Getting rid of home appliances can be an emotional experience. It’s a necessity after a certain point because upgrading to a more modern appliance is an exciting prospect!
If you’ve got a washing machine that sounds like an underground cat-fighting ring or a fridge that you can use as an oven, it’s probably time to junk them.
But, when it comes to appliances that don’t have any major problems, you can and should find a buyer.
Your faithful electronics have served you well, and it’s time for them to make another household comfortable. Besides, you can’t complain about the money you’ll make.
So when it’s time to upgrade, reward old appliances for their service by giving them another home. Here’s how to make money while doing it.
1. Prep For The Sale
The first thing you want to do is figure out how much an appliance is worth. If you’ve lost the manuals and the receipts, check the brand’s website and figure out the product’s specifications.
Once you have the specs of the appliance that you want to sell, go to your favorite online shopping site and track down similar products to find out the asking price for a second hand version.
Now, be fair and put a price on your appliance based on its condition. Set too high a price, and people might simply ignore your listing.
2. Do The Dirty Work
After you’ve researched and set a price, you need to get your items to look their absolute best. But, no matter how fondly you feel towards your electronics, don’t dress them up. That would be strange.
Give them a proper cleaning and get them nice and shiny. Also, try to fix any issues that affect the functioning of the product. Buyers aren’t going to be too happy with a toaster that destroys the bread that they’re trying to cook.
Once it’s ready to be put up for sale, pull out your camera or smartphone and take plenty of clear pictures from different angles. If you’ve shopped online before, you probably know how annoying bad product photos are.
All of this affects the price you can ask for, so put a little effort into getting your appliance ready for sale.
3. But Wait! What About The Obsolete?
When it comes to certain appliances or gadgets, it’s very possible that they’re simply too old and obsolete to sell. What do you do in this case?
Here’s an example.
Your dear old computer is on its last legs because it couldn’t keep up with modern technology. Unless you want to wait for it to become a valuable antique in a couple of decades, you’re going to have trouble selling it.
Make the most of this by dismantling the system and selling usable parts instead. In this case, you could sell the monitor, RAM, graphic card, and maybe even your hard drive separately.
Anything that you can’t sell, give away to a technician or someone who can find some use for it. If you want to sell it whole, it’s best to throw in a couple of accessories to sweeten the deal.
The same applies for cars that are beyond saving. Get a mechanic to take it apart and see if you can find sellers for the salvageable parts.
4. Put Em’ Up
Once you’ve cleaned the product, fixed it up, and taken a decent photo, it’s time to put up the free listing. You need to entice your audience. Upload the kickass photos you’ve taken and write a description for the listing.
All appliances have a specific model number. Make sure you include this number and all the product’s specifications when you put up the ad. This will ensure that the right people will find your listing.
Remember, don’t exaggerate the facts; customers are going to examine the product, and if it doesn’t live up to the hype, it won’t sell.
5. Gift Of The Gab
When a potential buyer calls you to talk about the sale, be polite and tell them everything they want to know about the product. Establish a rapport, and sealing the deal will become much easier.
There’s no need to take them out to dinner and a movie, but being friendly and honest during the phone call can ensure a successful sale.
Now that you know how to effectively sell old appliances, you might want to walk through your home and keep an eye out for anything that needs to go.