tips for selling hardware

awoeonip

Weaksauce
Joined
Aug 28, 2005
Messages
90
Hi, I'm new to this selling thing, so I want to make sure I get it right the first time. I'm looking to sell my motherboard, graphics card, RAM, and processor. I am missing all of the original boxes, so I'm looking for tips on how to pack everything to make sure nothing gets damaged in transit.

Also, for the CPU, should I remove the heatsink from it before packaging? What is the best way to do this?

Thanks in advance :)
 
You should definitely remove the heatsink from the mobo. I would also remove the processor but I had some shipped to me with it still in the socket and there was nothing wrong. Then again I am sure others will tell you otherwise. Just to be safe remove both. Always use anti static bags for any computer component.
 
Yeah, anti-static bags and copious amounts of bubble wrap. Don't wrap anything electronic in bubble wrap that isn't in an antistatic bag, cause it tends to hold a lot of static electricity.
 
The CPU can stay in the motherboard socket and the memory can stay in the slots if you want. I would actually prefer the CPU in the motherboard socket if the CPU was an older pinned model.

Definitely take off the hsf as that can do a lot of damage.

Anti-static bag for everything.

And last, but not least: If the contents of your package can't survive a drop from your own hands to the floor, it's not packaged well enough.
 
thanks for the replies everyone. i found a few places to buy them online.....it really is murder on the shipping though. tigerdirect charges $10 standard to ship bags o_O
 
The CPU can stay in the motherboard socket and the memory can stay in the slots if you want. I would actually prefer the CPU in the motherboard socket if the CPU was an older pinned model.

Definitely take off the hsf as that can do a lot of damage.

Anti-static bag for everything.

And last, but not least: If the contents of your package can't survive a drop from your own hands to the floor, it's not packaged well enough.

That should say if you can't drop it from your ROOF and have it survive then it isn't packed well enough :) (even if you live in a 10 story walkup)
 
Make sure you clean the parts you sell. There is nothing I hate more than buying something and having it show up dirty.
 
Also..take pics of your serial #'s..You may be glad you did one day!!..:cool:
 
there's a local computer shop i go to for packing stuff... they just give me boxes and anti static bags and shit like that because they have way too much lying around, and their dumpsters are overflowing. it beats ordering that stuff online and paying exorbitant shipping, if you can stomach the human interaction :)
 
i go to a ups store and they pack it real good, that's what i did for the last couple of stuff i sold here.
 
UPS is cool cause you can just take something in a static bag, tell them where you want it shipped, and they'll package it for you. no wasted time packaging and you always get a DC #
 
UPS is cool cause you can just take something in a static bag, tell them where you want it shipped, and they'll package it for you. no wasted time packaging and you always get a DC #

lol last time i went to send a arcade joystick and the guy told me it would cost 40 bux to send plus 5 dollars for him to just put it inside the box, he wouldnt let me buy the materials and do it myself either ( this was at one of those little UPS desks inside Staples )

i said no fuckin way and went to Fedex down the street, cost me 12 bux to ship and they even packed it for free when i spent 6 bux on packing materials.
 
This is good information for me as well, as i hope some day to sell/buy stuff on here. I'm just super Happy that i get 60% off DHL shipping :)
 
Ask in the freebie section, you can probably get some static bags here on the forum.

For future use, always save static bags. You cant have too many. :)
 
just a question. if you were to ship a cpu how would you package it up? just wondering thanks
 
just a question. if you were to ship a cpu how would you package it up? just wondering thanks

If it's older, with pins, I'd hope to have the original box. If newer, put it in an antistatic bag, wrap it in foam, put that in a box and fill it with packing peanuts and bubble wrap so it won't bounce around.
 
Depends on the socket type. 775 with no pins you can might away with ESD bag wrapped in bubble wrap and placed in a decent size box. AM2/939/754, or any processor with pins, that would be problem waiting to happen as you need to make sure the pins don't bend. If you don't have a oem clamshell for that I would recommend finding a friend or find one online. Way to many horror stories of who bent the pins, seller or buyer. Personally I keep all of my boxes as it increases value and easy to make sure when you ship them you have a way to keep them safe (ie pack in the original and pack that in another box).

