Best success with selling equipment

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Val

Val

PFG, Picture Framing God
Joined
Nov 21, 2005
Posts
6,729
Loc
Carson City, Nevada
How successful has anyone been with advertising framing equipment for sale on the Grumble? Sure, depends on the deal, shipping, etc, but does it really work? We see a lot of Equipment For Sale and Equipment Wanted threads on the G, but don't often see the follow-ups for a success rate..

I posted one for a friend on the commercial section last week, and to date, not a single response. Should I keep bumping it to the top for better (27 times?) exposure? I have a couple of pieces to sell myself, and went back to threads with like equipment, contacted the poster(s) and none of them had sold theirs either.

I really don't want to go eBay. I don't want to deal with shipping a Seal press or a wall cutter, rather do a local pick-up deal. How complicated/costly does shipping get? Is it worth it to offer it in the ad? Does Craig's list/Angie's list really work? Does the Grumble Commercial site work?

For instance, I have a Seal 210M heat press to sell. And a Fletcher 48" 8400 wall cutter. Should I start locally with print shops/photo shops/the community college bulletin board?

Better ideas?
 
Val, I sold our old vacuum press on eBay, but listed it as a local pick up only. It was 2 years old and I sold it for a steal--$500 and threw in the cabinet it sat on, and our old Cassese.the guy wouldn' t take the ancient Oval Master Jr so it is still sitting under a table. No bites from the Grumble post, but several from eBay.
Good luck!
 
Val said:
Is it worth it to offer it in the ad? Does Craig's list/Angie's list really work? Does the Grumble Commercial site work?
Click to expand...

Craigslist is great. I've sold lots of items (including a mat cutter). It's free to post the ads, so why not give it a shot?
 
OTOH, over the last months I have sent a few inquiries to those postings and am 0 for 2 on replies!

Another thought...a few years ago I sold a nice mat cutter just by calling the local framing wholesale supplier. The girl said she would call a few people, then finally called back and just bought it! Might be worth a try, especially if you are selling basic framing necessities.

You can easily sell any of that stuff on ebay. Don't do the shipping yourself, go to a shipping specialist, get a quote on crating and shipping then conspicuously mention that price in your ad. The biggest frustration of ebay buyers looking for heavy professional gear is that nobody wants to ship it, so an auction where shipping IS an option can get pretty hot, as opposed to those that are local pickup only...the difference in audience size is literally 1000's to 1. But the main thing is, state that high shipping cost up front, or sticker-shock problems will follow.

I have used my local UPS Store to package & ship a few heavy items, they always do a good job even on difficult-to-ship items like giant framed pieces of art. There are even services that will pick up your big items, then handle the whole ebay transaction for a fee.
 
I had 0 success here and sold it all on eBay (sorry). I specified "local pickup only" in the auction for the mat cutter. The buyer drove 300mi round drip to get it.
 
I've had good luck working through the different moulding reps. I tell them what I'm looking for, or what I'm selling, and they get the word out in their travels to other frame shops. Sometimes it takes awhile, but I have bought and/or sold two matcutters, drymount press, glass cutter, etc.
Bill
Ocean Art
 
I have not sold any equipment here but as a start up I have been checking for items I needed in my area.

I posted my needs and was referred to a seller off line by a grumbler that saw my request. So I got a barely used ITW Amp VN2+1 and compressor at a great price within a 2 hr drive.

That interaction occured in a PM so looking in you may not know how many sales are made from the grumble.

On the other hand I bought a Fletcher 3100 in PA off ebay too. I am in central VA.

Overall I say it is a good way to spread the news about what you are selling. I would also use craigs list. I'd do both. For a big ticket item I might do ebay too.

Luck has alot to do with it on both the seller and buyer sides, I think.
 
Val,

Most people who post things for sale fail miserably at putting a precise description on their sale bills and also they don't include PHOTOGRAPHS!!!!!

"Vacuum press for sale in Midwest, good condition, reasonably priced." leaves alot to be desired for someone who is shopping. Chicago I can locate easily, Seal 4466 MHS I know is a Seal press, and, if the price is reasonable, why not just simply post the price and be done with it?? That press could be in pristine condition or have dents in the platen, most of the paint worn off of it, and be a rusty mess from setting out in a shed for the past few years, a couple of good photos would clear up any doubt as to the person's definition of "good condition".

As was mentioned earlier the shipping is a major turnoff for many who shop the internet. On eBay, you can state up front what shipping is involved or include the shipping in the minimum price you will accept for a winning bid. It would be a shame if you had a buyer lined up and hit them with a humongous shipping bill for getting it to them!

I am on a number of fishing and kayaking forums down here and, when you see this icon, in a reply to your sale bill, you may as well get your photos together and post them or you will be dead in the water with your 31' offshore fishing boat you are trying to sell. I think that the same goes for most anything that is posted for sale on the internet unless it is stated as "New, in the original box".

Just some of my gut feelings if I were to be shopping for a piece of equipment.:thumbsup:
 
I found and bought my drymount press here. Drove from Jersey to Boston to get it and got a great price.

I sold my chopper to Lisafromnewjersey and made a new friend in the process.

Have sold some equipment on ebay.

My big oval cutter went easily and it was very easy to ship through UPS. They DO take big items and I did it all through their site. Scheduled pickup and by the end of the day my delivery guy knocked on the door and put it in the truck.

So far the only negative was when I tried to sell some stuff to framingsupplies.com. They quoted one price and then only offered to give me less than half of it when I was ready to ship.


Bob
 
I forgot to mention that I've also bought things at least two times that were posted on the grumble.

Framerguy is correct ~ if you want to sell, give up the information and pictures definitely help move items.
 
I have bought and sold on the Grumble, and I think I've done some business on both ebay and Craigslist. A few things to keep in mind.

1. Obsolete equipment - I've had a Fletcher 8448 sitting in my garage for 2 years. I listed it here, Craigslist, and ebay. Nothing. I might start using it to weight my drymounts when I take them out of the press. A lot of older equipment is obsolete. Why spend $ on it when you can get something new or used that will do more for your $.

2. Price - The more reasonable the price, the more action you can expect. Like Jerry said, if there is a surplus of equipment, prices are going down.

3. Description & photos - Give a complete description, including anything that is broken or not working properly. Take photos from as many angles as you can find. The buyer wants to know what they're buying. They want to know where you are. There's no sense launching into negotiations with a seller when the cast iron morso is 2000 miles away.

4. Timing - Just because it doesn't sell now, doesn't mean it won't ever sell. You have to catch buyers when they're ready to buy.

My $.02.
 
Oh yeah, the Reps!!

surferbill said:
I've had good luck working through the different moulding reps.
Bill
Click to expand...
I always forget about them for that! I have probably 3 reps coming in this week, and will mention it.

Sounds like trying all of the above (eBay, reps, Craig's list, Angie's List, etc. surely would be successful somewhere!

Thanks, Grumblers!

Pictures to follow.....
 
Val said:
I always forget about them for that! I have probably 3 reps coming in this week, and will mention it.
Sounds like trying all of the above (eBay, reps, Craig's list, Angie's List, etc. surely would be successful somewhere!
Thanks, Grumblers!

Val,
I offer the reps a finder's fee. It seems to motivate them better.
Bill
Ocean Art
Click to expand...
 
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