use a debit card to pay someone you do not know before collecting an item. Do your research on provisional prices for the product.
• Remember to use a safe location to meet the Buyer. Ask the buyer to provide photo ID and proof of address along with the contact phone number. Assure that your product meets the features you list in your ad to avoid any misunderstanding with the buyer. Try to take the full payment at the time of the delivery. Do not share your financial information except the one required for payment.

Hope these tips will help you in Buying / Selling a product in a protective way.