If you're trying to sell CNC machines, you probably have a lot of questions, from when to sell, to how to sell, to preparation. Among the biggest questions on your mind, though, is likely whether or not you should sell through a used machinery dealership. Back in the day it was a given, but in the modern age of eBay and Craigslist, is it still worth it to go through a third party seller? Or have they outlived their relevance to the industry? While it may be tempting to strike out on your own, using a 3rd party dealer is still the best option for most machinists looking to sell.
The main reason people work with used machine dealers to sell their tools is because of the immense amount of time saved by doing so. If you want to, you can sell a machine right away for an upfront price provided by the company, and instantly have it off your hands. Especially for smaller companies and hobbyists, organizing the entire sales process takes a lot of time and effort, time and effort you can't afford to spend—every second you're not working with your machines is potential money wasted. Think of it this way: while a dealership may charge you $2,000 extra for your machine, you're saving potentially upwards of a hundred hours that would've been spent on listing, negotiating with potential buyers, and working out delivery logistics. You're a machinist, or a manager, or a business owner, your time is better spent doing what you're good at, let the professional sales reps take care of selling that old lathe.
The other main draw of dealers is the reach of their network and sales skills. MMI, for example, has a sales network spanning across countries, and a massive web presence. They are able to put your machine out and in front of more eyes than you could ever hope to on your own. This raises your chance of finding a buyer willing to pay more for your machine than you could get selling through eBay or Craigslist.
Another, often overlooked benefit of selling through a dealer is easing the logistics of delivery. A dealership can point you in the direction of quality riggers and transportation companies, and larger companies like Machinery Marketing International will even handle the entire process for you. While it may be counter-intuitive, handing off the whole process can often save you a whole lot of money. These sellers move a ton of units, and have the bargaining power to frequently get deals with transport companies far better than all but the largest independent shops could hope for.
Of course, that brings us back to the prime concern, which is money. Ultimately your choice is going to be about profit, and while it may not seem so at a glance, you're almost certainly saving money by using a seller. While a chunk of the profits from the sale will go to the dealer, the machine will certainly sell for more with a professional marketing and sales team backing it up. Combine that with the money saved through the aforementioned savings in time and logistics, and you're likely going to be saving yourself a lot of indirect charges.
Now obviously there is no one size fits all answer for selling used cnc machines. For large companies or particularly experienced machinists, taking matters into their own hands might make sense. Frankly though, if you even have to ask, then odds are just going with a used machine dealership is going to make your life a lot easier and save you a fair bit of money in the process.
If you want to learn more about selling CNC machinery, check out our free guide:
