The second-hand coffee equipment market is very complicated, so be careful when picking up bargains

A message in the WeChat group yesterday reminded me of the second-hand market that is often criticized:

The editor contacted the victim and learned that the seller has been contacted and is processing a refund. However, in corners unknown to us, many friends have suffered a lot because of the same thing. The second-hand market of coffee equipment and many other commodities is a deep fish pond. The lack of supervision by industry associations, lack of guidance from industry standards, low entry barriers, and complicated parts have given many unscrupulous businessmen opportunities to take advantage of.

Compared with the payment-in-advance method, Taobao, JD.com and Xianyu, which involve third parties and confirm the goods are in good condition before the funds reach the seller's account, are relatively safer. Second-hand market transactions are more likely to occur on Xianyu.

The slogan "Let your idle items swim" highlights Xianyu's original intention: to play the role of an online flea market, allowing people with useless second-hand items to quickly and easily connect with people in need and complete the transfer, so that the originally idle items can be put to good use.

To be fair, Xianyu has played its due role. My friends who love equipment change their coffee machines and grinders at an incredibly high frequency. They rely on Xianyu to sell second-hand equipment for a quick turnover, which allows them to buy more quickly and then have a new one in the spring.

However, despite the support of the payment system, the third-party payment method mentioned above has not completely solved other problems in the second-hand market: the problems of mismatching goods, fraudulent substitution, and marked prices not being the actual prices still exist. The following are some common tricks used by illegal second-hand equipment dealers:

1. Replace the original parts with inferior or old parts. This problem is particularly prominent on the burrs of second-hand (or even first-hand) grinders;

2. The price quoted on the website is not the real price, and the price is increased due to repairs, postage, additional accessories, etc.;

3. Request the buyer to transfer the money through other channels before delivery;

4. The goods shipped do not match the advertised goods.

For those who lack experience or have no acquaintances but have sufficient funds, it may be a better choice to find an agent to buy a new machine, which is relatively safe. Even if you have a limited budget or are familiar with the second-hand equipment market, you still need to be more careful when buying a second-hand machine, compare prices from three different stores, and try to use third-party payment channels. After checking the goods, sign for them to avoid unnecessary losses.

Most provincial capitals have companies that specialize in second-hand equipment trading and have dedicated physical showrooms. The best way is to bring a knowledgeable friend and buy on the spot.