I often wonder what happens to some of the products I sell on eBay, most items are pretty obvious but I also use eBay to dispose of items that are old, broken or have missing parts. Why anyone would buy these is beyond me as often the cost of repair or replacing parts is way above the value of the finished item.
Worrying what someone would do with their purchase isn’t my main concern normally – getting rid of products which in the past would go to landfill but now have to be responsibly disposed of is – and eBay is perfect for that…. but what does happen to these items?
Today I found out the answer, at least for the I sold, which were all missing various parts such as power supplies, battery cover, battery and paper trays. A forum post on PICAXE describes them as a “Bargain!” and the buyer has stripped one of them to use the parts “for that long considered CNC machine or robot”, going on to list the parts reclaimed from the printer.
I find it truly fascinating to discover just why someone might purchase items like this. I don’t have the time to question every buyer and it would be intrusive to do so, but it’s great to know in this particular case the printers, or at least the parts, will get a new lease of life.
Next time you have a load of (what to you may be) old junk, don’t simply throw it away – you might just get a sale and even if the sale price is pretty low it solves any immediate problems of complying with the WEEE requirements.
14 Responses
This is a bit Little Miss Sad from Sadsville, but what I find really interesting is that he says
bought these for £12.99
*not* “bought these for £4.99 + £8 carriage”.
Chris,
When robots rule the world, I’m putting it down to you. For pity’s sake, think of the children! ;O)
There is a guy at my business club from a company called Databunker, they specialise in online back ups. Yesterday morning during his 60 second pitch he dropped a laptop on the floor to show how easy it is to lose everything on a busted hard drive.
He asked afterwards if anyone wanted to buy it, to much amusement I did offer to sell it on eBay for him but I was serious.
There is money to be made for old rope as they say 🙂
Well it’s not ‘my’ business club but the one I attend and have from the start. They have a new blog and I am just doing my first post … watch this space for a link 😉
I would imagine the laptop was already busted, or the laaptop to sale ratio would be just silly!
PS, dropping a laptop doesnt usually make the drive unrecoverable.
No it doesn’t #6 but it’s demo as to what could happen I suppose. He did drop the same one the day before, I’m sure he doesn’t use a new one every time 😛
The business club website is here: https://www.gonefishing4business.co.uk/ for anyone in the East Midlands/Staffordshire area.
The very new blog is here: https://news.gonefishing4business.co.uk/blog
Yay
It’s good to know that some people care about the environment (especially these days) and propose stuff that might interest someone.
not me.
I dont give a bugger ,
when I am gone you can all fry or freeze
😈
North.
That’s the ‘spirit’.
Next you’ll be saying that you believe in all this global warming nonsense. I have no doubt the planet is getting warmer but it has nothing to do with how you get rid of your “yop” bottle.
Pleanet Earth is much more durable than you may think. It even cleans its whole surface every 100,000 years or so. I think we’re due for clean quite soon.
Dropping a laptop’s nothing compared to the site manager I heard of who took offf his hard hat and ran full pelt into a glazed wall on a very high floor of an office development to allay the fears of staff placed there (who wouldn’t go near it as they were scared of falling through it if they stumbled).
I’d rather drop my laptop, than do that, personally.
#1 Sue, I wish everyone looked at the total cost, I know I do. : -(
Here’s another use for old PC hardware, that’s even more bizare…
https://www.theregister.co.uk/2009/04/20/hp_scanjet_3c_bohemian_rhaposdy/
😆