How to best sell used equipment?

[Royce Meritt]

This is NOT a For Sale post. I need some advice. From those of you with some experience in this sort of thing. how do you go about selling used equipment?

I recently upgraded to an 8" long-bed jointer. Listed my used 6" jointer on Craigslist. My listing stated this was a cash only deal. Yesterday, I removed my listing from Craigslist. Just too much of a pain.

The first response to my ad was the typical "I would LOVE to buy this. Please remove ad from Craigslist. I will send cashier's check and add $50 for you to remove the ad from Craigslist." I didn't reply. Obvious scam.

The second response was, "I would love to buy this. Can only send check but will not pick up until check clears." Again, I didn't reply. Obviously, if one could send a check, one could go to the bank and get the cash.

Among other things, the most obvious RED FLAG is that the FIRST response from anyone who might be interested in my jointer would be that they would like to come take a look at it, not, "I would LOVE to buy this".

So... What's the best way to sell larger equipment? Craigslist ain't for me. Thanks.

Royce

[Mike Kees]

I just sold a Rockwell drill press to a guy who put up an add that he was looking for one. I texted him and we went back and forth,sent pictures and he wanted to see it so came out to my place and ended up taking it home with him. I also sold a lathe to a real good friends Dad. What drives me nuts is putting up adds and people phone and try to negotiate the price when they have not even seen the listed item.So now I am trying to find people who are seriously looking for what I have for sale. I will continue to scan adds watching for people who specifically are looking for what I have for sale. Hope this helps, Mike.

[William Shelley]

To be fair, many of those kinds of responses to craigslist posts are done by bots or scripts, in other words, they're more like the snail mail spam you get in your mailbox. They have a low likelihood of success but they can cheaply spam thousands of people so even if only two bite, the scammer can make a profit.

You could try ebay with "local pickup only" as the freight option.

[Steve Mathews]

Royce - Having sold stuff on Craigslist I feel your pain. Here are my suggestions ...

Use your phone number as a contact and state that all inquiries must be made over the phone and all emails or text messaging will be ignored. And then don't respond to emails or text messaging. Also state that if they see the ad the item is still available. These mentions will eliminate most of the weirdos and scammers. When you do get a call and someone wants to make an offer over the phone, simply ask them how they could make an offer without seeing the item and then state they will have to make the offer in person. That will probably eliminate the low ballers. At this point your inquiries will be almost non-existent but that's OK because you only want someone who is seriously interested. Be patient and keep in mind that you are trying to sell something that very few people want to buy and you are selling it on a forum that is also very limited. The last bit of advice and probably the most important is be realistic in your asking price. There's nothing that turns off a prospective buyer more than an asking price that is anywhere close to what it sold for new. Good luck!

[Royce Meritt]

To be fair, many of those kinds of responses to craigslist posts are done by bots or scripts, in other words, they're more like the snail mail spam you get in your mailbox. They have a low likelihood of success but they can cheaply spam thousands of people so even if only two bite, the scammer can make a profit.

You could try ebay with "local pickup only" as the freight option.

Not trying to pick a fight but, "TO BE FAIR"...to whom?

[John TenEyck]

I've sold equipment here on SMC, on another forum I frequent, and on Craigslist. Never a problem with the wood working forum folks. Never had much trouble on C-list either, but I only respond to folks who send me legit responses, and I only deal with people on the phone and in person. I've never sold anything except in person, and it's always been a cash transaction, but I did buy a J/P from a guy across the state a couple of years ago, and paid him (PayPal) up front based only on pictures. That turned out just fine. I think the key is talking to the other person. It's not hard to tell who's honest from those who aren't.

John

[William Shelley]

Not trying to pick a fight but, "TO BE FAIR"...to whom?

To be fair to craigslist and selling on the internet in general. It's a little shortsighted to discard an entire way of doing business because of a few rotten scammers.

If you go to a store and the clerk is having a bad day, do you vow to never shop there again?

