I did it again.

[cyberdan]

Last saturday, just as I was finishing up my yardsale route I got a call. This guy was the brother of a guy I buy cellphones from. Hymie want to know if I want some phones, he has two boxes. (His brother, Homero, usually has three)
I told him sure at 40 cents each, he agreed and we set up a meet.

Late that day I bought 465 phones. They are now all packed (with about 60 more I had picked up) and ready to go to FL where I get $6 lb

Those phones took up 2.5 boxes, so in the last box I filled it with computer boards, I get $3 lb for those. I expect a check for $550 - $600 in a few weeks.

 

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[Beans]

Thars gold in them there phones and boards.

 

[diggummup]

Figured i'd repost this for those who don't know-
http://forum.treasurenet.com/index.php/topic,386507.0.html
Also, when you say computer boards do you mean any circuit boards or just ones with "gold fingers" or what?

 

[cyberdan]

when you say computer boards do you mean any circuit boards or just ones with "gold fingers" or what?

Thanks for reposting that older post. I send in motherboards and the plugin card that go into the MB. I also pull the boards from all DVD and floppy disk drives, they get $3 lf too.

I do not send RAM, CPUs and the circuit boards from hard drives. I save these and sell separatly for a lot more.

 

[diggummup]

when you say computer boards do you mean any circuit boards or just ones with "gold fingers" or what?

Thanks for reposting that older post. I send in motherboards and the plugin card that go into the MB. I also pull the boards from all DVD and floppy disk drives, they get $3 lf too.

I do not send RAM, CPUs and the circuit boards from hard drives. I save these and sell separatly for a lot more.

Thanks, I was wondering because I have a large box full of stuff i've pulled out of old computers that I really didn't know what to do with. Most of it has come from old comps. that were trashed at a couple job sites I was on several years ago.

 

[cyberdan]

I was wondering because I have a large box full of stuff i've pulled out of old computers that I really didn't know what to do with.

box it all up (except RAM/CPU) and ask Jack for a shipping label. They will sort into the catagory they belong and send a check. Or you can drive 300 miles north and deliver in person

 

[billjustbill]

Last saturday, just as I was finishing up my yardsale route I got a call. This guy was the brother of a guy I buy cellphones from. Hymie want to know if I want some phones, he has two boxes. (His brother, Homero, usually has three)
I told him sure at 40 cents each, he agreed and we set up a meet.

Late that day I bought 465 phones. They are now all packed (with about 60 more I had picked up) and ready to go to FL where I get $6 lb

Those phones took up 2.5 boxes, so in the last box I filled it with computer boards, I get $3 lb for those. I expect a check for $550 - $600 in a few weeks.

That's a lot of phones! Great niche market you're using. In another post, didn't you say the other guy pays the postage? I'll bet you don't worry about packing materials

 

[s.c.shooter]

Way to go Dan!

 

[SnakemanBill]

Wow nice return. In the original post Paypal is mentioned. I'm not a fan of the Paypal fees, does he only deal with Paypal accounts?

 

[cyberdan]

Wow nice return. In the original post Paypal is mentioned. I'm not a fan of the Paypal fees, does he only deal with Paypal accounts?

Jack will do paypal for your convienience. I always get a company check from him.

 

[cyberdan]

That's a lot of phones! Great niche market you're using. In another post, didn't you say the other guy pays the postage? I'll bet you don't worry about packing materials

Jack sends me a fedX link and I print labels. He pays the shipping.

I didn't worry about packing materials till this morning when I took in the 3 cartons. The clerk (buff female) actually picked up each carton and shook it. She said it rattles and fedx can no longer accept any carton that rattles. BUT, for $3.00 each she will open each box and stuff it till it does not rattle. I told her they were broken cell phones, but it didn't matter. I will have to pack different in the future.

 

[SnakemanBill]

thanks Dan. Looks like I'm going to start piling up cell phones and computer parts in the garage alongside the copper and the brass and the........

and thanks also to diggumup for reposting the link

 

[cyberdan]

You will only get a few phones every saturday yard sailing. Go to swapmeets, look for the guys that sell used phones. Ask for broken and/or old phones. You will get a lot more this way.

I offer 25¢ each or 3 for $1.00 half the time they laugh at my lowball offer. the other half they start pulling out phones happy to make a sale. When I buy in big bulk I pay 35¢ to 40¢ each and I do all the counting.

My biggest supplier speaks no english, as usual one of his kids does all the translating. He has a big 2 or 3 space swapmeet store. His brother speaks just enough to make a deal. Between the two I think I have bought at least 2500 phones.

