Interested in selling used appliances? With the high sticker price of appliances like washers, dryers, refrigerators and stoves, there’s a burgeoning market for high-quality used goods. Whether you’re thinking of selling your own used appliance or going into business buying and selling used appliances, similar steps apply. Here’s a list of the do’s and don’ts.
What to Do
Make sure the appliance is in good working order
Are you replacing one of your current appliances with a newer model? Or did the belts give out suddenly? Either way, to sell an appliance to a consumer, it will have to be in good working order. Otherwise, you’re in line for irate phone calls or emails, and possibly postings that will impair your reputation.
If you want a side business selling your used appliances, you need a reputation for quality. You have several options. First, you can find good-quality used appliances and be the middle person who advertises and sells them. Second, you can find nonworking appliances and fix them. Third, you can find nonworking appliances and work with a repair person to fix them.
If you don’t want to fix non-working items, it is possible to sell them to a scrap metal dealer.
Clean the appliance both inside and out
Whatever state of cleanliness you receive the appliance in, it has to be clean to sell. Wash and polish thoroughly inside and out.
Take pictures
In today’s world, people look for pictures of whatever product they are willing to buy, whether it’s houses, cars or vacations. Used appliances are no different. Take multiple pictures for your listing. Make sure you have appropriate lighting, so the appliances not only are bright and clean, but look it. Take pictures of the exterior, the interior and the back. Leave no stone unturned!
Decide where you will advertise it
You have several decisions to make when advertising your appliances. Perhaps the best places are online sites with classified ads, such as Craigslist, simply because most people go there when looking for appliances. Letgo is a free mobile site that connects you to local buyers. Facebook also takes advertisements. Don’t forget eBay, of course — many people go to online auction sites for larger-ticket items.
Posting online is not your only option, though. Going where potential buyers are is a good idea. Posting an advertisement with your phone number in local laundromats will put your washers and dryers in front of folks who might need them, for example. Churches and stores with bulletin boards can also be great places.
You can also go to local consignment shops and see what price they would give you.
Finally, if you have local newspapers or circulars that accept classifieds, their local appeal makes them good sites for ads.
Set your price
It’s a good idea to look at advertisements to see what similar appliances sell for. If you overprice, you run the risk of it not selling. If you are buying used appliances to sell, markups can be as high as two to three times the price you paid, depending on what the market will bear.
It’s also a good idea to name a price, but also make it clear you will sell for the best offer. It can help move your merchandise quicker.
Write your ad
You don’t have to be Don Draper to write a good ad for used appliances. Your target audience likely wants an appliance in good working order for a reasonable price. “For sale: X make/model washer-dryer in great condition!” with the price, along with pictures, could be enough.
Do put in the manufacturer and model. If you get a customer who reads consumer information on the reliability of certain types, it may matter to the sale. If it doesn’t, they can overlook the information.
Offer related services
It’s a good strategy to add related services if you plan on selling used appliances as a business. Delivering the appliance is a natural add-on, and can boost sales. Picking up the customer’s old equipment and disposing of it is another obvious choice.
If you can repair old appliances or install appliances like stoves and refrigerators, so much the better.
What Not to Do
Don’t overstate the appliance’s charms
When you advertise, give a clear, honest description of the product. Don’t say “like new” when it’s seen six years of hard service and has some dents to prove it. Use “reliable and tested” instead. As a handy rule of thumb, don’t use language or pictures that will cause a potential customer’s face to fall when they see the appliance in real life.
Don’t try to repair items if you aren’t sure how
While some appliance repairs are as simple as turning a bolt, others, like smart home appliances, are complicated and involve wiring and safety codes. Never, ever experiment with something like that. It could be fatal. Don’t repair, even if you think you know how. You need an experienced repair person.
Don’t overprice
Online shopping makes most people very savvy about reasonable prices. Don’t overprice, or you won’t sell optimally.
Selling used appliances can keep your unwanted goods out of landfills and can even earn you a bit of extra cash on the side. Follow these do’s and don’ts to be humming along in no time.
Megan
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Hi Megan,
I love the setup of your blog! I was wondering what program you use for your summary section of your posts?
Thanks,
Another Blogger
Hey Marissa!
Thank you 🙂 It’s called: All In One Schema.org Rich Snippets, here is the link: https://wordpress.org/plugins/all-in-one-schemaorg-rich-snippets/