Question Please help me with some info about selling used PC parts online.

eziowar

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Jun 11, 2015
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Hi, i want to sell my used CPU, Mobo, Gpu, RAM, PSU seperately or if customer wants i can sell my whole system(including cabinet, cooler, peripherals etc everything) together. But i have no experience on selling stuff online. I don't know how customer and I can trust each other. How can i trust customer that he will pay after getting the product ? or the payment happens before i send my items? What happens if i send good working item but the customer intentionally damage it after receiving and falsely accuse that my item was already damaged before receiving and dosn't pay or ask for refund? Also how can i convince customer about the good condition of my products? Are just some images enough for that? I'm from India. I've found few websites to do the selling such as - computify.in , cashify.in , techenclave.com , .olx.in , quikr.com , shopify.in , sellmypc.in , ebay.in , Amazon Trade-In , .facebook.com/marketplace . But i don't know which websites are good. Please recommend me some best websites for this purpose.
 
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Solution
I've sold a few things on eBay and bought loads of second hand PC components. It helps if you've already built up good feedback buying things from the web site. This means anyone looking at your items for sale can check your feedback profile for negative comments. If they see 100% positive feedback over several years, they're more likely to deal with you, than risk someone with lots of negative feedback or no feedback whatsoever.

I'm much happier buying CPUs, GPU, RAM, hard disks, SSDs, etc., if the seller indicates they will be shipped in ESD (anti-static) bags or boxes. If the photo of the item shows it placed on a nylon carpet or similar static generating surface, I do not risk a bid. When selling a CPU, show it sitting inside the...
I've sold a few things on eBay and bought loads of second hand PC components. It helps if you've already built up good feedback buying things from the web site. This means anyone looking at your items for sale can check your feedback profile for negative comments. If they see 100% positive feedback over several years, they're more likely to deal with you, than risk someone with lots of negative feedback or no feedback whatsoever.

I'm much happier buying CPUs, GPU, RAM, hard disks, SSDs, etc., if the seller indicates they will be shipped in ESD (anti-static) bags or boxes. If the photo of the item shows it placed on a nylon carpet or similar static generating surface, I do not risk a bid. When selling a CPU, show it sitting inside the original ESD plastic clam shell and include a picture of the box the CPU came in, if you still have it. Ditto with RAM. The motherboard must be shipped in a prtective ESD bag. I'd ask for my money back if anyone shipped me a mobo wrapped in ordinary bubble wrap. Too much danger of hidden static damage.

Check the prices of identical items before uploading the details of your item to a web site. If you ask too high a price, noone will buy. Be realistic. Remember eBay will deduct a fee based on the starting price, plus a fee based on the final selling price. If you use PayPal, they will deduct another fee. There is also postage or shipping to factor in, but if people collect locally, you are expected to waive the shipping charges.

Selling parts separately will ususally provide a larger profit than selling the system as a whole, if you're a good judge of pricing and don't get any time wasters, or incompetent fools who damage the components and ask for their money back. Ebay normally takes the side of the buyer and you may end up out of pocket, unless you can provide conclusive proof the components were working when shipped.

If you don't observe ESD handling precautions, protect static sensitive items correctly in anti static bags and use plently of protective cardboard packing, the buyer may have a good case against you, for claiming the item is working but sending a piece of junk, even when not true. There are honest and dishonest sellers and buyers on eBay, etc. It's a risk you take when dealing on line.

If you live in a big city, consider limiting your sales to "collection only" and state you are not prepared to ship items. That way you can often accept payment in cash and the buyer can examine the goods before paying, so they won't be able to claim they were physically damaged during shipping. You might even be able to demonstrate the item is working before handind it over to the buyer. Easier if you sell the computer as a whole.

You'll be limiting the number of potential buyers with local collection only, but I prefer to pick up computer cases myself whenever possible, to avoid damage in transit. One Lian Li case that was delivered to me was so badly damaged, it must have been dropped off the tail gate of a truck on to a concrete floor. I got all my money back from eBay, including shipping charges and got to keep the case too. The seller got nothing back from their insurance, because they'd chosen the wrong insurance group and the company refused to pay up.

If the parts are less than a year old, expect to get 50% to 60% of their current brand new price (not what you originally paid for them, which might have been higher). If the parts are more than 3 years old, you might get 20%. Over 5 years, maybe 10%. Keep an eye on other peoples' auctions and see what the final sale price is.

With eBay, you don't ship the items until you have received payment from PayPal, or have the cash in your hand. The sale can always be reveresed if the buyer is not happy and complains. If you're unlucky, you may get a dead CPU back, PayPal will deduct the money from your account and eBay will not refund their selling fees. It's a tough world.

Perhaps selling the computer as a complete unit to a local computer shop would be a better idea?

