Selling Products As They Are vs. Selling Reconditioned Products

As the reseller of a liquidated product, you’re always facing a number of questions that may lift or bring down your business based on how you answer them. One of those questions revolves around whether to sell products in their existing condition or recondition them before offering them in the market. The following lines will provide you with the information you need to make this decision.

Selling Products As They Are

If you purchase a lot or pellet that apparently has a few imperfections, you may wonder whether to fix the products or sell them as is. Read on to find out everything about the latter.

When to Sell As-Is

There are some reasons why you may decide to sell the product in the exact same condition you bought it, i.e. without reconditioning it.

The Cost of Fixing is Higher – If you feel that the cost of fixing or reconditioning would be higher than the price it would be sold at, you shouldn’t waste your time on repairs. Instead of spending time, money and effort that you will not get the return of, sell the item in the exact same condition.

Demand is High – If the product that you have bought has a high demand in the market even though it is in a bad condition, there will be no need for you to fix it. Examples of such include smartphones and household appliances.

Can be Used for Other Purposes – If the liquidation product is damaged but can be sold for its spare parts, don’t waste time fixing it. Items such as computers and laptops are often sold for their internal parts despite being damaged beyond repair.

How to Effectively Sell Such Items

Now that you know which items you can sell regardless of their condition, here are some tips that will help you in selling these products effectively.

Change Ordering Options – One of the best things you can do to sell damaged but not reconditioned products is to reduce their price. However, if you don’t want to reduce the price dramatically, you can even try methods such as buy-one-get-one-free and discounts on bulk orders. This way, the customers will know that they can buy these goods for a reduced price from your store.

Alter Shipping Offers – If you have an online store, a very good method to encourage the purchase of damaged goods is by shipping them for free to customers who have ordered them. If you offer absolutely free shipping on orders and advertise it as an exclusive deal then you’ll be greeted with a huge number of customers. However, make sure that you inform your warehouse provider if you are making use of this technique.

Sell Online – On the other hand, if you have a physical store but are unable to sell these items, it would be a good idea to move the liquidation products to another online marketplace. Having your own liquidation website or affiliating your brand with someone else will help you get more exposure and increase your chances of selling the products.

Combine With Other Products – If the liquidation product is not very damaged and is in a fairly good condition, you can offer it as a free gift or combine it with other good quality products. However, when using this technique, make sure that the two items complement each other. This combination method is also known as ‘kit’ because the two items come together in one packaging.

The Ethics of Selling

Since you’re selling slightly damaged or imperfect products, you have an ethical duty towards your clients.

Here are some measures you should take to maintain a good reputation with your clients.

State the Condition Clearly – The people that you are selling to must know the exact condition of their purchase. Don’t make the mistake of slacking in this regard because unless the product is inside a box with the warranty intact, the customer will have doubts about your services. On the other hand, stating the product’s conditions clearly will make your company appear a lot more reliable.

Clearly Mention the After-Sales Terms – If you don’t want to offer returns or exchanges under any circumstances, it will be best to tell the customer beforehand. The policies and agreements should be stated clearly so that buyers don’t feel like they have been cheated. A lot of buyers will even make their purchase based on how clearly you have stated your policies.

Tell Them What’s Missing – If the product that you are selling is missing something, make sure that you inform the buyer about it. Along with a detailed description of the product, list everything that is not included in the package that the buyer will be receiving. This will not only make the buyer aware of what they need to buy, but it will also increase your company’s credibility.

Send Out What You Promised – One of the top reasons a lot of liquidation retailers aren’t able to attract attention is because they fail to send the product that the customer actually asked for. Don’t make the mistake of showing the customer a great picture and sending a very bad quality piece. Doing so will only make the value of your product and brand go down.

Selling Reconditioned Products

The other option you have is reselling reconditioned products. If you’re new to the business, the following lines will educate you in this regard.

What is reconditioning? Simply put, reconditioning is the process where you return a used item to its original state. Reconditioning a product involves detailed tasks such as restoring the firmware, erasing user content, improving the functional characteristics and enhancing the cosmetic appearance, replacing worn out and heavily used pieces, and other such processes which increase the value of the product in one way or the other.

