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From: bpendlet@bambam.UUCP (Bob Pendleton)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc
Subject: Re: Pricing used computer equipment
Message-ID: <1541@bambam.UUCP>
Date: 13 Jun 90 21:34:36 GMT
References: <907@prcrs.UUCP>
Organization: Evans & Sutherland Computer Corp., Salt Lake City, Utah
Lines: 37
X-Local-Date: 13 Jun 90 14:34:36 PDT

From article <907@prcrs.UUCP>, by mcvic@prcrs.UUCP (David McVicar):
> I have a 1-yr old Compaq Deskpro 286:

 [description deleted]

> Anyone know of a way to determine a resale value on such an item?

I'd say a good way to estimate the resale value of a used computer is
to find the price of a brand new equivalent machine and divide by the
age in years (round up to the nearest whole year) plus 1. 

No one cares what you paid for it originally and very few care about
the software you have for it. 

Supose you have a 2 year old $5,000 dollar computer. If you can buy
something equivalent or better for $2,000 today you will be lucky to
get $700 for the used machine. But start advertising it at twice what
it is really worth. Someone might pay that much for it. 

One more thing; You can get more for it by advertising in your local
want adds than you can by advertising on the net. Netters know better. 

The last used computer I sold was an Amiga 1000. I followed my rules
and advertised it at $800. No one called. For 3 weeks no one called. I
then advertised it at $700... Again no calls. Then I tried $600... The
computer was sold within a couple of hours of the paper hitting the
streets.


		Hope that helps...

			Bob P.
-- 
              Bob Pendleton, speaking only for myself.
UUCP Address:  decwrl!esunix!bpendlet or utah-cs!esunix!bpendlet

                      X: Tools, not rules.