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 Post subject: Refurbisment
PostPosted: Tue Oct 17, 2017 5:05 pm 

Joined: Fri Sep 01, 2017 3:05 pm
Posts: 6
hey all,

The company I work for is a non-profit e-waste recycler, but we are trying to start a refurbishment program. Does anyone do both? Do you have any tips or suggestions?

Thanks in advance!

Tom


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 Post subject: Re: Refurbisment
PostPosted: Wed Oct 18, 2017 2:46 pm 
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I want to do the question justice so I’ll be back.

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 Post subject: Re: Refurbisment
PostPosted: Fri Oct 20, 2017 12:44 pm 
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Hey, I’m not ignoring you, just what to give you my experience and some tips to keep in mind. I regularly buy broken borked and Unknown to refurb and restore for sale.

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 Post subject: Re: Refurbisment
PostPosted: Fri Oct 20, 2017 12:54 pm 

Joined: Fri Sep 01, 2017 3:05 pm
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No worries, I appreciate you taking your time! :)


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 Post subject: Re: Refurbisment
PostPosted: Sat Oct 21, 2017 3:10 pm 
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I’m going to multi-part this. And eventually clean up the banter above so it looks more press ready. ;)
Refurbishment is where it’s at. Recycling scrap is always the lowest value.
But there’s a few catches you should be ready for.
Let’s start with sales. It’s longer but more direct for a discussion point.
Selling used and refurbished parts and products.
Used vs refurbished.
They are NOT the same thing
Wiping it with a cloth and making it look pretty isn’t refurbished
Good that stuff is out of the way now. We’ll be back to this in a moment but where to sell. Anything that works.
Where to sell what technology:

Amazon: new and refurbished (ref goes in used)
Amazon is the single largest marketplace in world history.
First and foremost on new items amazon doesn’t like competition. So if it’s new, and it’s sold by amazon directly (check if it says amazon or amazon partners on the listing), verify you can’t trade it in (for an amazon credit) first.
Tradein.amazon.com and let it redirect. Then search for your product. PROTIP:Not every tradable product has a tradin link on the sales page.

Ebay: the second largest auction service in the world; the largest that’s consumer accessible. Ebay let’s you sell anything (that’s not biological) and send it anywhere. Despite the vocal users who had problems PayPal currently has a 98.9% transaction completion rate. You can win the lottery and get struck by lightning while enduring a plain crash all at the same time before ebay or PayPal themselves place a review hold on your money. Again cleaning the outside of the box is NOT refurbishment.

Let’s look at some “others” now.
Bigger names:
Decluttr. Though movies and music are their focus, they do have partnerships that have brought used technology purchases to the service. Principally cell phones and video game equipment but feel free to email them if you have something else other than phones and game systems and ask. You’ll be surprised what they will take in one off agreements. Just don’t bug them with HTC a is on the list and I have b, will you buy it. They won’t and if you send enough emails like that they’re simply block you. Understandable when you figure how many hundreds of thousands of users they have. They don’t buy that model for a reason and asking just wastes time.

Maxback: second largest cell phone, communications, and pda buyer. Maxback has a massive catalogue of mobile tech. They buy most of it. The site layout absolutely sucks but it’s worth jumping through the hoops. They’re also one of the easiest to get in contact with once you’ve sold something to them.


Everything else.
EcoATM: a Digital pawnshop for phones and tablets. They buy (apx) half of their database for cash; pay you on the spot, and are relatively quick. Prices range from $1-$1500. You need a state or federal I’d with a code 4 compatible barcode.

We by broken... enter search term here.
For a tinkerer who’s breaking stuff down anyway. I’ve had surprisingly good success with these services. I’ve been ripped off too, but I’ve more than made up for it with others. Broken lcd, broken iPhone screen, broken Samsung, broken tv, broken rocking horse. Etc. Values are all over the place so check multiple companies for the best prices.

Trade and auction direct sites:
There are dozens of millions of these across the Internet. Very small targeted auction, sales, and trade sites. From anything goes to as specific as Kodak flash bulbs and dc comics. User base ranges from a few to thousands to millions.

Local phone company. Many have trade in for credit programs.
Local retailers: toysrus, bestbuy, GameStop etc. Even your local grocery store may have a trade in for credit program. It’s the in thing right now.

Next up: catches and FYIs for the above.

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 Post subject: Re: Refurbisment
PostPosted: Wed Oct 25, 2017 1:16 pm 

Joined: Fri Sep 01, 2017 3:05 pm
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Thanks man! This forum would be lost without you!


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 Post subject: Re: Refurbisment
PostPosted: Wed Oct 25, 2017 8:57 pm 
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More to come. Just a bunch of stuff dealing with here.
Btw code “4” includes code 40, code 49, pdf417.