Even though the word “reconditioned” may conjure up images of broken down and poor quality products that buyers aren’t interested in, a lot of them aren’t as bad as you may think. A lot of customers often return a product for a refund before they use the product or even take it out of its box. Selling such products to customers who are already tied to your brand or business will help you in making a name for yourself in the market.

So, what needs to be reconditioned?

Products Suffering from Cosmetic Damage: Some liquidation products that you acquire from manufacturers will have minor scratches and dents which may have been caused during the shipping process. Therefore, even though these products have not been used, they need to be sold for a discounted price because they lack the cosmetic appearance that is expected from them.

Display Items: Display or demo items which are showcased at retail stores, trade shows and product reviews are often not bought because they have been handled by too many people. Therefore, this type of merchandise is repackaged and sold as reconditioned products. The biggest benefit of these display items is that you can sell them for a slightly lower price than the original because they are practically as good as new.

Products with Operational Defects: Products that are operationally defective are reconditioned and sold for a discounted price. These items have production defects in them; and as a liquidation products retailer, you may decide to improve their quality and sell them for profit.

How to Sell Reconditioned Products

In order for you to start selling profitable reconditioned products, here are the important steps you should follow.

1. Decide What to Sell

The first thing you must do is to decide the item or merchandise that you want to recondition and sell. This is a key factor because not every type of item that has been reconditioned will be sold for a profitable price. Therefore, what you can do is search the internet and find out exactly what kind of reconditioned products are bought the most.

Examples of such top reconditioned and refurbished items are electronic gadgets and computers or laptops. The main reason why these products are so much in demand is that their original, factory price is usually very high and unaffordable. Reconditioned electronic items, on the other hand, are lighter on the pocket and ultimately sought after by a number of individuals.

2. Choose a Reliable Source

When it comes to making money online via reconditioned products, you can get an edge over your competition simply by buying the items of a reliable brand at discounted rates. When you buy these low priced products in bulk, you are giving yourself the chance to recondition and sell these high-quality products at competitive rates and make use of solid profits.

Once again, the key is to do your research and find brands and products that are popular with the crowd. If your liquidation business is well underway, you can also decide to opt for more than one type of product as this will make it easier for you to earn the profit.

3. Develop a Website and Market

If you have decided to run your business and not rely on external sources such as eBay or Amazon to sell your liquidation products, you need to design your own website and develop it in a professional manner. Hire an expert designer who has extensive knowledge on the best sort of website that will work for your type of business and you will start getting customers soon.

Aside from developing a website, you must also market your business and brand so that people can discover them and find out about the kind of products you recondition and sell. A well-maintained website will also increase your reliability and credibility in the market.

4. Write Detailed Product Descriptions 

One of the main reasons why many people buy things from websites like eBay is because they offer keyword rich descriptions and titles that clearly tell customers about the products being sold. Therefore, if you want people to buy from your website, you must provide them with detailed and informative product descriptions.

To be an expert with descriptions, you can research your competitor’s listings and observe the keywords and descriptions they are using to invite customers. However, when adding keywords, always remember not to stuff them or this will make your page rank go down. Such descriptions are also flagged as spam because customers think that they are unreliable.

5. Take High-Quality Pictures

Your customers will also be more likely to buy reconditioned products if you provide them with high-quality pictures and well-defined images. These pictures will give them the opportunity to experience your products without actually touching them.

In addition, your buyers will know exactly what you are selling and be more likely to purchase from you. Now even though you don’t necessarily need a professional photographer for this purpose, you must make sure that you invest in a good quality camera and have a white or black background for your products to make them more prominent.

6. Decide on the Price

The final step that you must take is to set an appropriate and affordable price for the reconditioned items that you are selling. Set a competitive price that is not only appealing to buyers, but also helps you in getting a decent profit.

To know about the best prices for your merchandise, search the web and find out the price other services like yours are quoting. This will help you make an informed and proper pricing decision. If done properly, selling reconditioned electronic or miscellaneous products online can be a great way for you to earn an additional earning. Just follow the steps mentioned here and you’ll be attracting customers within no time at all.

Final Words

Whether you decide to sell a product as is or after you recondition it, the choice is yours. Just make sure to use the valuable information in this guide to make up your mind and you’ll have a successful, profitable business on your hands. 

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