Strategies for Buying Test Equipment off E*bay Part 3

[D from BC]

In previous posts I've bashed resellers for being scavengers that hunt
down test equipment and flip'm for profit off E*bay.
It's like hoarding and it jacks up the prices.
Example: Everybody thinks it's worth ~$300.00 but the reseller wins it
at $400.00 and resells it on E*bay or on a website at a ridiculous
$600.00.
This is probably why prices on used equipment sites are
so...ugh...bizarre.

I've been watching HP and Tektronix's prices on E*bay.
Wow! Much higher than other brands.

I figure two things at play.

1) It's good equipment. Even old and used, it retains it's value.

2) There are many used equipment dealers that 'specialize' in the
testing, repair and calibration of HP and Tektronix test equipment.
They want this stuff! They can fix it. They can take the risk and if
necessary scrap it for parts. They can buy used HP and Tektronix
equipment at prices higher than most are willing to pay.
Can you risk spending alot on possibly buggy scope? Well..they can.
Can you compete in a bidding war with a bunch of used equipment
dealers also in a bidding war between each other? I can't.

The resellers probably ignore:
Rigol, Instek, Yokogawa, Wavetek, Advantest, Anritsu, Iwatsu etc.
They don't have the documentation, can't fix'm and can't take the
risk.
They don't bid on them and the prices stay low.

Wanna save some bucks.. Go asian tech.. It's vulture resistant.


D from BC
British Columbia
Canada.

 

[Paul Mathews]

In previous posts I've bashed resellers for being scavengers that hunt
down test equipment and flip'm for profit off E*bay.
It's like hoarding and it jacks up the prices.
Example: Everybody thinks it's worth ~$300.00 but the reseller wins it
at $400.00 and resells it on E*bay or on a website at a ridiculous
$600.00.
This is probably why prices on used equipment sites are
so...ugh...bizarre.

I've been watching HP and Tektronix's prices on E*bay.
Wow! Much higher than other brands.

I figure two things at play.

1) It's good equipment. Even old and used, it retains it's value.

2) There are many used equipment dealers that 'specialize' in the
testing, repair and calibration of HP and Tektronix test equipment.
They want this stuff! They can fix it. They can take the risk and if
necessary scrap it for parts. They can buy used HP and Tektronix
equipment at prices higher than most are willing to pay.
Can you risk spending alot on possibly buggy scope? Well..they can.
Can you compete in a bidding war with a bunch of used equipment
dealers also in a bidding war between each other? I can't.

The resellers probably ignore:
Rigol, Instek, Yokogawa, Wavetek, Advantest, Anritsu, Iwatsu etc.
They don't have the documentation, can't fix'm and can't take the
risk.
They don't bid on them and the prices stay low.

Wanna save some bucks.. Go asian tech.. It's vulture resistant.

D from BC
British Columbia
Canada.

So buy your Iwatsu and find out why I'm willing to pay more for
Tektronix. In fact, I can send you a couple of dead Iwatsu's for the
cost of shipping. I have clients who use them for ballast. Get a
grip. Your 'vultures' are providing a service.
Paul Mathews

 

[John Larkin]

In previous posts I've bashed resellers for being scavengers that hunt
down test equipment and flip'm for profit off E*bay.
It's like hoarding and it jacks up the prices.
Example: Everybody thinks it's worth ~$300.00 but the reseller wins it
at $400.00 and resells it on E*bay or on a website at a ridiculous
$600.00.
This is probably why prices on used equipment sites are
so...ugh...bizarre.

I've been watching HP and Tektronix's prices on E*bay.
Wow! Much higher than other brands.

I figure two things at play.

1) It's good equipment. Even old and used, it retains it's value.

2) There are many used equipment dealers that 'specialize' in the
testing, repair and calibration of HP and Tektronix test equipment.
They want this stuff! They can fix it. They can take the risk and if
necessary scrap it for parts. They can buy used HP and Tektronix
equipment at prices higher than most are willing to pay.
Can you risk spending alot on possibly buggy scope? Well..they can.
Can you compete in a bidding war with a bunch of used equipment
dealers also in a bidding war between each other? I can't.

The resellers probably ignore:
Rigol, Instek, Yokogawa, Wavetek, Advantest, Anritsu, Iwatsu etc.
They don't have the documentation, can't fix'm and can't take the
risk.
They don't bid on them and the prices stay low.

Wanna save some bucks.. Go asian tech.. It's vulture resistant.


D from BC
British Columbia
Canada.

You are complaining about the way markets work.

