Help pricing used TV for Craigslist?

[ErinH]

Hey, guys. I'm going to upgrade our living room TV and in turn will be selling my Samsung HLT507SX. As the model indicates, it's a 50" TV. Rear Projection DLP @ 720p/1080i (not 1080p).
I bought it from CC about 4 years ago and paid $800, IIRC. It's in great condition (ie: no fuzzy fingers have been touching it). I've not had any issues with this unit though it does make a buzzing sound upon power up about once a month. It's always done this since I first bought it so I haven't really looked in to it much.

I tried to search online to get a feel for what an appropriate asking price for this would be but I thought I'd drop you guys a line and see if anyone can give me some market analysis.

*this is not me trying to sell the TV here, so mods please don't take it as such. I would put it in the classifieds section if it were*

I was thinking $350-400 OBO would be the asking price. Though, I'm not sure how realistic that is. Any input would be appreciated.

Thanks for any advice.

 

[tattoo_Dan]

IMO you're in the right price range

 

[ErinH]

Thanks for the feedback.

 

[armaraas]

I'd say that's probably a decent starting point. For comparison I've been trying to sell a 56" Samsung DLP that's about 6 years old, does 720p with one HDMI and have an extra bulb for it, though used. I started at $350 and have it at $300 now for about a month. The only offer I've had was $200 right away, I passed. It's kind of a crapshoot. All the other DLP TV's I looked at that were were available on CList when I listed were way more expensive then mine, so I thought maybe mine would move quickly at a lower price, but no luck yet.

I sold a 36" CRT beast for $250 a couple of years ago in August to a college kid, so I was hoping something like that might happen again now that kids are getting ready to go back and might be looking for things for an apartment. So I say get it listed ASAP and decide how flexible you'll be on the price right away.

 

[markw]

Really. Expect to be flexible. ...very flexible.

Around here, the Sunday papers are filled with sales flyers from the local electronics chains (6th Ave, Electronics Expo, PC Richards, etc) with blow out prices and it's not unusual to see brandy new, in a box, with a guarantee, 50" Plasma and LCD's going for under a grand.

This doesn't even take into account Best Buy, Walmart, Costco, Sam's Club and whatever other purveyors of electronics might be lurking out there in your area.

 

[Pyrrho]

Really. Expect to be flexible. ...very flexible.

Around here, the Sunday papers are filled with sales flyers from the local electronics chains (6th Ave, Electronics Expo, PC Richards, etc) with blow out prices and it's not unusual to see brandy new, in a box, with a guarantee, 50" Plasma and LCD's going for under a grand.

This doesn't even take into account Best Buy, Walmart, Costco, Sam's Club and whatever other purveyors of electronics might be lurking out there in your area.

I agree. Look at this:

http://www.bestbuy.com/site/Panasonic+-+50"+Class+/+Plasma+/+720p+/+600Hz+/+HDTV/2120104.p?id=1218310004699&skuId=2120104

I personally would not think that a used rear projection TV of the same size would even be worth half of that. There is no way I would pay $400 for a used 50" rear projection TV, and would think anyone an idiot who would pay that.

I think he will be lucky to get more than $200, though he might find some fool willing to buy a used TV of outdated technology for more.

 

[Pyrrho]

I'd say that's probably a decent starting point. For comparison I've been trying to sell a 56" Samsung DLP that's about 6 years old, does 720p with one HDMI and have an extra bulb for it, though used. I started at $350 and have it at $300 now for about a month. The only offer I've had was $200 right away, I passed. It's kind of a crapshoot. All the other DLP TV's I looked at that were were available on CList when I listed were way more expensive then mine, so I thought maybe mine would move quickly at a lower price, but no luck yet.

I sold a 36" CRT beast for $250 a couple of years ago in August to a college kid, so I was hoping something like that might happen again now that kids are getting ready to go back and might be looking for things for an apartment. So I say get it listed ASAP and decide how flexible you'll be on the price right away.

Prices for TVs 2 years ago are totally irrelevant to selling a TV now. Prices on new TVs have dropped significantly in that time, and you will not get anywhere near what you could have gotten two years ago, unless you find a total sucker.

Buy a Sunday paper and look at the sale ads to see what people can get now, and price the old outdated TV accordingly, unless you want to keep it.

I think you will be lucky to get another offer of $200 for your TV. Notice, you have had it at the reduced price of $300 for a month with no takers, so your own experience supports what I am telling you.

It is a hard fact for people to remember when selling their TVs, but prices have dropped and what you paid for it years ago is irrelevant. I bought a TV about 4 years ago for what was a good price at the time, and it is in like new condition, but I think only a fool would pay more than 25% of what I paid for it, and even that is likely too much. Fortunately, I plan on keeping it until it fails, so I will not have the pain of selling it at so much less than what I paid for it.

 

[armaraas]

I hope you got your tv listed for this weekend, especially if you're near any colleges. For comparison if it helps in your pricing/decision-
I have one party who has said they would take our 56" tv for $250 (college students about 40 miles away), a second party, a local guy, is also interested in it for $250 but is aware I was giving the other group first dibs since they responded to the ad first (he wants it as a big screen for his kids it appears). And a third party that I told I will let them know if the first two do not buy it.

A lot of it has to do with timing and what's going on/available by you.
If you hit the right price point, it will go eventually. Good luck.