How to set a price for a used item when selling on the Internet

Find out the price of a new item

It is only needed as a starting point. Selling a thing at market value will not work. The buyer would prefer to purchase it from a store with a warranty, return option and consumer protection law.

Let's say you're selling a camera. If a new one costs 15 thousand rubles on average, then the chance to sell it even for 14 thousand is small: the savings for the buyer are small, and the risks that it will break down in a month are high.

Therefore, you will have to drop the price again. How much depends on many circumstances, which we will talk about later.

My wife bought a phone, and she was given an updated Nokia 3310 as a gift. We took it out of the box only once to check if it works. As a result, he lay with us for a year and a half untouched, even a SIM card was not inserted.

When they decided to sell it, the phone cost about three thousand in stores. I didn't want to bother with the sale for a long time, so I put up an ad with a price that was almost a third lower: 2, 2 thousand rubles. The device was taken literally immediately and without any bargaining.

To search for prices, it is better to use aggregators like Yandex. Market, so as not to be limited to the data of one store.

If your product is no longer on sale, see how much a similar product costs. This can be done in the same place, on the aggregators.

Check prices for similar used items

Go to the site where you intend to display your products and see how much sellers want to get for their counterparts. Your item will be included in this list and it will look strange there if you set the price two or three times higher.

On the other hand, it is important to understand the competitive advantages of your product. If analogs are sold with scratches or without any components, then you can set the price higher than competitors (but still below market). Or write the average cost and expect the item to sell very quickly.

The number of competitors is also important. The more there are, the longer you will be selling the item at average and higher prices.

Paul

We had a very old netbook. Similar models were sold on the Internet for two thousand. But I offered two high-capacity batteries in the kit. This is probably why it was bought pretty quickly.

At the same time, when comparing prices, you will understand what the lower threshold for the cost of a particular item is. This will allow you to save money if you are serious about it. Although sometimes it is easier to give things away for less than cluttering an apartment with them: you still don't need them anymore.

Consider seasonality

There are times when something can be sold for more than during a quiet period. For example, a wedding dress will be more in demand in warm seasons, a fur coat in winter, something that is good for a gift before the holidays.

Paul

About a week and a half before the New Year, I collected all unnecessary equipment and posted ads. In the coming days, everything was sold. The period was probably right. I exhibited some of the devices in the summer for the same price, but there were no calls.

Indicate a round amount

Don't use supermarket gimmicks and set a price ending in nines. In stores, numbers like 2,999 or 10,99 rubles look logical. On free classified sites, they are confusing.

Round numbers also have another advantage: it is easy to pay with cash. The ATM willingly issues thousandth bills, but there can be problems with 50 rubles.

Consider product exclusivity

There are times when a thing, for example, has been taken out of production, but the buyer needs it for spare parts. Then you can sell the product for a little more. But at the same time it is worth remembering: if the purchase ceases to be profitable for the client, he can refuse it.

Paul

The motherboard burned out in the laptop. I posted it on Avito indicating the problem, but there were no volunteers: when people are looking for a laptop, they need a working device. Then I created ads for each spare part separately. I did not get impudent with the price, I appointed it so that it would still be more profitable for the buyer to repair his ancient laptop than to buy a new one.

As a result, the keyboard, case, display, additional memory, power supply, and even a burned-out motherboard with a memory strip from the kit were gone. In total, it turned out even more money than I wanted for a laptop.

Think through the arguments

Setting a price is half the battle. It is important to be able to justify it when buyers bargain. You must convince the client of the benefits. For example, to demonstrate that in a store he will spend 40% more, or that on the Internet you can really buy an analog cheaper, but without mother-of-pearl buttons, a case and charging.

In general, show that you know about the market situation. The buyer also knows about it, just trying to take you impudently.

Decide if you are ready to bargain

It is definitely not worth writing this in your ad, but you need to answer the question for yourself. Perhaps it makes sense to add a hundred or two to the price in case of bargaining. Then you will make a discount and the customer will melt away.

On the other hand, a higher price can lower the number of calls. So decide what is more important to you.

Outcome

Determine the market value of a product to find out the price for which no one will buy an item from you.
Analyze competitors' offers to find out the price range.
Determine the price of the item to fit within this range. Adjust for exclusivity, seasonality, number of competitors, bargaining power.
If the ad hangs for a long time and there are no calls, consider reducing the price.