John

 

[Nico Coesel]

You are complaining about the way markets work.

I think so too. Buyers make the price. Recently I wanted to buy an AUI
to UTP converter to connect my DAS9200 to my network through CAT5
cable and finally get rid of the last segment of coax network.
Some guy on the Dutch Ebay's alternative wanted 25 euros for one. I
offered 5 euro for it. He refused and told me to take my crazy offer
somewhere else (probably somewhere the sun doesn't shine). His loss. I
ended up buying 2 for 5 euros.

 

[[email protected]]

You are complaining about the way markets work.

-----------------------------------------------------------^^^^ humans


FTFY

 

[krw]

I figure two things at play.

1) It's good equipment. Even old and used, it retains it's value.

2) There are many used equipment dealers that 'specialize' in the
testing, repair and calibration of HP and Tektronix test equipment.
They want this stuff! They can fix it. They can take the risk and if
necessary scrap it for parts. They can buy used HP and Tektronix
equipment at prices higher than most are willing to pay.
Can you risk spending alot on possibly buggy scope? Well..they can.
Can you compete in a bidding war with a bunch of used equipment
dealers also in a bidding war between each other? I can't.

<snip>

Or 3) Bid more, driving up prices, causing your friends grief. ;-)

Wanna save some bucks.. Go asian tech.. It's vulture resistant.

Mostly for a reason.

 

[D from BC]

So buy your Iwatsu and find out why I'm willing to pay more for
Tektronix. In fact, I can send you a couple of dead Iwatsu's for the
cost of shipping. I have clients who use them for ballast. Get a
grip. Your 'vultures' are providing a service.
Paul Mathews

I can't believe all asian designed test equipment is that bad.
.....'use them for ballast'?

I wonder what's being used in asian electronics research labs...
Are they using HP or Tektronix? Or is it something like Yokogawa?


D from BC
British Columbia
Canada.

 

[D from BC]

You are complaining about the way markets work.

John

Yup.. I'm just bitch'n..

I wish there was something like a 'no used equipment dealers allowed '
section on E*bay.


D from BC
British Columbia
Canada.

 

[krw]

On Mon, 21 Jan 2008 12:50:52 -0800, John Larkin


Yup.. I'm just bitch'n..

I wish there was something like a 'no used equipment dealers allowed '
section on E*bay.

....and who do you suppose would sell there?

 

[D from BC]

So buy your Iwatsu and find out why I'm willing to pay more for
Tektronix. In fact, I can send you a couple of dead Iwatsu's for the
cost of shipping. I have clients who use them for ballast. Get a
grip. Your 'vultures' are providing a service.
Paul Mathews

IIRC somebody on here does have an Instek oscilloscope.
Still happy with it I guess?
Recently somebody posted about software for a Rigol scope.
No bitchn on that thread.

How cheap in quality can a $15435 Yokogawa spectrum analyzer be?
Like with everything, some brands are better than others.

A brand new Iwatsu 100Mhz is about $1300.00.
Iwatsu might be one of the last makers of 1Ghz analog scopes.
Are those dead Iwatsu's from 1973? Even if they were still working, I
wouldn't use'm..
Sometimes inexpensive equipment take a beating.
'Who cares..it's cheap to replace.'
People are much more gentle on the expensive equipment.
'Don't bump it.. It'll cost an arm and leg to replace.'


D from BC
British Columbia
Canada.

 

[D from BC]

...and who do you suppose would sell there?

I mean a 'special' place on E*bay where used equipment dealers can't
bid or buy but they can still sell.
Sellers can be anybody.
Examples of sellers:
Someone from a failed tech company.
Someone from a research company. (Research finished).
Or perhaps the seller is from a company that's upgrading.

The idea is to block used equipment dealers from bidding.
That way people can get those 'I'm so happy I could cry' prices.


D from BC
British Columbia
Canada.

 

[Spehro Pefhany]

I mean a 'special' place on E*bay where used equipment dealers can't
bid or buy but they can still sell.
Sellers can be anybody.
Examples of sellers:
Someone from a failed tech company.
Someone from a research company. (Research finished).
Or perhaps the seller is from a company that's upgrading.

The idea is to block used equipment dealers from bidding.
That way people can get those 'I'm so happy I could cry' prices.


D from BC
British Columbia
Canada.

So, I have a surplus oscilloscope (say I bought brand new one and
don't have room for an old one).

