So you've been craving for an MP3 player or a digital camera or a PPC phone since the moment you see them but you are short of cash? And you are not satisfied
with their low class cousins? Maybe the only way out is to turn your head from
store shelves to second-hand goods market.
I am not kidding. A digital products hound myself, I've been dealing with them,
high or low, new or used, since the day I revealed this high-tech world. As I
noted above, for those who are cash-conscious, choosing second-hand products is
a brilliant idea: Most items here are sold at a much lower price than their on-
shelf cousins, sometimes being 60%, sometimes 50% or even less of the original prices, and they look still so new. Yet there are traps and tricks around. Having been handling these products, and their sellers, for years, I do have some tips on buying used goods to share with especially those who are listed.
1, Spend at least a few weeks "watching" the BBS, or forum, from where you are to buy your dream gadgets, to find out who's who and who's likely honest and who'
s likely not.
2, Ask your target why he/she is selling away the stuff. Is he bored with it or
is he buying a new one? Is he in great need of money or is he handed down the
stuff for nothing? This will help separater original sellers from those guys who are making a living out of the transaction. The former is recommended of course.
3, Make sure what accessories are included in the pack. Most electronic products accessories and peripherals are originally outrageously expensive, sometimes accouting for 40% of the total purchase. But in this second-hand world they can
be close to nothing. Most items are sold for a slong. So, the more accessories
, the merrier.
4, For price preferences, go to TaoBao. But keep in mind that there are illegally sold smuggles and counterfeits around and therefore their prices are of no preference value if your business partner is selling a legally sold item which is
especially launched to Chinese mainland market.
5, Make your partner be honest with you about whether the on-sale item has records of dropping to the ground or into water. Such accidents may cause potential
damages that can "lurk" for a long time. He stonewalls, you leave.
6, Should the item be a PDA or DC, choose those whose batteries are user-changeable. Integrated non user-changeable batteries lead to a lot of trouble once their lifespan hit the exhaustion. The trouble isn't there if the gadget allows you to change the battery because third-party batteries are always accessible.
7, Make sure whether the seller is a gamer if you are buying a PDA. A gamer is
someone who is very much into game playing. Too much gaming is very likely to shorten the lifespan of the buttons of the device. Good gadgets with worn out buttons have been repeatedly reported. Be ready to go pay for repairs if you are
buying a gamer's cool stuff.
8, Try to make an agreement on who is paying the delivery. In China, EMS is the
most expensive way of delivery, but is also the safest and of the widest coverage; it reaches every corner of the land. Some private delivery companies are of
sound reliability, while some are nastily unreliable. Open your eyes wide and
choose carefully.
9, Last but not the least, think twice before you take the plunge. Do you really need that article? Is it just the idea of having an up-to-date digital toy that obsesses you? Are you really sure about what this product can do and how well it call do? Even buying inexpensive second-hands can be a waste of money, and
time, if it proves to be useless after all. This tip applies to buying brand-new goods as well -- do not waste money on things that you don't really need.
What is good can't be cheap; what is cheap can't be good, they say. However, in
this second-hand goods market, this rule of thumb simply does not always apply.
Remember to thank me if you finally get a real bargain because my tips helped.
Pan.