Here are some good trading habits as well as some experiences I had along the way.
I'm up to about 66 heatware, but I would probably be closer to a 100+ if everyone provided me feedback for every deal:)

1) If the box you place the item in bulges because of the item, and not because of bubble wrap, your have to small of a box. You might laugh but I received an item from Monarch Computer when they were around that was an Enermax PSU in a FedEx express box. The box bulged out a good half inch on each side and there was no packing materials inside (open box item). I have also seen picks on this forum and others of people shipping Tech related items in the vanilla USPS folders that have that small amount of bubble wrap on the inside, but no other packaging materials.

2) For higher priced items, depends on what you feal the risk/value is worth, ship via Fedex or UPS so you can get real tracking. Nothing like telling the buyer you shipped it and 7 days later you get a troll thread named after you. USPS, even with Priority, "2-3 is the estimate, not a guarantee." I will ship via USPS if the buyer requests, but I tell them one experience I had that took 13 days via Priority. Luckily I had good heatware so doubt was minimal, not to mention I provided tracking the same day I shipped it, but via USPS sometimes the system can be pretty vague as to the location. Once the buyer received the item, verified the postmark, I think we both had some concerns over USPS. I have shipped about 25+ other items via USPS, but fedex/ups gives me a little assurance as both the buyer and seller can see the location (ie not in my trunk:) ).

3) Kind of tied to above, Personally every item I ship I provide tracking information that same day. If you don't have the time to send someone an email regarding status, you shouldn't be selling stuff. Seams like the same sellers that throw await the receipt, didn't write it down, and never reply that they sent the items have a very good chance of being the same sellers that address was not correct so it was returned, got to busy to ship it out maybe tomorrow/next week/next month, or haven't shipped it at all and just took your cash.

4) Low on heatware: Don't expect to receive money first especially for high dollar items. Sure you have to be careful, but so does the buyer. Sure established traders sometimes fall off the wagon, but you could easily find 50+ times that amount of traders with low heatware trolling others. On that note I would not ship first to anyone <50 heatware evals depending on the value. Not to mention it's easier to track down person that had 50+ items shipped to them (Seperate contacts) than it is to find someone that nobody ever worked with.

5) Contact Information: Heatware serves it purpose, but you should really get other forms outside of PM messages. Not only for general contact purpose, ie if the forum goes down you might need to reach them, but also for your protection. A good excuse if for fedex online labels they require a phone number for the recipient. A good practice is to give them a call before you drop off the package just to let them know your dropping it off. Just depends on your comfort level but when your starting out I would highly advise doing this. To many times you read about a problem occurs and when the seller tries to get a hold of the buyer via the phone number they listed it's disconnected or not a valid number.

6) Verify zip codes: This one has snuck up on me a few times after we agreed upon price and received payment. Nothing beats buffering 10-15$ for shipping to find out they live in Hawaii or Alaska when you receive the paypal note. Fortunatly I was able to work this out between the buyer and I, but may not so if you have unreasonable people.

7) Forum communication: The truth is many people that PM you for a product may change their mind as soon as they send the PM. Nothing wrong with it, just nature of the selling game. Here is my process to ensure your not waiting for someone that has no intentions of buying:
a) List the ad with all the information you can. When bought, any warranty, price, is shipping included, and etc.
b) You receive a PM. This will either be for additional information or from someone saying they want it and is it still available.
c) Reply with answers to the questions (if any), let them know if it's available, and to reply if interested. I also use this moment to ask for their zip code, I provide them mine, to double check the shipping price. Do not provide your paypal addy, address to send a check, or anything that will result in you waiting to hear back from this person to avoid a duplicate sale. The reason bing is a good 50+% will not reply after the original PM.
d) If they reply, have no other questions, the zip code aligns with your shipped price (if the price was shipped) then send them your paypal addy. Let the buyer know that you will provide them 24 hours to receive the payment and that you will hold the item for them during that time. I always add that to let me know if they change their mind or need additional time. Usually when you get to this point you get less of a drop off and your only holding the item for 24 hours at the latest. You would be surprised on how many people do not contact me when they no longer want to purchase the item. Many do not even reply when I send them a PM when its nearing the deadline and I can see they were online/offline/posting since I sent it.
At this time mark pending and list the users alias on the item. That way it shows the buyer your waiting for this offer, but also prevents you from reopening another thread if the buyer flakes.

