I want to eBay a Macbook, but have two snowflakey problems.

January 11, 2012 2:31 AM

I want to eBay my partner's Macbook. We live in the Netherlands, and it doesn't have a power cord due to acts of cat. How do we get the best price?

We have a four year old Macbook we want to sell, and I'm thinking of selling it on ebay.co.uk. I'm sure we could use marktplaats.nl, but my Dutch sucks and I'm nervous about Dutch taxes and so on. So question 1: is it wise to sell in England when we're in the Netherlands?

The computer also doesn't come with a power cord, as the original cord was chewed on by a friend's kitten (!!) and doesn't work. I obviously want to get the best price I can. So question 2: assuming that we sell in England, would it be wise to eBay a cord from England before listing the Macbook so I could sell it together?

The computer's in otherwise great condition and has a new battery. If anyone has any other advice on eBaying laptops I'd love to hear it!

posted by nerdfish to work & money (14 answers total)

would it be wise to eBay a cord from England before listing the Macbook so I could sell it together?

Getting a cord from somewhere would make it easier to sell. Like a car missing a steering wheel, if you are missing crucial bits and pieces that I have to track down, it's a less attractive auction to me. I can always pass on your auction and bid on another laptop that has everything it needs.
posted by Blazecock Pileon at 2:38 AM on January 11, 2012 [2 favorites]

Buy a cord before you sell it. The laptop without the cord will sell for less than cost of the cord.
posted by 6550 at 2:39 AM on January 11, 2012 [3 favorites]

Buy a cord! Not only is it inconvenient to buy one without a cord, as a potential buyer, I would be concerned the laptop was stolen.
posted by whatzit at 2:53 AM on January 11, 2012 [5 favorites]

Nervous about taxes in what way? I've moved around a lot and always sold stuff in the country I was in at that moment. I'm sure you can put an English ad on Marktplaats, and do an in-person transaction. This would save the money/hassle involved with mailing a computer across a border (which is what *I* would personally worry much more about than taxes - you're not actually making a profit by selling your own old possessions anyway.)
posted by easternblot at 3:05 AM on January 11, 2012

Sell it on Marktplaats ... they are owned by eBay, Dutch buyers can pay cash in person and/or pay by wire transfer (bankgiro).

Foreign Uk buyers, Paypal, Postage ... drama!

Use google translate to write your ad.

I see EU power adaptors on Marktplaats for €10 right now (use the term "oplader")
posted by jannw at 3:06 AM on January 11, 2012

Also ... not tax issue for sale of used goods on marktplaats!
posted by jannw at 3:07 AM on January 11, 2012 [1 favorite]

(Sidenote: I can help with navigating Marktplaats if you need help with Dutch. And they actually recommend selling in person, which I why I would prefer that over eBay when it comes to computers.)
posted by easternblot at 3:08 AM on January 11, 2012

Use google translate to write your ad.

No, don't do this. Google translate will make your message sound very mangled and an Engrish-like version of Dutch. It's a good translator when you really need to understand something but not when you need to write a message for a product you want to sell.
posted by Trexsock at 3:53 AM on January 11, 2012 [2 favorites]

As others have said, the selling price of laptops without cords is almost always less than the cost of a cord. Absolutely buy a power cord before selling the Macbook, and preferably one that's compatible with the power sockets in the eventual country of use (UK or NL).

And n'thing the call to use Marktplaats. I've sold many laptops and books on the website and can't speak any Dutch. Even with 100% English adverts, everything has always sold. Bonus: no fees, they came to collect, payment in cash, selling price within a very reasonable margin of my asking price.

So if you need to buy an EU power adapter, try a Marktplaats search and try out the site alternatively, there's the official store, Amazon.de, etc.
posted by fakelvis at 4:53 AM on January 11, 2012 [1 favorite]

I would assume any laptop sold without a cord to be stolen, and wouldn't buy it at any price. I suspect others will feel the same way and that will reduce the money you can get for it.
posted by blue_beetle at 5:03 AM on January 11, 2012

Definitely get a power cord. I would go with one for where you sell it--either NL or UK (if they are different). It will cost you more than the price of the cord to sell it without one.
posted by J. Wilson at 6:09 AM on January 11, 2012

Which part of the power cord is bad? If it is the part that plugs into the wall, you can get a cheap replacement (2 euro or so) at any electronic store. Just ask for a "figure-8" plug. I got mine at Okaphone in Groningen.
posted by Philosopher Dirtbike at 6:41 AM on January 11, 2012

Also have a look at http://www.tweedehandsmac.nl/
posted by DreamerFi at 11:30 AM on January 11, 2012

If two identical products are for sale but one is missing a part, I think most people will go for the completed one, even if the other has a lower price to compensate for the missing part. People don't want the hassle of trying to locate and purchase the part. They also wonder if it's difficult to find the part; otherwise why wouldn't the seller have replaced it? They worry that if they do find and purchase the replacement part, it might turn out to be slightly wrong and they will have wasted time and money. So I agree with everyone, purchase a power cord for it before listing it.

Also, I want to add that "Acts of Cat" is my favorite new phrase. I think it should become part of standard contract language (Manufacturer is not responsible for damage due to Acts of God or Acts of Cat"), and it also should be a band name. And maybe a whimsical paperback romance novel about a wacky single woman who finally meets the right man due to the actions of her mischievous fluffy kitten, who keeps escaping her apartment, running into the oh-so-cute neighbor boy's apartment, and hiding under his bed. Of course, the boy is annoyed at first, and the girl is already lusting after another boy, who is an inappropriate cad, but eventually the kitten brings them together when he gets into a vent and hides in the ductwork of the building, and cute boy and our wacky heroine have to cooperate to rescue him. Happily ever after, etc., etc.
posted by MexicanYenta at 11:42 AM on January 11, 2012