Legion World Forums LEGION COMPANION The Anywhere Machine Selling "Big" Items on Ebay, Craigslist, etc...

So, I've got a question for some of your more knowledgable online shoppers, and perhaps anyone whose sold a "big" item before. My wife and I have just recently moved and before we did we had to redo our bathroom because the owner prior to us had two very bad hips, and therefore had a special bathtub put in where she could sit down in by opening up a door and walking right inside. (I could get more detail if anyone is interested).

When they installed it, the total price for the tub, which is I think custom made, was $16,000. Now that we've ripped it out, it's still in mint condition but sitting in our garage. The plumber told us we could probably sell it on ebay.

I'm thinking of selling it for a clean $3,000 if the person takes care of the transport totally on their own. That is close enough to the deal of all deals to get someone's interest, and address my main concern, getting it out of there.

So...should I try ebay? Craiglist? Something else else else? Any advice? Is there a way these websites target certain areas--meaning, I'm sure someone in California probably wouldn't want to figure out how to get it so probably someone in the northeast USA is more likely.

Just looking for general comments.

As getting rid of it is your main concern, consider contacting local people/organizations that help folks with physical disabilities and offering it to anyone who'll take it away. Potential for win-win, karma points, and so on.

If you go the selling route and what you have is anything like this , 3K seems unlikely. Check completed auctions too. As for the pickup thing: ebay searchers can choose location or distance (x miles form their location) so it's not like you'd be spamming most of the country.

My Mom and my brother are ebay "power sellers," but as far as I know they've never sold anything bigger than an umbrella stand. There are professionals who'll market items for you on ebay, in exchange for a percentage of the sales. Maybe look around and see if there's such a service nearby.

In PDX, we have an org called The Rebuilding Center. They are a non-profit that accepts used/unwanted home building materials and fixtures: anything from screws, tiles, and doorknobs all the way up to beams, bathtubs and entire kitchen interiors. Then they re-sell to builders and home refurbishers.

If your main concern is getting rid of the thing with minimum hassle (and maybe getting some tax credits next year or the year after) you might search around and see if there's something similar in your area.

Also, LYL's first suggestion is good, for similar reasons.

Personally, I'd avoid Craigslist unless you have somebody knowledgeable helping you out with the details. I've heard too many nightmare stories about flaky people who make "handshake" agreements for big items but then never show up for them.

I do need some $$ as we factored that into our total budget so I could put it towards redoing the HVAC. But I'm not looking to make a killing.

Regardless, thanks for the suggestions LYL & Cleome!

I did not realize you could do that on ebay.

And for Craiglist, I've always felt its just filled with serial killers but wanted someone to confirm its sketchiness. :gulp:

I had a look at the completed listings in the section Teeds linked to. Only eight Used items sold, and they sold for with [Brackets show (Shipping/price; location)]

• US $350.00 (Local pick-up offered; Norwalk, CT)
• US $510.00 (Free Local Pickup; San Marino, California)
• US $540.00 (Local pick-up offered; Penn Yan, NY)
• US $719.00 (Free Local Pickup; Landenberg, PA)
• US $750.00 (Local pick-up offered; Greenbrier, Tennessee)
• US $900.00 (Local pick-up offered; New Lenox, Illinois)
• US $900.00 (Free Local Pickup; Cumberland, Maryland)
• US $909.99 ($200.00 Standard Shipping; Garden Grove, California, "power seller")

Anyone trying to sell for more than that (and some who didn't) didn't shift it - and remember, those numbers include eBay fees and PayPal fees . Unless you find someone local who needs it by the old "card in the window" method, you're not likely to make it anywhere near $3k, and you may not even make $500 after fees.

I've never sold something that big, but I've never had any real problems with Craigslist. Sure, you get the occasional flake, but I think it's a good bet for a decent return, especially if you're not in a huge hurry.

Since you'll need them to come to your house, make sure you have a buddy or two on hand just to be safe (I've always made exchanges in busy store parking lots, but that doesn't sound like an option for you). And it wouldn't hurt to set up a separate email address for craigslist stuff. It helps keep down spam and keep people out of your business.