eBay can be a fantastic place to find great deals on IT Hardware in
appropriate situations. We can’t deny that. In certain cases, even we have
taken advantage of great deals on eBay – for an item we couldn’t pass
up for our stock, or an obscure part we couldn’t find.
So first, I’ll list four situations in which eBay is a good move.
I’ll follow it below with our seven tips for finding “IT” on eBay.
When eBay makes sense for IT
1) Low-end items: tranceivers, cables, internal connectors, etc…
2) Obscure items: your current used server vendor doesn’t have it, so maybe you’ll get lucky by searching the auctions.
3) Time: you have a lot of it. Sometimes eBay purchases can get really, really drawn out.
4) Comparison: you want to make sure you’re getting a good deal. If
you need some type of comparison before buying from another vendor, this
can give you some leverage. If the numbers are close (say 25%), you’re
probably already getting a good deal from your vendor due to the
value-adds. If it isn’t close, forward the link to your rep and it may
help you get a better rate – or they’ll be able to explain what in the
listing diverges from their offering (apples to oranges and all that).
Seven Tips to Finding “IT” on eBay
1) Communicate with the seller before the auction closes.
The “ask seller a question” button is your friend. It allows you to get
answers to any questions that you might have about an item before you
buy. Even if no burning questions come to mind, I still like to use this
feature to make sure I’m dealing with a real person, and to gain some
insight into how helpful of a seller they’ll be.
2) Check the freight cost.
Sure, a Sun E450 server looks like a great deal at $150 on eBay. But
don’t get stuck buying it before you find out it is shipping from
Australia and freight will be four times the purchase price. IT systems
can be hefty, and accordingly, so can the freight. If there isn’t a flat
fee listed or a way to calculate freight, then ask the seller for
assistance.
3) Do a background check.
A surface level check can be done by looking at the number of previous
sales and reading buyers’ feedback. I’m usually not comfortable unless I
see at least 15 to 20 previous transactions with genuine feedback – not
generically created. If the dollar amount is over $1000, I’ll look for
a history of closer to 100 transactions or more.
4) Background Check 2.0: Go Deeper.
Trusting the seller is so important, that sometimes we have to look even
further. If I don’t feel comfortable after examining the seller’s eBay
history, then I might get a little bit more creative. I will contact
them and ask them for some information about their business. If they
happily submit information and give legitimate information to back it up
(non-P.O. Box addresses, references, etc…) then I’m much more
confident. Also, check to see if they mention their business in the
listing and look it up on your favorite search engine.
5) Make comparisons off eBay.
Find something listed on eBay, but you’re not sure if it’s the best deal? Google it and you’ll find respected businesses (see Vibrant)
that carry it. You’ll often find similar pricing, with warranties and
customer service built-in that you wouldn’t get at auction.
6) Ask for a better deal.
Viewed an auction that didn’t sell? Ask the seller if they would lower
their price for you and re-list it as a “buy-it-now” auction at your
agreed upon price. You can also barter on shipping costs, or ask them to
use your shipping account and not charge a fee. Some don’t go for it,
but asking never hurts.
7) Buy-it-Now is not get-it-now.
Always check to make sure the lister still has the hardware, and what
the lead time will be. I’ve found that sometimes companies or
individuals post renewable listings, then forget about them. In the
meantime, they’ve sold the item and no longer have it. If they do agree
to fulfill the order, it can take weeks or months to receive the
delivery – due to their need to source it. I used to think “Buy-it-now”
was automatic, but now I always double check.
If you take heed of the above advice, and find yourself in the right
circumstance, eBay buying experiences can save you money – as long as
you’re willing to take the steps needed to safeguard the transaction.
(Article 3 of 5 in our eBay article series.)