When to Buy Used Merchandise

By Mike Hughes

As a consumer, buying used can help you save money, but it can also cost you more money than you had hoped to save. Consumers must know which items are worth buying used before making a purchase. First, there are certain electronics that are never a good idea to buy used. These include projection TV’s, standard DVD players, high definition DVD players, MP3 players with hard drives, computers, and digital cameras. For projection TV’s and DVD players, they contain parts and projection bulbs which have limited life spans that burn out quickly, and are expensive to replace. MP3 players and computers contain hard drives and fans which wear out quickly and can be costly to replace. Overall, purchasing second hand items may seem like a good idea when money is tight, but sometimes the risk is too high to beat the low prices.

On the other hand, there are certain circumstances where it is ok to buy used gadgets. These gadgets include plasma TV’s, LCD TV’s, Blu-ray DVD players, computers, and flash-based MP3 players. This list is very similar to the list above, but note that these gadgets are normally a bad idea to buy used except under certain circumstances. First, used devices can be a good purchase if there is a quality warranty to back up the purchase. Plasma TV’s are a good item to buy used because it is unlikely to have any major or hidden glitches as the screen is very sensitive and displays any damage when the picture is on. Additionally, the age of the item is a very important factor in buying a used electronic item. Do not buy a TV more than two years old, a laptop more than 3 months old, or a blu-ray DVD player more than 6 months old. All in all, make sure that you consider the age of the product and its warranty when purchasing a used item.

In general, remember that buying quality used items might be a lot more satisfying than buying new low end products. However, several tips when buying used include looking into the history of the product and making sure it is not too old and has a quality warranty. Additionally, researching prices online can be a helpful tool to get the product you want cheaper. Bidding for a product online can also be successful. Lastly, when buying used products, it is important to be aware of the reason the product was returned, as well as to be knowledgeable of that product.

Sources:
http://articles.moneycentral.msn.com/SmartSpending/ConsumerActionGuide/WhenUsedGadgetsAreGoodBuys.aspx

http://articles.moneycentral.msn.com/SmartSpending/ConsumerActionGuide/DontBuyTheseElectronicsUsed.aspx

http://www.betterbudgeting.com/articles/frugal/buyingused.htm