Why would I offer it in a place where only certain buyers can enter,
thus reducing the amount of money I'll receive? There may be a reason,
but you've not provided any evidence that used equipment dealers are
particularly bad customers. In fact, I suspect, as business persons,
they are rather less trouble than many others and would be better
informed on shipping costs and other matters, and more likely to pay
promptly and not bitch about minutia.

So, they pay significantly more money, and it's most likely a smooth
and trouble-free transaction. Sounds good to me.


Best regards,
Spehro Pefhany

 

[D from BC]

So, I have a surplus oscilloscope (say I bought brand new one and
don't have room for an old one).

Why would I offer it in a place where only certain buyers can enter,
thus reducing the amount of money I'll receive? There may be a reason,
but you've not provided any evidence that used equipment dealers are
particularly bad customers. In fact, I suspect, as business persons,
they are rather less trouble than many others and would be better
informed on shipping costs and other matters, and more likely to pay
promptly and not bitch about minutia.

So, they pay significantly more money, and it's most likely a smooth
and trouble-free transaction. Sounds good to me.


Best regards,
Spehro Pefhany

Ohhhhh..
I get it now..
Also, krw's question just clicked in too. Geez..
It's the same point.
One wants to make as much as possible. If they can pay, who cares who
buys your test equipment. It's wonderful to have 10 zillion resellers
bidding on your scope!

Well.. I only have a whimpy 'patch' idea in my defense..
Let's say you want your cherished scope to have a new home. You don't
want it flipped for profit.
If the resellers are blocked from bidding then there's a chance your
scope can benefit a student or a low budget start up company or a
hobbyist.


D from BC
British Columbia
Canada.

 

[John O'Flaherty]

Ohhhhh..
I get it now..
Also, krw's question just clicked in too. Geez..
It's the same point.
One wants to make as much as possible. If they can pay, who cares who
buys your test equipment. It's wonderful to have 10 zillion resellers
bidding on your scope!

Well.. I only have a whimpy 'patch' idea in my defense..
Let's say you want your cherished scope to have a new home. You don't
want it flipped for profit.
If the resellers are blocked from bidding then there's a chance your
scope can benefit a student or a low budget start up company or a
hobbyist.

If you want to maximize that kind of return, you can just donate it!
Still, the donee might decide to resell it.

 

[David L. Jones]

Ohhhhh..
I get it now..
Also, krw's question just clicked in too. Geez..
It's the same point.
One wants to make as much as possible. If they can pay, who cares who
buys your test equipment. It's wonderful to have 10 zillion resellers
bidding on your scope!

Well.. I only have a whimpy 'patch' idea in my defense..
Let's say you want your cherished scope to have a new home. You don't
want it flipped for profit.
If the resellers are blocked from bidding then there's a chance your
scope can benefit a student or a low budget start up company or a
hobbyist.

If you want to do that then advertise on special interest groups like
this, been done plenty of times in the past. Perhaps with a
stipulation along the lines of who the buyer/recipient must be, e.g.
"free to hobbyist or student under 18yo only" etc
Or stick a sign up on the local notice board at your local engineering
school.
Plenty of ways to ensure your bit of kit goes to a good home.

Dave.

 

[Don Lancaster]

...and who do you suppose would sell there?

http://www.tinaja.com/glib/ebaybuy.pdf
http://www.tinaja.com/glib/ebaysell.pdf


--
Many thanks,

Don Lancaster voice phone: (928)428-4073
Synergetics 3860 West First Street Box 809 Thatcher, AZ 85552
rss: http://www.tinaja.com/whtnu.xml email: [email protected]

Please visit my GURU's LAIR web site at http://www.tinaja.com

 

[Nico Coesel]

So, I have a surplus oscilloscope (say I bought brand new one and
don't have room for an old one).

Why would I offer it in a place where only certain buyers can enter,
thus reducing the amount of money I'll receive? There may be a reason,
but you've not provided any evidence that used equipment dealers are

I agree. The way Ebay works now is already reducing prices
considerably.

 

[Nico Coesel]

On Mon, 21 Jan 2008 22:05:35 -0500, Spehro Pefhany

Well.. I only have a whimpy 'patch' idea in my defense..
Let's say you want your cherished scope to have a new home. You don't
want it flipped for profit.
If the resellers are blocked from bidding then there's a chance your
scope can benefit a student or a low budget start up company or a
hobbyist.

Easy: refuse the bids from people you don't like.

 

[D from BC]

Easy: refuse the bids from people you don't like.

Is that really possible on E*bay? If so, it probably p*sses some
people off.
"Yaddayahmean you cancelled my bid.. You *$(!^$!"


D from BC
British Columbia
Canada.