Write-up: Second hand products

[Timotheus 416]

As some of you already know I'm a big fan of second hand products, and I wanted to tell/show/share something about this with you guys.

 

 

 

• The Internet
  

With the Internet, selling your stuff has taken on quite a different scale. For instance, here in Holland a few entrepreneurs started a new site called "Marktplaats". The literal English translation of it would be "market place", and it generally describes what it is: people can post their own adverts with products they are offering and products they are looking for. Another major example of a site aiming at this, is eBay.

eBay is a site that's known worldwide, however the user base in Holland stayed relatively small. Why? Because Marktplaats.nl was a free alternative (AFAIK, some of the money you earn by using eBay is taken as a fee). In 2004, eBay acquired Marktplaats.nl for the sum of 225 million euro, quite a large sum of money. eBay tried to earn money by placing fees on several advert types, but this strategy resulted in 2 things: complete advert chaos, as people were placing their adverts in other categories; and people stepped to the free competition, as there are several other sites like Marktplaats.nl in Holland. After 2-3 months, eBay found out the userbase had declined and the amount of work to clean up the ad categories had increased, and they decided to drop the fees.

However, large specialized sites like these are not the only way to sell your stuff. Several forums offer some kind of miniature version of this. One of the examples I'd like to get out here is Tweakers.net, one of the biggest tech-stuff sites in Holland and Belgium. Here, there is a specialized Offer & Demand page, where you can find or sell what you need. Also, there is a very useful feedback option, where you will find feedback on the user's products and communication etc. I've already sold lots of stuff there, and also bought quite a few items.

Chances are, there is a similar system in your country/region too. It's very cool to see the amount of money you can earn/save with second hand products, and there's no doubt that the Internet can make a garage sale a nation wide event...

 

 

 

• What's there to be found
  

I've already had several threads about second hand products I've bought. Just to name a 'few':

1 8800GTS 320MB (graphics card)

2 7900GS (graphics card)

3 2400PRO (graphics card)

4 ATI Remote Wonder II (a remote control for your pc)

5 MP3 players, one of 2GB and one of 30GB being used as a "Jukebox"

6 Trendtac EPC700 (minilaptop)

7 Akai Amplifier

8 Harddisk (new) for testing purposes, never got around to using it though.

9 Windows XP Home (new)

10 Playstation 1 and several games for it

11 Creative X-Fi Gamer (sound card)

12 PC case

13 HP t5530 Thin Client

14 Almost a third of my 160pcs DVD collection is based on second hand DVDs.

15 I've bought 11 second hand Stephen King books of some guy.

Etcetera.

 

 

 

• My experiences with second hand products and sellers
  

So far, almost all have been positive. I've had only 2 of the above products (partly) failing on me, and that was afer a while of normal/intensive use where the product functioned properly. I did make some stupid purchases though, like the 2GB mp3player which cannot be charged when plugged into USB/EU plug wall socket connector. I don't want to have to plug it into the PC every time the battery's dead! But that's one of the things you learn: be sure to always get information on the product you are buying. If it's an expensive product, like a graphics card (8800GTS), make sure you can test it. I went over to the guy, was allowed to let a benchmark run, etc. That way you'll find out everything is functioning the way you need it to be.

As for sellers: look for feedback. If someone has good feedback, you can be reasonably sure that things will work out OK. Also, ask for a phone number and/or address, that way you can verify their identity. And of course, if possible, got over there and pick the item up in person.

 

 

 

• Selling items yourself
  

I've sold numerous items so far: among them are an external harddisk, a Gameboy Micro, ~50 DVD's, an unused electric toothbrush, games, CD's, but also some of the items found above: 1, 4, 7, 8, 11, 13 all have found other homes. Make sure people pay in advance, and make sure that there always is someone else around when you sell items. That way, you have some social security. Also, beware of people trying to haggle off money at the last moment, just don't sell it to them. There always is another person to sell to.

 

 

 

My experiences with second hand products sometimes drive my parents nuts. They think I keep spending money, when in fact I make money off of other products as well.

Just think of it like this: one man's junk is another man's treasure.

 

I hope you enjoyed this read, if you have any questions and comments just shoot.

Edited May 16, 2009 by Timotheus