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Hands up, who wants to save money? Yep, saving money is in the forefront of the average consumer’s mind nowadays. This is why more and more people are now leaning towards used goods, instead of brand new ones. Used goods do the job just as well as new ones, but aren’t as shiny and prettily packaged. When it comes to used electronic goods though, it can be quite risky, than say, buying used board shorts. The trick is to find good used electronic goods, and that can be quite challenging. With a few pointers, this should make the task a whole lot easier.
Do Some Preliminary Research on Electronics
Do some research on the product and its known defects. Some goods may be prone to overheating or things to that effect. Knowing this in advance will tell you where to look when examining the product upfront. You will also be able to identify all the components that come with the product, so when searching for the used version, you will have a good idea of what’s missing and whether the price ties up with what’s been sold.
Search eBay to Find Deals
When looking on eBay, take a look at the seller feedback and ratings. Go for high rating sellers with excellent feedback, as the goods that they sell will be more trustworthy than that of sellers with low to non-existent ratings and feedback. Once you’ve narrowed down the sellers, take a good look at the product description. They would usually show the condition of the goods being sold, from scratches to missing parts. When you’ve found an item within your price range, take note of the shipping costs. High shipping costs may cancel out the savings on buying used goods. You may also want to consider shipping insurance, as this protects you in the instance where you receive a faulty product and the seller claims it was working fine prior to dispatch.
Product Warranty for Electronics?
When purchasing any used electronic goods, look for products that include a product warranty. Query about the length and coverage of the warranty. Is additional coverage available? If it is, this tells you that the seller is pretty confident in the used goods that they are trying to sell. A shorter warranty shows the lack of confidence. Goods without warranty are not worth the risk. Note that some warranties do not cover the good if it is already used. Make sure to enquire about this before purchasing. Also as a precautionary measure, test the product first before making a purchase. If the seller won’t allow testing, walk out the door.
Note from Elle: I would recommend weighing the pros and cons of getting an extended warranty. You may be better offer creating your own warranty and keeping your money.
Has the Product Previously Undergone Repair?
Find out the history of the product and the length of time that the product was used. This is important because it gives you a good indication of past problems that may surface again upon usage. Also find out if any parts where replaced. This will affect the overall functionality and value of the product, as the previous owner may have used cheap parts from unknown brands. If you don’t mind taking that risk, make sure that the price offered takes these factors into account.
Author Bio: This is a guest post from Andrew Wang. Some of his blogs include Money Alps, International Travel Medical Insurance, Reward Credit Card, and Selling Time Share.
Photo Credit: shaymus22