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Buying and Selling Computer Parts on Ebay

Started by Whizbang, December 11, 2003, 22:00 hrs

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Whizbang

OK, I admit it; I am an Ebay nut, not a fanatic; but I do enjoy finding stuff on line that is a bargain and selling back what I do not need for a profit.  Many computer shops and businesses will upgrade their video cards and other parts and sell the old ones on Ebay for pennies on the dollar.  I bought a package of five PCI and ISA video cards for $10.00.  I simply threw away the two ISA cards and tested the PCI cards.  The drivers are readily available on line and the older 4 to 16 meg cards are very good for office work.  After I tested them (I have never found one that did not work), I sold them back on Ebay for a small profit after keeping the upgrade I wanted for the old PBell.  If you are honest in telling how you came by the cards, letting people know that you tested them, and locate the drivers on line and include URL in the ad, you would be amazed at how easily you can sell them, if you are not greedy.  Here are the most important things I have learned on selling anything on line on Ebay.

1)  Make an attractive presentation, not gaudy or exaggerated.  Use HTML (free HTML editor now available on EBay).
2)  Consider offering "FREE S&H!" and put that in the title.  Just add what you need to the selling price.  I really get annoyed by the ads that sell cheap and make up for it with very high S&H and then ship first class USPS for about $1.00 or less.
3)  Explain how you came by the parts, why you are getting rid of them, and that you have tested them and found them to be working.  I say "them," but I have never sold in bulk, only in individual items.  And if you are really honest, give a 30 day money-back guarantee but not for shipping (warranty never has been used).
4)  Regardless of when you start the auction (your option), always end it at the very peak of prime time viewing, such as about 9:00PM PST on Sunday that is not a holiday.  That would cover the East coast at 12:00PM and Central time at 11:00PM.  Commercial item selling would be a little different on the time schedule.
5)  Have a "Buy Now" option where you can set a reasonable profit for instant purchasing.  That also gives you another way to advertise on the search engine.
6)  Check the tax policy in your state.  Usually, if you are just in sell-back hobby status, there is no requirement, but don't count on it.

On the flip side, the best time to buy computer parts on Ebay is during the week or on a holiday weekend when there is little traffic on line.  Stay away from used Hard drives.  Heavily-used hard drives are abused hard drives, no exception.  Anything that moves that fast is self-abusive.

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If you like the idea of trading on Ebay, you would do well to set up an account with PayPal, an on-line collection bank that you can use to send or receive money.  The advantage here is that they handle the cash flow and you simply send or receive the funds.  A small fee is incurred, but worth the time and effort saved.  When you set up the account, they will send two small separate amounts to your receiving bank and you report back what they are.  That is the way to confirm the account.  PayPal is now owned by Ebay, but can be used for transactions at many on-line dealers.

If you are just getting a hobby started, seeing how inexpensively you can put a computer together with used parts is fun, but don't plan on making it an A1 unit that way.  As a second "toy," however, it sure beats fishing when the weather turns nasty.