How to Find A Reliable Used Lab Instrument Seller

It can be difficult to find trusted and reliable used lab instruments. There are numerous suppliers and locations where you can purchase used lab devices. eBay, Craigslist, LabX, The Lab World Group, and other vendors are among the available options. The most important question to ask when deciding where to buy shouldn’t just be, “Am I getting a good deal?” Instead, the question should be, “How dependable are these instruments from this seller?” By concentrating on the answer to this question, you will save thousands, if not tens of thousands of dollars in the long run. As a reliable and trusted supplier of used lab instruments with over 20 years of collective experience, we have written a guide to help you buy your next lab instrument. While we believe our products can better serve you and your lab, we also wanted to give you information about other places you may be considering or need help with.

eBay

eBay is a great place to save money and time when finding lab instruments. For one thing, eBay offers payment protection and a right to return policy in case equipment pieces aren’t working. They are also home to multiple trusted sellers, including The Lab World Group. However, there are some things you should look out for when buying instruments on eBay. For one thing, on eBay, there are junk dealers who will try to sell you a broken piece of equipment and label it as working. Check that the device is turned on and operational; if it isn’t, don’t buy it. There is also the occasional scam where sellers will close the account after selling a junk instrument to you or ask you to wire money to a bank account to complete payment. If anyone on eBay asks you to pay for services outside of eBay, do not do so under any circumstances. Most of the time, eBay is going to be a little bit more expensive than other websites. This is because eBay charges a 10% fee which sellers are forced to pay. Generally, eBay can be a great source for getting deals but it’s better to find an outside trusted source to buy instruments cheaper.

Craigslist

Buying used lab equipment on Craigslist is generally frowned upon. Our recommendation is that you leave them out entirely. Craigslist is home to many scammers, and nothing is secure when you buy from them. On Craigslist, there are some scammers selling used laboratory equipment who will take your money and run. These scammers operate in two ways: they either have broken equipment or they don’t have any equipment at all and try to steal your money. When they have the equipment in stock, they will occasionally use a lot of legal jargon to trick you into thinking the lab device is working when it isn’t. Be wary of phrases like “working as is” or “needs repair.” If you come across a device on the site that is extremely discounted (70-90 percent off actual market value), it is almost always too good to be true. If you find a piece of equipment you like at a reasonable price on Craigslist, see if the same model is being sold by a more reputable seller.

LabX

LabX is a popular site for purchasing used instruments. This website is entirely an e-commerce store selling only laboratory and research instruments. Most companies that use LabX are looking for a quote so that they can figure out how much to pay. It’s an excellent resource for comparing reviews and prices. The one drawback to LabX is that many of the sellers use a broker selling method. This is where a broker will display an item that is not in stock online, and once a buyer purchases it, the broker will search everywhere to find it, buy it, and ship it back to the buyer. Brokering sounds great until the broker realizes the device isn’t being sold anywhere and you, the buyer, must wait months for it to arrive. Worse, you wait months for the device to arrive only to discover that it does not work. This is an all-too-common occurrence in the broker business model. We advise buyers to be cautious when purchasing on LabX and use it as a tool to look at reviews and other information.

Other Vendors

There are numerous other used lab instrument resellers available. While some may provide reasonable quotes and appear to be efficient, there are a few things to keep an eye out for. Many resellers will employ the broker business model, in which they list products on their website that they do not have. If they do have the product, they will list it on the website without validating, testing, or improving its functions to factory specifications. Some of them will just power it on, take pictures, and post it on their website without any calibration or testing. This means you may be stuck with a faulty device. Some of these resellers will call themselves lab companies to appear more trustworthy, and they will turn on the device and sell it without testing. We recommend that you conduct considerable research if you are looking at any other vendor, as failure to do so can cost you hundreds to thousands of dollars.

The Lab World Group

Another option is to purchase directly from our inventory. All the lab devices listed on our website have undergone a rigorous inbound quality control process in which they have been tested, repaired (if necessary), and validated. We also provide photos and videos of the exact model you’re about to purchase, that are both turned on and operating. This is to ensure that they are fully operational and that each customer receives top-performing lab instruments that are best suited for their lab applications. We’re also transparent about the model’s current condition, so you know exactly what you’re getting. For added peace of mind and customer satisfaction, every lab product in our selection comes with a 30-day warranty. We invite all customers to contact us with any questions or concerns they may have about laboratory instruments, as we have extensive knowledge in this field.

Final Thoughts…

Buying used lab equipment from a reputable supplier will save you money and time. It’s critical to remember some of the points in this article so you don’t end up buying a useless lab instrument. While eBay, LabX, and other vendors can be great places to find bargains, the risks of being scammed are far too high. Nothing irritates us at The Lab World Group more than seeing one of our customers treated unfairly by another seller. We’re laboratory product experts with over 20 years of combined experience, and we’ve always ensured our customers have a stress-free experience. We rely on open and honest communication with our clients. At the end of the day, we want to provide customers with the best performing lab tools possible so that they can keep up with global advances in innovation and science.

If you’re looking to learn more about buying used lab instruments, check out our ultimate guide for buying used lab instruments.