8) Warranty: This is especially hard for older products that can no longer be handled by RMA's but this is very important. I actually avoided posting any timeline originally as I wanted to make sure people were happy and help them out if I could, but one incident forced me to implement this. I usually provide 72 hours non-doa warranty on my for sale posts, but I will make exceptions on a case by case basis. Normally this is not an issue if you have honest buyers and sellers. The one deal that made me enforce this involved a high end video card (x1900AIW). Excellent card but as anyone knew this generation ran pretty warm especially since this kept all the heat internall with the 1 slot cooler. I sold the item, verified the buyer received it, and thought it was deal done until 3-4 weeks later. Buyer pm'd me and let me know he was to busy to test the product and that when he did it artficated all over the place. I never had any problems with the unit, but was under warranty, so I started asking the common stuff to see if it was something with his system (PSU, Mobo, CPU, Cooling, what temp was it listing in ati tool as he indicated he had it installed). I should have known better as he started dodging allot of questions. Examples were what temp did it display in Atitool, What cooling system he had on the case, what games was it doing it on, and wouldn't provide screen shots or any of this information, He said he tried it in his friends HTPC case (which happend to be a model I owned and knew it would not fit in there even if he tried as it was a long card) and soon the artificating turned into "machine just locks in 2d and post". I offered to let him return it, I would only provide a refund once I received it and it was not tampered with, and I would pay for shipping if it was DOA. At that time the buyer started getting concerned about me not paying for shipping if it was working. What was even stranger the buyer held onto the product for another 2 weeks when we agreed that I would take it back (ask yourself if you had something that was broken would you sit on it for 2 weeks?). I had to ask the buyer every 3-4 days if he was shipping it back. Soon as I got the item back (not even in the original shipping boxes) it worked like a champ in my machine for 24 hours of ATI Tool, Dell Work Machine, and a Second machine I had. So essentially I had it looping 3+ days in different machines and left it in my sons machine to game for 2 weeks after that ordeal. I told the buyer I would refund his money minus his shipping cost as it was not broken, and this is when he informed me he was running a passive HTPC (including CPU) with the only cooling was a volt modded 92 mm fan for intake, that was it. Obvioulsy this system was not designed to a high end card. He also said that he bought a X1900XT from a friend a few weeks agao and he liked the cooling better on it since it exhausted. The nail in the coffin for me was it took close to 2-3 months for all of this and I truly believe he just bought something else and used my card until he had a replacement. The only shining light at the end of the tunnel was I sold it for 80 more dollars on Ebay as it was a rare card and the new buyer said it worked great.
So this is more of buyer protection I'm afraid.

Hopefully this doesn't scare you off from selling on the forums. Just need to be careful and make sure you protect yourself if your selling or buying. There's many good people out there but don't assume everyone is as nice as you;)
 
yeah totally bookmarked or even printed out.

cpu = small boxes filled with everything that makes it from getting pins bet and bouncing around.
hardware= orginial plastic boxes that hold it i.e bubble wrap or if anything just foam envelope and bubblewarp
video cards & motherboards = ALWAYS NEED TO BE FLAT RATE BOXES? its the only way?
 
UPS is cool cause you can just take something in a static bag, tell them where you want it shipped, and they'll package it for you. no wasted time packaging and you always get a DC #



hahah i got charged 1$ for a strip of tape i asked to buy a roll but the lady said no.

for packing i like to use foam pads bubble wrap and anti static bags.. some people say my packing was "bomb proof".. double boxing isnt good enough imo unless the boxes are spaced apart..
 
Back
Top