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 Post subject: Re: Refurbisment
PostPosted: Thu Oct 26, 2017 1:36 pm 
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What you should know about the big guys.
Amazon. Amazon is easier than most companies to sell with. There’s two options as I listed above.
First up is amazon tradein. Amazon has multiple partners in the used equipment and media industry. These authorised partners are fully vetted through amazon. They make purchases of used equipment and then sell them via Amazon at a markup. You get a credit usable on amazon and some other sites. See below. The rates (avg) range from 25%-75% of the lowest consistent used price on amazon. It’s easy, quick, simple. If you’re item doesn’t qualify they will offer you a lower rate or send it back, your choice up front. Shipping in both directions is free. After completing the trade just print the form and label. Stick it in a box, and wait for your credit.
Pros:
Quick. Go to tradein.amazon.com. Scan or enter your barcode (or search for the product by name). Choose your product, enter in the details, and add it to your trade cart.
Free shipping
No hassle errors and returns
Better than average value on many items for a sale or trade
Use your amazon account; no second account needed

Cons:
Lower than market value
Shipping is ups and you must drop it off
Items with batteries require extra steps
Not everything is tradable
Credit is amazon checkout credit, and can’t be used for gift cards or cash
Credit is locked to the country of transaction. Us trade credit can’t be used on amazon Canada or amazon uk, etc

Note: amazon credit can be used on any amazon site per country
Amazon credit can be used on most amazon subsidiaries (eg amazon App Store, amazon music)
Amazon credit can not be used to pay amazon fees (eg prime, fresh membership) but can be used to cover purchase shipping.
Amazon credit can be used with select amazon partners (eg woot via amazon checkout).
Amazon credit can be used with a small number of amazon checkout users if they are setup to use credits.


Amazon seller marketplace:
Amazon marketplace allows any amazon user to sell used and new wares to the general public via Amazon’s primary pages. such items appear in each product page listed as “new and used available from third parties” below the amazon company purchase button.
A cheque account is required. Some banks will allow you to use a debit line or savings account. Or even a credit card that accepts ACHDD (pay your credit card bill etc)

Pros:
Free to list most items
A-z coverage. If the buyer does a fraudulent chargeback you still keep your money.
Free shipping available
Prime support available
Industry low sales fee rates

Cons:
Requires a banking service that accepts automated clearinghouse direct deposit (ACHDD)
Payments are once or twice per month, not immediately made
Costs money to use amazon warehouse and shipping services
A-z coverage. A few bad reviews, even illegitimate ones, can get you canned from the program

Notes
You can ship items sold on amazon from your address, or use amazon’s warehouse program. Warehousing allows you to reach prime members with free shipping, boosting your sales position; however amazon charges for returning stores and after inventory sits for a select number of months a small fee for storage comes into play. So sending in a hundred 1 cent items is not necessarily profitable in the end.

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 Post subject: Re: Refurbisment
PostPosted: Fri Oct 27, 2017 4:05 am 
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eBay
Let me be honest right up front. Ebay is a mixed blessing. I no longer sell refurbished items under $100 on ebay for multiple reasons.
I post in batches, don’t have the time to walk mr or mrs stupid through CPM and don’t really care if you get it to do what you want or not. Call me whatever you want; but if you’re too stupid to load an os or figure out Windows XP/8/10 isn’t going to run on an 8 bit processor I don’t believe you have any business on ebay buying such items. I believe joe six-pack buying a ti-99 on ebay is the very definition of ignorant stupidity. I’m as excessively detailed in my listings as you can get for tech. If you’re lost on something move on idiot; don’t bid.
Teaching a 16 year old how to cross compile 12 bit Digital dos for an 8 bit cpu via a down step interpreter is not my idea of fun. I’ve no issue in teaching the truely interested but I’m not going to spend half a day long distance to get an os installed on a 30+ year old computer for free: so you can play colossal cave and zork.
Ebay and PayPal have a buyer protection plan that favours buyers to the absolute detriment of sellers. You should know and understand that going in.
It’s not if you get screwed but to be prepared for WHEN it happens.
Don’t get me wrong: eBay is an awesome service!
As long as you understand that it’s undeniably skewed towards the buyer.
With that said I’ve had over 800 sales with only one bad buyer. Or 1:799 positive.
What o want to do here is make a short list of notes for you. There are thousands of books that cover eBay. As of 10 minutes ago 20 out of the top 20 international sellers for “internet marketing” are ebay or ebay and other... auction books. (Full disclosure: I wrote one of the top 20 listed books on camel camel camel: feel free to BUY BUY BUY my book for just $0.99!). Lol
(Note did I mention buy my book?!???)
Don’t waste you cash; if you’re willing to wait while I finish this thread you’ll get 99% of what’s in that apx 300 page pamphlet. For free.
Moving on.
Here’s what you need to be safe and efficient on ebay.
Understanding refurbished: I mentioned this before and it will come up multiple more time as we move on here. I’m Saving that discussion for the very end of this thread. Taking a dead system and getting it to boot is not refurbished. Making a booting computer look all nice and purrty isn’t refurbishment.
Until you get to the end and read what will be an extensive documentary on it, I’d highly suggest you do NOT sell an item as refurbished! Period.
Especially to someone with more than a few dozen feedbacks! You’re begging to get dragged over the coals and you’d probably deserve it.