[Steve Mathews]

I've sold equipment here on SMC, on another forum I frequent, and on Craigslist. Never a problem with the wood working forum folks. Never had much trouble on C-list either, but I only respond to folks who send me legit responses, and I only deal with people on the phone and in person. I've never sold anything except in person, and it's always been a cash transaction, but I did buy a J/P from a guy across the state a couple of years ago, and paid him (PayPal) up front based only on pictures. That turned out just fine. I think the key is talking to the other person. It's not hard to tell who's honest from those who aren't.

John

I agree with John in that even in a phone conversation it's much easier to gauge the sincerity of a person than the anonymity of an email or text message. Only a face to face meeting is better.

[Ben Rivel]

IMO Craigslist is really the best option. For some reason I never get contacted by scammers anymore and I have stuff listed on CL everyday for months on end. Different things and some the same that take forever to sell. That said I sell a ton on eBay and via forum classifieds sections.

[Cary Falk]

Unfortunately, CL probably has the biggest audience. It is free so you have to put up with the scams and the flakes. I have seen my share of both. Forum classifieds are great because of the target audience but is only useful if there is a large local audience for things that can't ship cheaply. EBAY and Paypal fees are so high anymore and you are still stuck with local pickup so you might as well use,

[Mike Manning]

I've sold equipment here on SMC, on another forum I frequent, and on Craigslist. Never a problem with the wood working forum folks. Never had much trouble on C-list either, but I only respond to folks who send me legit responses, and I only deal with people on the phone and in person. I've never sold anything except in person, and it's always been a cash transaction, but I did buy a J/P from a guy across the state a couple of years ago, and paid him (PayPal) up front based only on pictures. That turned out just fine. I think the key is talking to the other person. It's not hard to tell who's honest from those who aren't.

John

Same for me John with respect to selling on CL. If your expectation is you're not going to get some flakes then you probably should just not be selling things. Checking my email and ignoring the flakes and scammers is about as easy as it gets. I'm not giving my phone number out. What an inconvenience. I'll share a recent experience I had selling a brand new, never opened Delta X5 jointer on CL. I listed it on CL because I didn't want to ship it. I was asking about what I paid for it 12 years ago because I hoped/needed to recoup that money. I know Delta was no longer making a jointer that good and tried to use that as a selling point. I got several emails from idiots. One guy trying to convince me I'd be lucky to get $300 and he'd give me $200 IF I sold it today. Never even replied and didn't get bothered again. Got a number of the I'm interested do you still have it then nothing. Also, if you expect people to be able to read, as in "if this ad is still up then the XYZ is still for sale", you'll be disappointed. I had to relist it two more times but eventually a gentlemen from San Antonio saw the ad. Came and looked at the boxes and said he'd take it. I was a bit worred that after 12 years sitting in my garage the tables had developed some rust but I told him I made no promises or guarantees. He got home, unboxed and set it up then let me know he was as happy as a clam. By the way, tables were as pristine as they probably were the day it arrived at my house.

I think CL is a great site to sell stuff. I try to take good pics, be clear in my description and let people know exactly what they're getting. It helps to have some common sense too, low expectations and patience.

Good luck selling your stuff.

[Mike Manning]

IMO Craigslist is really the best option. For some reason I never get contacted by scammers anymore and I have stuff listed on CL everyday for months on end. Different things and some the same that take forever to sell. That said I sell a ton on eBay and via forum classifieds sections.

Are you saying you're THAT guy who EVERY day list his nut splitters for $8? Or his worthless old 1 and 2 gallon plastic gasoline containers for going on 3 years? Ah!!!!!!!! I hate you!!!!! ;-)

[Steve Mathews]

... I'm not giving my phone number out...

Mike - I'm curious, why not give out your phone number?

