Selling Heavy Plant Machinery Advice

Selling your used plant machinery can be quite a daunting process especially for the less experienced Sellers, with so many “do’s” and “don’ts” it’s difficult to know where to even start sometimes! Here are some hints and tips to assist you in placing good effective advertisements and avoid some of the pitfalls commonly associated with selling:-

Preparation

You will have paid a fair price in the first instance for your plant and construction equipment, therefore when you sell it you want to make sure you get the best price possible. It is therefore vital to make sure your equipment looks good and presents well to your viewing audience. Take the time to give it a good clean inside and out, it may well pay to get a professional company in to do it for you, not only will it save you time but it could add hundreds of pounds to the value. Is there any damage to the machine that you’ll be repairing prior to sale? If so, this is the best time to do this, you’ll attract a higher number of prospective buyers which will mean a better chance of a sale.

Where to Advertise?

You may have your own website advertising your company and the plant machinery you are selling. However, to reach a wider audience of prospective buyer’s using an online marketplace to advertise your plant machinery is a must. These companies spend time and money optimising their websites for the benefit of their advertisers and therefore reach a much larger audience of buyers worldwide. It pays to shop around as costs for advertising can be high – don’t part with your money unless you are satisfied you are going to get good results. It is usual to choose up to two marketing sites for this purpose, this will maximise your exposure and increase your chances of a sale.

Description and History.

Provide a good description of the plant machinery for sale including age, hours, condition and added extras - air conditioning, quick hitch, buckets, other attachments etc. Are you prepared to arrange shipping or will this need to be arranged by the Buyer? Does your machinery come with a good history of maintenance? If it does then highlight this in your advertisement as it will reassure a Buyer that your plant machinery has been well maintained and cared for.

Pricing

A tricky area, if you price your machinery too low you’ll end up loosing money, but if you price too high you’ll receive little to no interest. If you are unsure of the value of your used plant machinery then carry out research on other plant machinery for sale of the same or similar specifications to get an idea of the price other sellers are asking. Once you’ve decided on a price add a small amount on top, a Buyer will generally haggle, this way there is room for negotiation!

Use Pictures

This is a key factor in grabbing the attention of a prospective Buyer. Ensure your pictures are of a good quality and show the best features of your construction machinery, it is also an idea to highlight any damage so a Buyer is well advised of condition and will avoid time wasting. You should aim to include up to 12 pictures in your advertisement from varying angles to give the best overview.

Use of Video

Video is a great way of showing the working capabilities of your machinery that cannot be captured in a photo and therefore a great selling tool.

Location

A Buyer will usually want to inspect the machinery before putting in an offer to purchase, therefore it is a good idea to include the location when advertising your construction machinery for sale.

Contact Details

Provide the best contact details, both a landline number and a mobile number will ensure your Buyer is able to make contact with you or a member of your organisation. Most people will have an email address and or access to email so ensure you supply the best email address which is regularly monitored, if you are part of a larger organisation then giving a general email address will ensure that emails are picked up and monitored on a regular basis.

Viewing

This is your best opportunity to secure the sale of your plant equipment, but be prepared and keep some simple points in mind:

• Never leave a buyer alone with your keys or take test drives on their own – stay with them.
• Take a colleague, friend of family member with you especially if your plant machinery is in a remote location.
• Allow the prospective buyer to check over the mechanical soundness of the machine, if you don’t they’ll be suspicious and may be reluctant to consider a purchase
• Know your price and stick to it! An experienced buyer will haggle to get a good deal and you need to be prepared for this.
• Take any documentation for the plant machinery with you on the inspection but never take them on a test drive with the buyer – have a safe location to store these in.

Point of Sale

This is perhaps the point where you need to proceed with the most caution to ensure your sale goes through smoothly. Always check you have received your money in cleared funds before parting with your plant equipment – keep the following points in mind:

• Cash sales – if the Buyer gives you cash get this paid into the bank as soon as possible, this way they can check it and you can rest assured your money is safe.
• Cheques – be wary of accepting a cheque as they can be easily cancelled or be issued with no available finance in the bank. If you are given a cheque then ensure the monies have cleared and are available to draw on with your Bank before releasing the plant equipment to the Buyer.
• Electronic Funds Transfer – this is by far the best option both for the buyer and the seller. The monies are transferred directly from one account to another and most banks will provide a same day service for this. This will provide peace of mind for both of you. But again, don’t just take the Buyer’s word that the funds are “on their way” ensure that your bank has received them in full before parting with your plant machinery.

Final Note

As a Seller always be sure of who you are dealing with – if you are given any ID documents always check these carefully for authenticity, if you are unsure get a second opinion. Always be cautious of Buyers who are reluctant to provide ID or landline telephone numbers, genuine Buyers will happy provide you with these details and it’s always a good idea to check the numbers, emails, addresses etc you have been given to ensure they are correct.

Selling Abroad? When dealing with foreign Buyers try to have someone with you who speaks the language, if there are any contracts or documents to sign then ensure these are in a language you understand – never sign something if don’t know exactly what you are signing for.

The above may seem daunting, but by using common sense, conducting any necessary research and using good business acumen should assist you in making good decisions!

These hints and tips are provided for guidance only – Totallyplant.com Ltd does not take any involvement in the negotiations or agreements conducted between the Seller and the Buyer nor does it provide recommendations or guarantees to the authenticity of any individuals, companies or organisations - please refer to our terms and conditions for further details.

Confused About Heavy Plant Machinery? Why Not Check Out Our Handy Buying Heavy Plant Machinery Advice Guide?

At Totallyplant, we know how hard it can be to think about purchasing heavy plant machinery, which is why we’ve compiled you a useful Buying Heavy Plant Machinery Advice guide. The first and most important point has to be: do your research. You need to use the internet to find out what is being offered by a large range of reputable plant machinery dealers. Online marketplaces like Totallyplant.com allow you to compare hundreds of different dealers all whilst using only one website.

The second point in our Buying Heavy Plant Machinery Advice guide would have to be to ensure that your seller has a good reputation. Once again, websites like Totallyplant.com are excellent for ensuring that sellers are reliable thanks to their process of making initial enquiries before hosting sellers. It’s then important to make contact with the seller and to try to view the plant machinery, if possible. If you’re unfamiliar with what well maintained machinery looks like, it’s advisable to bring someone along with you who can. Finally, it’s necessary to make transportation arrangements and, eventually, to make an offer for your desired machine. Don’t be afraid to haggle!

View our Buying Advice page.