Results 1 to 13 of 13

value in ancient computers like Commodore?

| Dismantling, Breaking Down & Maximizing Scrap
  1. #1
    IronPirate started this thread.
    SMF Badges of Honor


    Member since
    Jan 2012
    Location
    Cincinnati, Ohio
    Posts
    286
    Thanks
    52
    Thanked 138 Times in 86 Posts

    value in ancient computers like Commodore?

    I've got a stack of Commodore 64 units and parts. The couple really nice boxed ones will go to ebay but there's several that aren't worth listing, along with a couple dot matrix printers.

    Is there anything more or less desirable about these than modern computers?



  2. #2
    SMF Badges of Honor



    Member since
    Jul 2011
    Location
    Jacksonville, NC
    Posts
    4,917
    Thanks
    15,632
    Thanked 5,861 Times in 2,713 Posts
    I believe someone will tell you that collectors want them. So don't tear into them til someone who knows what they are talking about responds, Mike.
    "Profit begins when you buy NOT when you sell." {quote passed down to me from a wise man}

    Now go beat the copper out of something, Miked

  3. #3
    PartTimeScrapper's Avatar
    SMF Badges of Honor



    Member since
    Aug 2011
    Location
    Morrison, Colorado
    Posts
    3,400
    Thanks
    1,004
    Thanked 3,256 Times in 1,335 Posts
    I would post every single one of them on ebay one at a time if your not hurting for the money right away. People will buy them for parts. So the ones you think arnt worth listing more times than not are. Just start your listing for scrap value plus 15% to cover ebay and paypal fees and let them pay for shipping. You might be surprised in the ammount you might get for one of them.
    http://www.ebay.com/itm/Commodore-64...item1e697ab925
    this one sold for $14.50 plus $15 shipping. That has to be at least double scrap value since they really only have one board in them that weight maybe a pound?

  4. #4
    parrothead's Avatar
    SMF Badges of Honor


    Member since
    Jan 2011
    Location
    Treasure Coast, FL
    Posts
    2,416
    Thanks
    667
    Thanked 2,067 Times in 953 Posts
    Or maybe bundle 2 together at a time for parts. That is what I would try. If that failed, then back to the single model. I wish I had all of my computers that I ever had starting with the Vic 20.

  5. #5
    eesakiwi's Avatar
    SMF Badges of Honor



    Member since
    Dec 2010
    Location
    NZ
    Posts
    2,531
    Thanks
    2,909
    Thanked 2,556 Times in 1,227 Posts
    I got a few too. Power supplys, the TV screen interface, memory expansions are the most looked for parts.
    I notice theres not a huge market for it here in NZ.

  6. #6
    IronPirate started this thread.
    SMF Badges of Honor


    Member since
    Jan 2012
    Location
    Cincinnati, Ohio
    Posts
    286
    Thanks
    52
    Thanked 138 Times in 86 Posts
    as usual, when I think something is trash it turns out to have value LOL.

    Thanks for the encouragement!

  7. #7
    Midnight's Avatar
    SMF Badges of Honor


    Member since
    Oct 2011
    Location
    McHenry County, IL, USA
    Posts
    242
    Thanks
    41
    Thanked 153 Times in 79 Posts
    Quote Originally Posted by PartTimeScrapper View Post
    I would post every single one of them on ebay one at a time if your not hurting for the money right away. People will buy them for parts. So the ones you think arnt worth listing more times than not are. Just start your listing for scrap value plus 15% to cover ebay and paypal fees and let them pay for shipping. You might be surprised in the ammount you might get for one of them.
    http://www.ebay.com/itm/Commodore-64...item1e697ab925
    this one sold for $14.50 plus $15 shipping. That has to be at least double scrap value since they really only have one board in them that weight maybe a pound?
    I would dis-agree with this listing method. I have an ebay account that I use for my other business where I part out "obsolete" merchandise. I find if you start with a low bid price, that is usually all you will get. You are dealing with merchandise that has a limited market, but is highly sought after / needed by those few, you need to take a different course. I use a 30 day listing and set a high buy it now price and I put a best offer button on the listing. This way you are giving it a perceived value and you are letting the buyer see that you know what you have. Many times, the buyer takes the items at my buy it now price without haggling. they don't want to take the chance that someone else will beat them to it. Most of the rest sells with a little haggling, but I control the price, not an auction where you might have only one bidder on something with such a limited audience. Just my 2 cents.

  8. The Following 3 Users say Thank You for This Post by Midnight:


  9. #8
    PartTimeScrapper's Avatar
    SMF Badges of Honor



    Member since
    Aug 2011
    Location
    Morrison, Colorado
    Posts
    3,400
    Thanks
    1,004
    Thanked 3,256 Times in 1,335 Posts
    I do that as well midnight with new stuff. I have found in my dealings that on ebay that most of the time when I do that I get no bites. If your looking for max profits then your method is definitly better. If your just looking to get better than scrap value I think what I do is for quick turn around. Specialy when you have multiple units to sell. But I do exactly what you say on some stuff I get.

