Penny Arcade Forums› Help / Advice Forum
The new forums will be named Coin Return (based on the most recent vote)! You can check on the status and timeline of the transition to the new forums here.
The Guiding Principles and New Rules document is now in effect.

attempting to sell an air conditioner (also gen. CL/Ebay questions)

cooljammer00cooljammer00 HeySmall Christmas-Man!Registered User regular
edited January 2009 in Help / Advice Forum
So I'm trying to help my parents sell an air conditioner (Panasonic model no. CW-XC243HU) but I have no idea how to do so. Not only can I not figure out which is the best way to go about it (Ebay? Craigslist? Some sort of proprietary air conditioning website?) but I can't wrap my head around how to go about selling this thing/getting it out there. I've never done this sort of thing before. What is a good way to write the craigslist page? Are there certain selling points I should mention? Can I double post the same item on ebay and craigslist, or is that illegal? Is it not proper etiquette to ask them to pick it up? Is it safe to tell them where I live?

Finally, can all this stuff be answered by looking at a FAQ, and have I just wasted you forumers' time? :|

Also, with selling air conditioners, how do I figure out a good selling price? Don't want to get ripped off, but I don't want to try to get too much and then have no buyers. There doesn't seem to be any information on this model number air conditioner.

steam_sig.png

3DS Friend Code: 2165-6448-8348 www.Twitch.TV/cooljammer00
Battle.Net: JohnDarc#1203 Origin/UPlay: CoolJammer00
cooljammer00 on

Posts

  • VThornheartVThornheart Registered User regular
    edited January 2009
    Craigslist: state the model, if there's any damage (be HONEST, otherwise you could have a fight on your hands when the people arrive to take it) and take pictures. On Craigslist it's fine to demand they pick it up, and it's generally okay to give your address to people who ask (I wouldn't just post it on the site itself, only give it to people who reply to your post). If you're really concerned, bring the Air Conditioner outside before you meet with them, so that they never enter (or even see the inside of) your house. Make sure your transaction occurs in cash, and that they know it's a cash for item transaction. Don't accept a check, gift card, or anything like that.

    I would not post it on Craigslist if you post it on eBay. posting it on eBay is pretty much stating that it WILL be taken by SOMEONE for SOME price, where Craigslist is a more casual posting environment. if someone on Craigslist buys it while the eBay auction is still going on, you're going to be held liable to give the person who eventually wins the eBay auction the item (even if you have to go buy a new one to fulfill your promise).

    basically...

    Craigslist = open ended (negotiating with people privately for them to buy it)
    eBay = promise (formal auction for the item that, unless it doesn't meet the reserve, WILL be bought by someone (and eBay takes a portion of that money, and now you have to ship it to them in most cases)

    As far as a selling price, look on Craigslist and see what other Air Conditioners of similar BTUs are going for, and then sell it at or below that. Don't worry about comparing it to the exact same air conditioner, just to similar ones. BTU will be a good determiner of that.

    VThornheart on
    3DS Friend Code: 1950-8938-9095
  • TL DRTL DR Not at all confident in his reflexive opinions of thingsRegistered User regular
    edited January 2009
    eBay sucks. Craigslist is convenient and safe, since it's unlikely that a prince from Nigeria will fly all the way to your house to try to get you to cash a check for him to pay for your AC unit.

    TL DR on
  • cooljammer00cooljammer00 Hey Small Christmas-Man!Registered User regular
    edited January 2009
    thanks for the info. The side of the box (never used/opened) and internet research has the machine at about 23,500 btu/hr (230 v). I'm not exactly sure if that is a lot, but the box seems to state that it can cool 1100 sq. ft. to 1400 sq. ft./a 35' x 35' room (something about cooling capacity). That sounds like a lot.

    Luckily, I have found more information from Panasonic's own website, which seems to have the MSRP at about $639.95, so I guess I have my maximum right there.

    cooljammer00 on
    steam_sig.png

    3DS Friend Code: 2165-6448-8348 www.Twitch.TV/cooljammer00
    Battle.Net: JohnDarc#1203 Origin/UPlay: CoolJammer00
  • DjCalvinDjCalvin MARegistered User regular
    edited January 2009
    Cooling:
    Keep that sucker! Thats a damn nice A/C.

    Price wise if you really want to sell it:
    People look on craigslist for cheap bargains.
    I wouldn't let it go for less than $350.

    DjCalvin on
  • VThornheartVThornheart Registered User regular
    edited January 2009
    That IS an impressive A/C. If you happen to be in any need of one whatsoever, you should keep it.

    If not, and you're in the New Hampshire area, I'll take it off your hands... it'll mitigate the humid heat of the very few hot months we get up here. =)

    VThornheart on
    3DS Friend Code: 1950-8938-9095
  • MichaelLCMichaelLC In what furnace was thy brain? ChicagoRegistered User regular
    edited January 2009
    Craig's is the way to go for something like this.

    As was said, take some picture,s even if it's of the box, and type out the description. If the MSRP is $640, 400 or 350 sounds good. Decide what your minimum is (will you take $200?) because people will almost always counter-offer.

    Also - save your ad in Word or something, in case it expires before the unit sells.

    MichaelLC on
Sign In or Register to comment.
Penny Arcade Forums› Help / Advice Forum