How to sell untested electronics?

[rosewood85]

I recently cleared out my closet and would like to sell some electronics (microphones, keyboards, etc.) that I no longer use. As far as I know they still work and function, but I am not able to test them to verify (as I no longer have the complementary components that would be required to use them (e.g. a mixer, music software, etc.)).

I'd appreciate any advice on the best way to list the items. If I list them as "For Parts" then I'm being unfair to myself by unnecessarily slashing the value on items that most likely do work and are in like new condition. If I list them as "Used" well then I can't specify what works and what might not. How do I get around this so that I am fair to both buyers and myself?

I would prefer to sell them as-is and not offer refunds, but my understanding is eBay's Money Back Guarantee woudl eviscerate this listing strategy.

[fuzzyfurball]

Also, make sure you put in your ad in big bold letters NON-REFUNDABLE, PICKUP ONLY, CASH ONLY!!  Be sure to print your ad out too for your records.  You WILL have the occasional "not here - doesn't bother to think" person who later doesn't like what they have or changes their mind for whatever reason so you want to make sure you made it clear to all buyers what the conditions were and that you have records of the ads to show them.  This is why I say keep reminding buyers especially if I think they're in that "not here" stage that it's not just in the ad but in the text messages, by phone before they come to test it,  and even before they pay and leave.  Then you won't feel guilty and they won't have any cause to regret it later - since you gave them alot of chances to decide to turn the item(s) down even after they tested them.

[sam9876]

When selling in most categories, you can't require a cash payment. 

[fuzzyfurball]

Personally, if I can't sell with cash only, I won't sell there.  I'd rather offer a good discount at a garage sale (or where it's cash only) OR give the items to friends or family OR donate them rather than dealing with the hassle of refunds and paying for/investing time& energy in packaging, delivering, carrying, trying to go after a scammer, etc.  It's just not worth it, especially with used goods that are just common good items. 

So far, I've had NO PROBLEMS selling cash only, pickup only. These sites or apps have buyers who UNDERSTAND it's pretty much cash only, pickup only.  Buyers can ASK for different terms, but sellers don't have to give them those terms, at least not the sites/apps I'm on.  Granted, I don't list upscale high-end luxury goods, just common used items but they're items which some people are looking for.  But that's a good point .......make sure the site or app lets you set the terms of payment and that the items are not refundable.  After all, that's the point of them SEEING AND TOUCHING AND TESTING the item(s) IN PERSON.

[atikovi]

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@fuzzyfurball wrote:

Personally, if I can't sell with cash only, I won't sell there.  I'd rather offer a good discount at a garage sale (or where it's cash only) OR give the items to friends or family OR donate them rather than dealing with the hassle of refunds and paying for/investing time& energy in packaging, delivering, carrying, trying to go after a scammer, etc.  It's just not worth it, especially with used goods that are just common good items. 

So far, I've had NO PROBLEMS selling cash only, pickup only. These sites or apps have buyers who UNDERSTAND it's pretty much cash only, pickup only.  Buyers can ASK for different terms, but sellers don't have to give them those terms, at least not the sites/apps I'm on.  Granted, I don't list upscale high-end luxury goods, just common used items but they're items which some people are looking for.  But that's a good point .......make sure the site or app lets you set the terms of payment and that the items are not refundable.  After all, that's the point of them SEEING AND TOUCHING AND TESTING the item(s) IN PERSON.

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This forum is on Ebay and the OP asked about selling on Ebay. I'm pretty sure the OP is aware of the other venues you mentioned for disposing of their items but that doesn't answer their question.

[vsoivj_0]

^

Correct, some of us simply assumed the OP wanted to actually SELL the item, not just list it in anti-social way as possible. Fact is in the time it takes a seller to DEAL with a "local pick up" buyer they could have PAID for a return at least once if not twice over.

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@atikovi wrote:

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@vsoivj_0 wrote:

that I believe they most likely do work 

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That is a setup for SNAD.

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It's tough giving advice here with all the contrary folks wanting to drop in their negativity, please answer the OP's question, don't just reply to someone's answer to start argument, thank you.

[bpr103]

I'm a musician, and I buy and sell a lot of audio equipment. You take the risk, or you cancel the sale if you don't trust the buyer's feedback.

While it's true that eBay favors buyers, the merchandise is yours until you ship it, and eBay is taking that risk of pissing off a buyer and shifting it onto you if you cancel a sale because you feel that it wasn't high enough.

So list honestly.

But don't be **bleep** off that you can't get top-dollar for your audio card because you don't have a compatible computer to test it on. Or a ten-year-old usb 1.0 keyboard that you can't hook up to any of you computers to see if it works. Or a condenser mic that you can't test with a preamp that provides adequate phantom power (or a vintage preamp that provides phantom power, but not enough for any contemporary mic...oof)!

Fact is, eBay isn't going to protect you, but there's a solid community of audio folks who buy cheap and sell high and the real goal isn't to make money, but to find the right instrument, or the right interface, or the right microphone, and even if we have to learn how to solder to get that mother**bleep**er working, we will. If I think it's decent, I'll buy it at a price that I KNOW I can re-sell it at if it doesn't work with my system.

Chances are really good that the buyer will know more than you if you sell it untested/for parts.

So if you, as the seller, have no idea about its functionality, frankly you have no chance at getting top dollar. Buy a preamp with phantom power (about $20!!!) if you want top dollar. Or buy a PCI card and a DSUB 25 cable to see if that thing works... Put in the hours with your operating system.

Oops, was your 25 pin D-Sub connector wired via Tascam or Yamaha specifications? Were those MIDI I/Os only specced to 8/8/io instead of 16 i/o?

Good luck finding out, unless you put in the time.

Or you could just sell it for parts...

[fuzzyfurball]

That's up to the OP to decide.  I'm sharing my experience as a seller who doesn't have to BEG the police for a police report or a website to rule in my favor about any risky false SNADs