Seller guide
Writing an equipment listing that sells
A business buyer scanning listings is trying to answer three questions fast: is this the right item, what condition is it really in, and can I get it. A listing that answers those in the first few lines gets enquiries. One that does not gets ignored, however good the equipment is.
Lead with the identifiers
Manufacturer, model and year belong in the title, not buried in the description. Trade buyers search by model number because that is how they know whether it fits what they already run.
A title that reads "heavy duty industrial machine, great condition" is invisible to the person who would have paid most for it.
State condition in specifics
- Hours, mileage or usage where the item records them.
- Known faults, named rather than hinted at.
- What has been repaired or replaced, and when.
- What is included and, just as importantly, what is not.
- Why it is being sold.
Photograph the faults as well as the item
Photograph it where it stands, in daylight, from several angles, including the worn corner and the damaged panel. Buyers trust a listing with an unflattering photograph far more than one with five immaculate ones, because the unflattering photograph tells them the description is complete.
Include a shot of the data plate or serial label. It confirms the model and saves an entire exchange of messages.
Answer the logistics question
Say where it is, what access the site has, whether a forklift or loading bay is available, and who is responsible for dismantling. A buyer who cannot work out how to collect something will move on rather than ask.
Weight and dimensions matter more than most sellers expect; they decide whether the buyer needs a van, a lorry or a crane, and that changes what they can pay.