[John TenEyck]

Don't discount people from far away if the deal is good. I found a really nice 16" jointer on Craigslist two states away. I told my friend who was looking for a big jointer and he bought it based only on a phone conversation with the seller and photos of the machine. We had it shipped, which cost nearly $800 all said and done, but the price he paid for the jointer was so low that his total cost is still less than a the cheapest 12" Grizzly with spiral head.

John

[Dan Friedrichs]

I never understand why people get so bent out of shape by a spam/scam email. I must get a dozen snail mail pieces every week saying "We want to buy your house!" or "We need your vehicle trade in!" - pretty much the same thing, yes?

[Jake Hillestad]

JMO - but if you've ruled out Craigslist you've already removed the "best" way to offload used things from your arsenal. Doesn't take much time to delete "scams", ignore texts, or say no over the phone.

Next best would probably be several forums that specialize in wood working, that will limit your audience to only woodworkers but you've also made it a little harder to hit people within driving distance (unless you've got something worth traveling a long distance for).

You may have machine dealers near you that will take in used items but prepare to get stroked on the price they'll give you. Online auction sites are also going to take a big bite out of your end.

Pick your poison I guess.

[Mike Manning]

Mike - I'm curious, why not give out your phone number?

Steve,
Personal preference for the most part. I don't like getting calls or texts. I check my email when I want to, at my convenience. Also, putting your phone number out there invites scammers and abusers. IMO. Your mileage may vary. :-)

[Art Mann]

I have bought and sold many, many items on Craigslist. Around here, it is so much preferred that I never bother to look elsewhere. Your first mistake was publishing your phone number. Craigslist has a feature wherein you can communicate back and forth with the other party by email without either party supplying a personal address. You share your email only with Craigslist and they are trustworthy. When you get an offer that sounds fishy, just delete and forget about it. When you finally get a contact that seems legitimate, only then would you supply your email address, physical address or phone number. Eventually, you are going to have to do that no matter where you are trying to sell.

[Mike Tekin]

I have bought and sold many, many items on Craigslist. Around here, it is so much preferred that I never bother to look elsewhere. Your first mistake was publishing your phone number. Craigslist has a feature wherein you can communicate back and forth with the other party by email without either party supplying a personal address. You share your email only with Craigslist and they are trustworthy. When you get an offer that sounds fishy, just delete and forget about it. When you finally get a contact that seems legitimate, only then would you supply your email address, physical address or phone number. Eventually, you are going to have to do that no matter where you are trying to sell.

Agree 100% I go one step further...once I determine that the person emailing me is legit, I ask them for their number first and tell them I will call them and arrange details to setup an appointment. Sometimes they refused to provide their number or didn't respond and I simply moved to the next person.

I will tell you that Woodworkers are the nicest people out there as I have sold lots of various things over the years on Craigslist as well.

[Peter Aeschliman]

I will tell you that Woodworkers are the nicest people out there as I have sold lots of various things over the years on Craigslist as well.

Agreed. I have always had a good time when I meet buyers. We end up talking shop, etc.

[John C Cox]

So here's the deal... What you are talking about is why pawn shops exist. It's why used car lots exist.

In a normal music store, car lot, or gun shop - there are 10 or 20 looky-loos touching and kicking tires for every real customer. The store people have to deal with all of them - because you never know who will come back in and bring money this time.

But normal people hate that.. They can't be bothered by the whole selling process... Yikes I could tell you scads of stories where I am trying hard to buy something on CL with cash in my hand and the sellers can't be bothered to sell it to me... Oh - I have to walk the dog... too busy today... The wife is going out of town this weekend... Bla bla bla... Whatever.

If you can't stand all that - then find a local pawn shop, consignment shop, or local sale mall and make it go away...

[Bill Adamsen]

I've sold quite a few mid-range priced tools ($250 to $2500) on CL and have never had a problem. In fact I've met some of the nicest people you could imagine. The items were all priced reasonably and the most important thing I think ... a very detailed and accurate description, and high-quality photos. I have never had someone come, look at something and leave without buying it. I would likely be mortified if that happened. I must say that like so many others have mentioned, I am selective about those to whom I respond. I just ignore drivel and spam.

