It isn’t easy buying something that you have never
physically felt or seen, let alone trusting someone you have never even spoken
to in the past. For all you know, you could be speaking to someone in a
different part of the world representing a machine they found through a quick
Google search. So how can you possibly find the confidence in buying something,
especially in the used machinery industry where a machine can be worth hundreds
of thousands of dollars?
The
first thing you may want to verify is that the machine is indeed real and for
sale. Believe it or not, there have been several cases where buyers have been
scammed by scam artists who claim to be dealers with a bogus website and email
address. If you cannot get someone one the phone to speak with you, that person
is not worth doing business with.
Once
you get that verified, the next thing you will want to do is confirm the
machines condition. The most common and recommended way to do this would be to
have the customer go in themselves or send someone they trust to go in for a
physical inspection. Often times they will be accompanied by a service tech
that can go through the machine with them while they are on-site. This would
ensure that everyone is on the same page regarding condition and expectations
to what they are buying.
However, it is very common to be in a situation where either the customer is too far geographically or where traveling just doesn’t fit the schedule; in which case, other measurements would have to be taken to go about inspecting. The most common solution would be to have the working dealer appoint you a certified tech local to that area. The service tech would then go in and report back with a detailed service report as well as a video of the machine in operation. If you would rather hire your own personnel to go in, that would work just as well too. One thing to keep in mind is, that even when you are buying something ‘As-Is-Where-Is’, it is always in your best interest to have someone take a look at it anyway prior completing the transaction.
The key points to take from all this is: 1) verify the machine is real and for sale 2) physically go in yourselves or with your service tech to do the inspection, and 3) if you cannot be there, have your working dealer set you up with a tech local to that area or hire someone you feel you can trust to do the inspection for you. We, here at Manufacturing Solutions, are here to help so don’t hesitate to pick up the phone and call us.
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