Take it from someone with six years of experience in the secondary market for data networking gear; you’d be hard pressed to find a shadier spot beneath an old oak tree.
That’s not to say that trusted resellers don’t abound, just that the business of buying used gear is tricky as ever.
One of the challenges that resellers face every day in their quest to stock equipment at attractive rates is the proliferation of counterfeit and stolen gear. Like most resellers we’ve been burned a time or two. Like when the Department of Homeland Security showed up at our warehouse to repossess a few items, which had apparently been stolen from a military facility, it was a wakeup call that we needed to adopt some strict guidelines as to how we buy.
The following guidelines will ensure that your experience in the used market for data networking gear is a fruitful one.
1) Verify Serial Numbers– For large ticket items, it is advisable to check the item’s serial number with the manufacturers fraud department. This helps to ensure that the unit is not stolen.
2) Never pay cash – Because there’s no paper trail when a transaction is paid for with cash, use other methods of payment such as credit cards, checks, or bank transfers.
3) Always get a detailed receipt – Receipts provide evidence of a payment. In addition to using traceable payment methods, always get supporting documentation for every transaction.
4) Don’t buy high-end equipment from a private citizen. (Always buy from businesses) – While buying from an individual may sometimes be less expensive, it is much more difficult to track a person down if the item is either damaged or stolen.
5) If it looks too good to be true, it is! – Trust your gut. If someone is offering an item for substantially less than the market value, be wary.
A few years ago, I purchased a Cisco module from a guy off Craigslist. Figuring he didn’t understand market value I snatched the card and sold it to my customer for a healthy profit. The customer called me 3 week later for a replacement. The card had failed. Naturally, my supplier was long gone. The bottom line: You get what you pay for. If you’re in the market for used equipment, buy from a trusted source not from the trunk of a car.