Now on the other hand ... buying on CL. One particularly annoying adventure involved a Syracuse/Porter Disc Sander. The pictures weren't very good and I asked very specific questions about the inevitably fractured trunnion one finds on these. The seller assured me it was in perfect condition. Arriving after an hour+ drive, I find it not only broken but missing entirely, the table being supported by a piece of bolted on angle iron. Informed, the owner shrugged and asked if I wanted the machine. I ended up driving home empty handed thinking ill thoughts.

[Tim Bueler]

I've bought and sold a ton of stuff (several tons, actually) on C-list. In my ads I always say "I will not reply unless you provide a phone number in your response". Anything without a phone # gets deleted. Any ads I respond to I include my phone # so the seller has the option of calling me or going through the anonymous email program. C-list can be a pain but it does give you a large audience within driving distance.

[Mike Manning]

I've bought and sold a ton of stuff (several tons, actually) on C-list. In my ads I always say "I will not reply unless you provide a phone number in your response". Anything without a phone # gets deleted...

If you don't mind me asking...why?

[Tim Bueler]

http://www.sawmillcreek.org/images/misc/quote_icon.png Originally Posted by Tim Bueler http://www.sawmillcreek.org/images/buttons/viewpost-right.png (http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?p=2667832#post2667832)
I've bought and sold a ton of stuff (several tons, actually) on C-list. In my ads I always say "I will not reply unless you provide a phone number in your response". Anything without a phone # gets deleted...



If you don't mind me asking...why?

Mike, back when I lived in NW Washington State, the land of rude people, there seemed to be an abundance of people who loved to make offers with no intention of following through. City people overcome with boredom maybe?:confused: What I eventually figured out is that tirekickers and lowballers don't want to talk to a seller in person so I put that line in. If they responded without a phone # I figured either they can't read, in which case I don't want to deal with them, they were one of the two types already mentioned, in which case I don't want to deal with them, or they have a total disregard for me, in which case I don't want to deal with them.

From the buyers standpoint I always included my phone # when responding to an ad as a courtesy. Gives the seller an option of how they want to contact me. I bought several items over the years where, even though the transaction was entirely by email, the seller told me the reason they responded to my inquiry was because I included my phone # in my inquiry. Adds a level of reassurance maybe? I made some pretty awesome deals simply because I was courteous. Knock wood (this is a wood workers forum after all :cool:) it never came back to bite me. YMMV, but that's what worked for me in that market.

Even though it can be a pain I always preferred C-list for bigger ticket, used items because I could put my hands on the item. Not so with Ebay. I've never been smart enough to ask the right questions at the right time so seeing the item, in person, was important to me.

[Doug Landphair]

I love craigslist - both buying and selling. I've gotten some excellent deals on various tools and other items. I've also sold a number of items on craigslist.

To get the best results, I do everything I can think of to make the item advertised as desirable as possible. This means excellent photos from several angles and a clear, accurate description of the item. Then, I do whatever I can to make myself and the item as accessible as possible. This means providing my phone number and the town where I live (no address provided until I get a phone call from a prospective buyer wanting to see the item).

Yes, I get some wackos and low ballers but you just learn to set your boundaries. If a caller doesn't sound right or legit, hang up. There's no need to put yourself in danger or do something you're not comfortable with.

That's what works for me.

[Lee Schierer]

So... What's the best way to sell larger equipment? Craigslist ain't for me. Thanks.

Royce

Pay $6 to SMC to become a contributor and list your woodworking equipment in the classifieds section. Thousands of woodworkers will have access to your advertisement.

[Tony Pisano]

I've had good luck using craigslist both selling and buying. I always say price is firm, pick up only, cash only. If someone asks if I'll take less, I tell them its already at the lowest I'll take but if you want to pay more, I'll accept. That being said, I also post to friends on facebook and see if they know someone interested. Facebook also has groups for buying and selling.