Selling your redundant IT equipment is a great way to recover some of the costs of buying your new equipment, as well as minimising e-waste. However, selling this equipment is about more than just arranging the sale itself – there is a whole host of factors to consider. Here, we outline the common mistakes people make when selling IT equipment for your own peace of mind.
Considering Just One Buyer
Many people go with the first IT equipment buyer they come across to secure a quick and easy sale. But how do you know you’re getting a good deal if you have no point of comparison? Getting quotes from multiple IT buyers gives you a better idea of the value of your equipment, and means you can make an educated choice.
However, it’s not just price that could vary between buyers – the service on offer may also vary. While some buyers include all IT erasure, collection and migration in their quote, others may charge these as an additional service. Some buyers may not even offer these services, meaning you’d need to factor these steps in as additional costs.
Providing Insufficient Documentation
Properly documenting your equipment with information detailing its model name and number, specification and any other relevant information can speed up the resale process significantly. This documentation allows potential buyers to give you the most accurate quote as early as possible, facilitating the smooth running of the rest of the process.
As part of this documentation, you might include images of the items you’re looking to sell. These images confirm the model of the item you’re selling, minimising room for human error when noting details down. They’ll also give potential buyers an idea of its grading, which means you can get an accurate quote as soon as possible.
Images can also be used to clarify any disputes there may be over the item model or condition.
Taking Servers Apart
Selling your equipment in its most complete form is convenient to buyers as it means they can start using it right away. While you might earn more from processors and hard drives when sold separately, you’ll almost certainly lose money overall as the server itself has little to no resale value and would be better sold as scrap metal.
Separating Parts More Valuable Sold Together
There are situations in which it is better to sell parts of your second-hand IT equipment individually, but you should only do this if advised by your ITAD partner. There are some assets that are, as a general rule, more valuable when sold together. These are: hard drives and caddies and hard drives (or SSDs) and SANs.
Failing to Declare Equipment Flaws
It goes without saying that you want to get the best possible price when you resell IT equipment. However, a reseller will thoroughly check each device before handing over the money. It’s important to be transparent and declare anything wrong with the equipment as early as possible – this will give you a more accurate idea of cost, and avoid any complications further down the line.
If defects go beyond how a product looks, you should be sure to provide your reseller with as much information as possible, including known equipment faults. This can speed up the resale process, as it minimises the testing they’ll need to do.
Not Packing Products Properly
Your redundant IT equipment might have been working when it left your hands, but it’s important that it reaches the reseller in the same condition. While your ITAD supplier might be able to tell that an item was damaged in transit, they won’t be able to compensate for any loss of value. To ensure the safe arrival of your equipment, you need to pack your IT assets properly and use the safest possible form of delivery.
It’s always best to use original packaging, as this is designed for the particular device and the manufacturers will have considered the necessary level of protection in the design of this packaging. If not, pack items as snugly as possible to minimise movement and impact in transit. Avoid stacking in packaging, as this could cause items to damage one another.
If you can’t transport the items yourself, you should use an insured courier service to ensure its safety or arrange for direct collection with your ITAD partner, ensuring a secure chain of custody. Your ITAD partner should also be able to advise you on how they would suggest you pack and therefore protect your equipment, prior to transportation.
Leaving Data on Equipment
Falling victim to a data breach from residual data on your left devices could get you into some pretty serious trouble further down the line, if recovered by the wrong person. It’s of vital importance that you erase all data from your devices before you resell them. Simply dragging your files to the trash, or performing one round of overwriting is rarely enough. Your ITAD partner will be able to assist you with this, ensuring the complete erasure of all data and providing you with confirmation of this – a complete audit trail.
With over 25 years of industry experience, tier1 can assist you with the hassle free sale of your IT equipment. Whether you’re looking to resell redundant equipment or surplus new items, our specialist team can offer a secure solution that ensures you achieve the maximum value for your items. Simply visit https://www.tier1.com or get in touch on 0161 777 1000 for more information.