  10. The Following 2 Users say Thank You for This Post by PartTimeScrapper:


  11. #9
    IronPirate started this thread.
    SMF Badges of Honor


    Member since
    Jan 2012
    Location
    Cincinnati, Ohio
    Posts
    286
    Thanks
    52
    Thanked 138 Times in 86 Posts
    Quote Originally Posted by Midnight View Post
    I would dis-agree with this listing method. I have an ebay account that I use for my other business where I part out "obsolete" merchandise. I find if you start with a low bid price, that is usually all you will get. You are dealing with merchandise that has a limited market, but is highly sought after / needed by those few, you need to take a different course. I use a 30 day listing and set a high buy it now price and I put a best offer button on the listing. This way you are giving it a perceived value and you are letting the buyer see that you know what you have. Many times, the buyer takes the items at my buy it now price without haggling. they don't want to take the chance that someone else will beat them to it. Most of the rest sells with a little haggling, but I control the price, not an auction where you might have only one bidder on something with such a limited audience. Just my 2 cents.
    That's good advice. I do a lot of ebay - mostly auto parts - but I'm always underselling myself. Its great to get $10 for something I was going to drop in the scrap bin, but running that same piece at a $25 BIN and the Make Offer option might be worth trying. In the past I've been out for quick turnaround but maybe its time to slow down and let them come to me, so to speak.

  12. #10
    SMF Badges of Honor



    Member since
    Aug 2011
    Posts
    224
    Thanks
    27
    Thanked 224 Times in 66 Posts
    The one thing about 30 day with Offers is that it isn't free. You get 50 free 7 day auctions / month (insertion fees, you still have to pay closing fees). I always start with free listings and if they don't sell then you can always throw them out on a 30 day listing and forget about them...

    I also use 30 day'ers for items I have many of. List it and forget it.

  13. The Following User Says Thank You to wdaddy for This Post:


  14. #11
    PartTimeScrapper's Avatar
    SMF Badges of Honor



    Member since
    Aug 2011
    Location
    Morrison, Colorado
    Posts
    3,400
    Thanks
    1,004
    Thanked 3,256 Times in 1,335 Posts
    I do sam thing wdaddy I have 2 30 day listing right now for some stuff I baught at auction with KZbell last month. When you have 100 power supplies for a VOIP phone a list it till it sells auction for 50 cents is the only way to go.

  15. #12
    Midnight's Avatar
    SMF Badges of Honor


    Member since
    Oct 2011
    Location
    McHenry County, IL, USA
    Posts
    242
    Thanks
    41
    Thanked 153 Times in 79 Posts
    One of the biggest costs in business is opportunity cost, which is the difference in what you would have made if you had done something differently. There are two main schools of though for retail. The quick turnover and maximizing profit. Both can make you money, but here is my personal take on it.

    The quick turnover relies on quantity of sales. To be successful with this method, you need to have a steady supply of product that is easy to turn, easy to ship, and requires little work/attention on your part once you have your system established. If you don't have these factors set, you end up having so spend much more time which cuts into your already slim margins.

    Maximizing profit margins usually requires specializing. Finding a niche. Become the expert in your niche and have people coming to you. You get to set your price. They are paying for the product and your knowledge. With a higher margin, you can achieve the same income volume with far fewer sales or a much higher income with the same quantity of sales.

    Or as the old saying goes, work smarter not harder.
    Last edited by Midnight; 01-06-2012 at 10:29 PM. Reason: poor grammer

  16. The Following 2 Users say Thank You for This Post by Midnight:


  17. #13
    PartTimeScrapper's Avatar
    SMF Badges of Honor



    Member since
    Aug 2011
    Location
    Morrison, Colorado
    Posts
    3,400
    Thanks
    1,004
    Thanked 3,256 Times in 1,335 Posts
    cant argue with that one. Well put.


  18. Similar threads on the Scrap Metal Forum

    1. Commodore 64: What's it worth (WIW?)
      By BumpRacerX in forum More than Scrap Value
      Replies: 10
      Last Post: 01-07-2013, 03:44 AM
    2. New York | For Sale - Lot of Commodore, Texas Instrument computers and components (lots of pics)
      By thirsty in forum Scrappers Classifieds
      Replies: 13
      Last Post: 10-16-2012, 11:38 PM
    3. I got a VIC 20, a Commodore Computer from the 80s
      By TrashPickingAusKid2 in forum Off Topic Discussions
      Replies: 2
      Last Post: 08-17-2012, 04:32 AM
    4. Commodore 64 and older Apple PC
      By Scrap man in forum More than Scrap Value
      Replies: 1
      Last Post: 01-04-2012, 09:23 PM
    5. What to do with computers?
      By matt018 in forum General Electronics Recycling
      Replies: 5
      Last Post: 05-18-2011, 10:17 PM

Thread Information

Users Browsing this Thread

There are currently 1 users browsing this thread. (0 members and 1 guests)

 
Browse the Most Recent Threads
On SMF In THIS CATEGORY.





OR

Bookmarks

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •  

The Scrap Metal Forum

    The Scrap Metal Forum is the #1 scrap metal recycling community in the world. Here we talk about the scrap metal business, making money, where we connect with other scrappers, scrap yards and more.

SMF on Facebook and Twitter

Twitter Facebook