Good luck.
 
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Solution
I've sold a few things on eBay and bought loads of second hand PC components. It helps if you've already built up good feedback buying things from the web site. This means anyone looking at your items for sale can check your feedback profile for negative comments. If they see 100% positive feedback over several years, they're more likely to deal with you, than risk someone with lots of negative feedback or no feedback whatsoever.

I'm much happier buying CPUs, GPU, RAM, hard disks, SSDs, etc., if the seller indicates they will be shipped in ESD (anti-static) bags or boxes. If the photo of the item shows it placed on a nylon carpet or similar static generating surface, I do not risk a bid. When selling a CPU, show it sitting inside the original ESD plastic clam shell and include a picture of the box the CPU came in, if you still have it. Ditto with RAM. The motherboard must be shipped in a prtective ESD bag. I'd ask for my money back if anyone shipped me a mobo wrapped in ordinary bubble wrap. Too much danger of hidden static damage.

Check the prices of identical items before uploading the details of your item to a web site. If you ask too high a price, noone will buy. Be realistic. Remember eBay will deduct a fee based on the starting price, plus a fee based on the final selling price. If you use PayPal, they will deduct another fee. There is also postage or shipping to factor in, but if people collect locally, you are expected to waive the shipping charges.

Selling parts separately will ususally provide a larger profit than selling the system as a whole, if you're a good judge of pricing and don't get any time wasters, or incompetent fools who damage the components and ask for their money back. Ebay normally takes the side of the buyer and you may end up out of pocket, unless you can provide conclusive proof the components were working when shipped.

If you don't observe ESD handling precautions, protect static sensitive items correctly in anti static bags and use plently of protective cardboard packing, the buyer may have a good case against you, for claiming the item is working but sending a piece of junk, even when not true. There are honest and dishonest sellers and buyers on eBay, etc. It's a risk you take when dealing on line.

If you live in a big city, consider limiting your sales to "collection only" and state you are not prepared to ship items. That way you can often accept payment in cash and the buyer can examine the goods before paying, so they won't be able to claim they were physically damaged during shipping. You might even be able to demonstrate the item is working before handind it over to the buyer. Easier if you sell the computer as a whole.

You'll be limiting the number of potential buyers with local collection only, but I prefer to pick up computer cases myself whenever possible, to avoid damage in transit. One Lian Li case that was delivered to me was so badly damaged, it must have been dropped off the tail gate of a truck on to a concrete floor. I got all my money back from eBay, including shipping charges and got to keep the case too. The seller got nothing back from their insurance, because they'd chosen the wrong insurance group and the company refused to pay up.

If the parts are less than a year old, expect to get 50% to 60% of their current brand new price (not what you originally paid for them, which might have been higher). If the parts are more than 3 years old, you might get 20%. Over 5 years, maybe 10%. Keep an eye on other peoples' auctions and see what the final sale price is.

With eBay, you don't ship the items until you have received payment from PayPal, or have the cash in your hand. The sale can always be reveresed if the buyer is not happy and complains. If you're unlucky, you may get a dead CPU back, PayPal will deduct the money from your account and eBay will not refund their selling fees. It's a tough world.

Perhaps selling the computer as a complete unit to a local computer shop would be a better idea?

Good luck.
Thank you very much, much appreciated
 
  1. Clean and test the parts.
  2. Take quality photos.
  3. Write accurate descriptions.
  4. Research and set a competitive price.
  5. Choose a reputable platform.
  6. Plan for secure shipping.
  7. Offer various payment methods.
  8. Maintain good communication.
  9. Protect your privacy.
  10. Be honest about the condition.
  11. Consider local sales.
  12. Outline return policies.
  13. Be aware of legal considerations.
  14. Learn from buyer feedback.
 
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I find selling locally, in person, cash only tends to be the best method, if not the best return.

eBay has gotten really bad about their seller protection. Mostly they are protecting buyers much more, and often at the risk of sellers. What you discuss where someone claims item was sent broken is an often used ploy to cover what would otherwise be considered buyer remorse.

Marketplace can be a real crap shoot. Often rife with scammers and such. IDK if you have Craigslist there. They have recently revamped and require sellers to set up an account, no more anon posting sales items. Around here there are often places in the police precinct where there will be a camera and a sign indicating a CL sales spot, as it were. I will often designate a popular local restaurant to meet such that I can get a good look at who I am dealing with and make sure they are on the up and up. On rare occasion I will have people at the house, but only after having an exchange with them via email/text and having a good feeling. Even at that I always set up in the garage so they can see items working and I make it a point to show them they are on video.

The only other way I have had successful dealings with selling online and shipping is when dealing with a forum that had a B/S/T and not only having built good feedback myself, but also dealing with known members with good feedback or someone regular vouching for them.