A common question on our forums is 'I have a <fill in the blank> tape
deck. What's it worth?'
Because the question never has a simple answer, here are some things we suggest
you do to determine your deck's value:
- Decide what you know about the item's condition and what guarantees you
would be willing to make to a buyer. If you know nothing, and would offer
it only 'as-found', use the lowest value you find in Steps 2 and 3. If you
know its condition, and you find comparable items in Steps 2 and 3, you have
a reasonable estimate.
- Search the Web for the maker and model designation- eg. 'Sony TC-580'.
We like Google- (http://www.google.com/)
but Alta Vista and others also do a good job. If you find sites that have
the deck for sale, use the prices found with discretion, recognizing differences
in condition, accessories and source. A professional site, which has a detailed
description of condition and offers a guarantee, will demand and achieve higher
prices than a hobbyist offering an item 'as-is'.
- Repeat Step 2 on eBay's auction site- (http://pages.ebay.com/search/items/search.html)
- Analyze the results and determine future actions.
- If you know nothing about your deck and you found a range of values,
decide whether the difference between 'as-is' and guaranteed conditions
warrants further evaluation of your unit. A few decks are of so little
value, even in outstanding condition, that you may decide it is not worth
more time.
- If you found no comparable units, consider posting the question on our
forum-(http://www.dantiques.com/quickboard/index.mv)
but make sure you include what you know about your deck. Otherwise, you
are not likely to receive considered replies to your post.