New: self explanatory. It’s new sealed never opened.
New open box (NOB). This is something I and I alone, sold as truely new and had it returned; or a box I opened to photograph the item better. Do NOT lie, you WILL get caught (by someone like me) and it opens you up to a whole account review.
New old stock (NOS): may or may not be sealed. As prior to the mid 90s many items were not tamper sealed. Basically anything that is brand new unopened untested and older than two to three generations.

Used: again self explanatory. Somebody used it for more than a power on test.

Manufacturer refurbished: an item that was refurbished for resale by the manufacturer or an authorised agent. (You MUST have a certification from the manufacturer to declare it manufacturer refurbished).
Seller refurbished: the seller, being licensed in some aspect of the or a related field, has refurbished the item for resale. Passing the A+ or related, having a certification from dell or Microsoft and doing work on an HP qualify as a refurb. Passing a 101 class at community college does not.

Not working:for parts: this is a category for anything that is dead, is not functioning properly (eg a missing os); or you simply haven’t tested.
This is also a great option for people who have no interest in supporting a sale after you shipped it. I’ve never heard of a single case where an item sold as not working has resulted in ebay refunding the buyer for a doa product.
In their own words from a BBC documentary (via PBS): ‘there’s not much we can do in the case where a buyer mad a purchase and did not understand “dead on arrival”, “not working”, “for parts”...[etc]’
I concur. Again call me what you will if you can’t understand BROKEN, dead, for parts or repair, doa. Or any related term: you’re definitely to stupid for the internet and probably to stupid for life in general. Not working means it does NOT work.
If you’re luck it may mean “mr tech support guy said I had to press “any key” but I don’t have an “any key” so I’m selling my $1000 laptop for $100”

Pros:
Largest consumer accessible auction service
Millions of users
Low fees
Great for low volume sellers
Dedicated communities tech wise, and a rather large market for used and especially old or bleeding edge equipment
Free photo hosting, google spider integration: your auctions are on google search within 60 minutes

Cons:
Requires two accounts PayPal and ebay
Ability to actually sell stuff generally requires a PayPal verified account; so both credit cared and bank accounts are generally a must.
Charging shipping is frowned upon by the community in general

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 Post subject: Re: Refurbisment
PostPosted: Tue Nov 14, 2017 10:54 am 
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Ebay International sales and purchases:

eBay international has multiple meanings. Let’s cover them one by one

Selling from the US to everyone else.
This is what most people do and where you should start.
A word to the wise; don’t offer free international shipping. It’s stupid! Ignoring that it costs more to send something over the border to Mexico than it does to send something to China; you put YOURSELF on the hook to cover export, import fees, and duties.
You could get docked if your $9 priority international shipment of a $1 pentium 4 has a $40 tax to the buyer (10% MSRP).
So ship yourself internationally at your own risk.
There are some countries I ship to myself outside of the ebay shipping program where I know the rules inside and out. I offer this as a bonus, for a slightly higher fee, to make shipping available faster to these places (eg Canada, Japan, UK).

Ebay international shipping program. This is ebay’s in house program. It’s a seller option in the seller settings. Basically you print your normal domestic labels and send your package to an ebay representative or partner who then repackages a bit, does all the export forms, and ships the international package. The rates are set by ebay and you have no control, so be SURE your weights and measures are accurate. You don’t get anything back for over estimating weight and you get docked on your bill if you were under.
The process is seamless on the buyers side and they’ll never know either way who the last shipper was.
The big plus here is the work and worry is off your shoulders. As soon as the ebay rep gets your package your responsibility is more or less over. The down side is you have very little control over it after that.


Selling from a foreign ebay being in the US
This is NOT for beginners. You are using a foreign service and are subject to foreign laws.
Make sure the items location is clearly stated multiple times! So they don’t expect it next week.
The benefit here is selling foreign items on the home country site. For instance I sell region 2 dvds on ebay UK, I sell region 3 HK dvds on ebay Japan where they are popular. I also sell VCDs on ebay japan, and pal games, computers, and VHS on ebay UK and ebay Canada. Things people in the us generally aren’t looking for.
Again not for beginners. You and you alone are responsible from sale to shipment to reception. All forms, all fees, etc. All on you. For a business your tax forms just got much more complicated too!
But here’s the funny side note. About half of my Japanese sales of video games and movies on ebay Japan are American buyers in the US! Funny how that works out.

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