What to pay per pound for computers?

**mudlight2** · 10-21-2014, 12:10 PM

making and old post new again. I went back there today. the pile is growing. i talked to the scale guy. he said they havent sold any of them for a while. he wasnt sure if they are waiting to sale for a certain reason or not. as of right now. what would the best wasy to offer to buy. regular scrap is 9 cents a lb right now. that is what they pay for the computers. should I offer per pound or per computer. I looked them over again. most of them are full. as in they have everything in them. some 1 stick of ram. some 4 sticks of rams and so on. every single one i saw had a motherboard and then some. i wanna jump on this. but i want to land on my feet! what would you guys offer? and how would you offer to buy these?

**ryanw** · 10-21-2014, 12:58 PM

Today, I would offer them 0.20/lb. Plus sell the steel back to them.

**MattInTheHat** · 10-21-2014, 01:47 PM

Originally Posted by ryanw

Today, I would offer them 0.20/lb. Plus sell the steel back to them.

bump that up a little by promising to sell them the aluminum and wire as well.

**mudlight2** · 10-21-2014, 06:10 PM

cool beans. Thanks guy. I am going to contact the owner tomorrow. ill let you guys know what happens. its a big pile and i want it! but i do not wanna break even or lose money. I gotta get the good stuff. profit.

**brassbuster** · 12-07-2014, 03:31 AM

I never buy computers by the pound as stated they can weigh as little as 6 lbs and as much as 20 lbs or more, you will LOSE money buying by the pound. I'm buying computers from a yard near me for $4.00 each, I work at a scrap yard and have several customers that know I buy computers and bring them to my house which I pay them $5.00 each. I break down ever thing in the computer with the help of my 5 year old great grandson, hard drive, cd/dvd, power supply, floopy disk. Some weeks I only get a few computers other weeks I may get as many as 50 computers. I sell my non ferrous and ferrous weekly, great grandson gets the non ferrous money because he knows it's worth more, I get the sheet iron money to buy more computers. Just my 2cents on buying computers.

**junkfreak** · 12-07-2014, 07:22 AM

I won't pay for whole units of anything. In fact until recently I've never paid for any scrap. Now I'll buy boards and only if I can double my investment. No, I don't do the volume that some members do. But, everything I do get is sure profit. I also pay close attention to the market. Read on here more than once not to buy or sell when desperate.Besides scrap is my retirement account. I love it!!

**Metalbestos** · 10-21-2014, 02:36 PM

,

Originally Posted by mudlight2

making and old post new again. I went back there today. the pile is growing. i talked to the scale guy. he said they havent sold any of them for a while. he wasnt sure if they are waiting to sale for a certain reason or not. as of right now. what would the best wasy to offer to buy. regular scrap is 9 cents a lb right now. that is what they pay for the computers. should I offer per pound or per computer. I looked them over again. most of them are full. as in they have everything in them. some 1 stick of ram. some 4 sticks of rams and so on. every single one i saw had a motherboard and then some. i wanna jump on this. but i want to land on my feet! what would you guys offer? and how would you offer to buy these?

Get a group weight and a total # on complete units and partial units . Compare the prices at by the piece and by the # . I would also be up front about the fact that it has been 7 months and the pile is still growing , you want to be the current and future buyer . The previous buyers rate is invalid , 7 months ago it was valid but the ball is now in your court as they do not have a buyer . Also point out that .25 a lb is 3 x what they have invested in them and you want to make this a long term deal .

I would be wary telling them your going to sell them back anything but the steel unless they have fair rates on other components .
Get a total lb. multiply that by .25 c a lb. as that's what you will be paying . Now divide that number by the total # of computers .that is your per computer price . Compare thatt to o $3-5$ range and you will have your best plan on making the best bid.

I always try to give a larger number on lots that a individual price . For example let's say they had 50 towers all complete . What offer sounds better to them $4 a piece or $200 for the pile . It's the same but sounds better in the latter . Good luck I hope you land the deal and tell them to spread the word to other yards .