Pricing Used Technology
NiGHTS
San Diego Icrontian
Apologies if this is in the wrong area, I PMed Leo to ensure this was a legal post a while ago but never ended up making the post as the original deal fell through. So, back to the question at hand: How do you guys go about pricing used technology?
I recall asking Thrax over AIM a while back with the response of 10-15% on top of something else, depending on how old the technology is (or how long it's been used, rather.) What that "something else" was I can't quite remember, but if I were to guess as to where the 10-15% came from it would be a typical shelf markup - being that he's the Best Buy guru around here.
If it helps, the tech. in question is a DFI Lanparty, a S939 3700+, and a 7800gt. I'd still like to know the general advanced mathematical inner workings of finding a price if at all possible for the future, though, so I can apply it to future deals.
As always, thanks in advance!
I recall asking Thrax over AIM a while back with the response of 10-15% on top of something else, depending on how old the technology is (or how long it's been used, rather.) What that "something else" was I can't quite remember, but if I were to guess as to where the 10-15% came from it would be a typical shelf markup - being that he's the Best Buy guru around here.
If it helps, the tech. in question is a DFI Lanparty, a S939 3700+, and a 7800gt. I'd still like to know the general advanced mathematical inner workings of finding a price if at all possible for the future, though, so I can apply it to future deals.
As always, thanks in advance!
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Comments
You might decrease the first year's depreciation to 40%.
I also evaluate the maximum price drops at about 2-3 years, with RAM/CPUs dropping for three years, but video cards levelling out a little sooner.
As a rule of thumb, there is no formula that is reliable. The value of used items is simply what people are willing to pay. For a good idea of what items are going for - by 'going for' I mean original asking prices, check out our Trading Post, Anandtech's for-sale forum, and [H]ardforum's ([H]ardOCP]) trading forum.
The surges that exist in computer technology, in example - video cards may surge by leaps and bounds while power supplies remain stagnant - prevent a formula from being a reliable tool. A formula might work well though, if the item to be sold is rarely found on trading forums. A lot of selling on the used (online) market is simply a 'feel' for the market. That takes some time, but browsing active trading forums is quick head start.