 

[diggummup]

That's a lot of phones! Great niche market you're using. In another post, didn't you say the other guy pays the postage? I'll bet you don't worry about packing materials

Jack sends me a fedX link and I print labels. He pays the shipping.

I didn't worry about packing materials till this morning when I took in the 3 cartons. The clerk (buff female) actually picked up each carton and shook it. She said it rattles and fedx can no longer accept any carton that rattles. BUT, for $3.00 each she will open each box and stuff it till it does not rattle. I told her they were broken cell phones, but it didn't matter. I will have to pack different in the future.

Save your plastic grocery bags. They work great for packing items that you just need to keep from banging around (ie-not fragile). It's about the only thing they are good for and they are free. No sense using peanuts or bubble wrap for stuff like that. Crumpled newspaper works well too.

 

[cyberdan]

A) Save your plastic grocery bags. They work great for packing items that you just need to keep from banging around (ie-not fragile).

B) It's about the only thing they are good for and they are free.

C) Crumpled newspaper works well too.

A) I got a lot of those
B) when I recycle wire I fill them up with the cheaper stuff. When they are full I figuer I get about $4-6 each
B) Not the next county over (1 mile) That would be Los Angeles county. Those tree huggers passed a law that stores must charge 10¢ each for those multi purpose bags. Being the cheap Scott that I am I no longer shop in that county. Besides I think the sales tax is 2% higher over there also. So all those dumb polititions did was loose more business for their county/city.
C) got lots of that!

 

[diggummup]

A) Save your plastic grocery bags. They work great for packing items that you just need to keep from banging around (ie-not fragile).

B) It's about the only thing they are good for and they are free.

C) Crumpled newspaper works well too.

A) I got a lot of those
B) when I recycle wire I fill them up with the cheaper stuff. When they are full I figuer I get about $4-6 each
B) Not the next county over (1 mile) That would be Los Angeles county. Those tree huggers passed a law that stores must charge 10¢ each for those multi purpose bags. Being the cheap Scott that I am I no longer shop in that county. Besides I think the sales tax is 2% higher over there also. So all those dumb polititions did was loose more business for their county/city.
C) got lots of that!

I figured you already had it down pat. I know this aint your first rodeo!

.10 each for those worthless bags huh? That's the stupidest thing i've ever heard. I'm sure it's not .10 refundable deposit as with bottles is it? I could maybe see a penny per bag but .10 is way outta line.
Welcome to Kalifornia

 

[Nightowl 280]

That's a lot of phones! Great niche market you're using. In another post, didn't you say the other guy pays the postage? I'll bet you don't worry about packing materials

Jack sends me a fedX link and I print labels. He pays the shipping.

I didn't worry about packing materials till this morning when I took in the 3 cartons. The clerk (buff female) actually picked up each carton and shook it. She said it rattles and fedx can no longer accept any carton that rattles. BUT, for $3.00 each she will open each box and stuff it till it does not rattle. I told her they were broken cell phones, but it didn't matter. I will have to pack different in the future.

Save your plastic grocery bags. They work great for packing items that you just need to keep from banging around (ie-not fragile). It's about the only thing they are good for and they are free. No sense using peanuts or bubble wrap for stuff like that. Crumpled newspaper works well too.

I use my bags when i sell at the fleamarket . Target bags being the preffered fleamarket bag I used since they dont seem to break or get holes . The publix and wally world bags dont always work .

On another note i wonder if your 2500+ phone vendor is just diving into the recycle bins at schools and other public places for those . I know when i worked at the school they never seemed to fill up and i never saw someone empty them . But ppl did drop phones in them .

 

[SnakemanBill]

Does anyone have an idea on average what the dollar value in precious metals is in the average computer? I've seen quite a few lately at yard sales, flea markets and auctions and was wondering how much or how little should I bid or offer for them?

 

[cyberdan]

Does anyone have an idea on average what the dollar value in precious metals is in the average computer? I've seen quite a few lately at yard sales, flea markets and auctions and was wondering how much or how little should I bid or offer for them?

Well this is what I pay for computers. $0.00 $1.00 $1.50 each.
Again (like my post much higher up in this thread) I get laughed at for a lowball price or they are eager to help me load it in my car. I sell the circuit boards to the same guy that buys my phones. My profit is at least 100% to 200%

 

[cyberdan]

i wonder if your 2500+ phone vendor is just diving into the recycle bins at schools and other public places for those .

Good question that I can't answer. About 20% of the phones I buy from hermanos grande are caked in mud, broken in half or have shattered screens. It does not matter cause all the gold is still there.