Selling used farm equipment can be a straightforward task when you prepare for it and have the contacts you need to reach potential buyers. The amount of work on your hands might seem overwhelming—which is why we’re sharing seven common mistakes to avoid. From where to post, how to prepare, and who to call to help you haul your machine to the buyer or an auction, you’ll find helpful tips for every step of the process. Fortunately, with a little bit of time and research, your used equipment will be on its way to its new home in no time! By steering clear of these common pitfalls, you can attract more buyers, get a fair deal, and maximize your returns.
1. Not Researching Competitive Prices
How much is your equipment worth? When selling farm equipment, you’ll always want to sell it in the assessed price range. Buyers will overlook your equipment and find something cheaper if your equipment is too expensive. If your price is too low, you’ll likely have plenty of buyers, but you’ll be getting less money than the machine is actually worth.
Be sure to research current competitive prices in your area. Competitive prices from a few years ago will do you no good—instead, take a look at what this equipment is being sold for right now. By setting your equipment in the appropriate price range, you’ll be attracting more buyers while still getting a good deal.
2. Posting an Ad Without Images
Posting images of your machine is the key to attracting buyers. Without images, your buyers have no idea what to expect of your machine; does it look brand-new? Are there any visible imperfections? These are essential considerations for any potential buyer, and if your listing doesn’t provide that information upfront with images, buyers are likely to move on without a second thought.
Though you’ll want to take professional photos of your equipment that showcase its highlights, don’t shy away from taking candid photos of its flaws as well. If you hide your machine’s flaws, chances are your buyer will eventually notice. If they notice before they buy it and change their mind because of it, you’ll have wasted both your time and theirs; if they notice it after purchasing, you could face unexpected repercussions.
3. Not Cleaning Your Machine
When a guest comes over to visit, you want your house to give them a good impression, so you clean it. Selling farm equipment works the same way. Before taking any pictures of your machine, give it a thorough cleaning. If you really want to showcase your machine at its best, you could even have it detailed by a professional!
How to Clean Your Equipment
Fortunately, cleaning your farm equipment won’t require any special materials. You can start by cleaning the interior of the machine the same way you would clean the interior of a regular vehicle. Be sure to remove any personal items you might find during this process!
Once that’s done, we recommend using a blower or air compressor to remove dry material from the exterior. If you skip this step, dry material could end up caking and sticking to the sides of the machine, causing more trouble than is necessary.
Next, clean it from top to bottom using a pressure washer–preferably a heated one, but a cold pressure washer will also work. If that isn’t available, you can also hand-wash it with soapy water and rinse it off with a hose. Now your machine is shiny, clean, and ready to attract buyers!
4. Not Getting a Mechanical Tune-Up
Whether your machine needs a minor tune-up or a major repair, you’ll need to get that done before you start selling. Even if you don’t think there are any mechanical issues, a proper maintenance check and tune-up is essential in the selling process—especially if you haven’t had it looked at by a professional in several years.
If you had maintenance performed less than a year ago, you can inspect the machine to see if any problems have arisen since then. Start by checking the engine compartment and inspecting the cab. Then, turn on the machine and see how it functions. Take note of any strange noises and then have a professional take a look at the machine if necessary.
Alternatively, if you intend to sell your machine without repairing a known issue, make that known in your listing. A buyer may be interested in fixing it up themselves, especially if you’re listing it for a lower price.
5. Not Posting the Sale on Accessible Sites
You may be tempted to just post your equipment on a few local bulletin boards, a regional Facebook group, or the local classifieds, but this limits you to a small pool of buyers. Of course, it’s always good to find a local buyer if possible, but if no one is looking for used farm equipment, then you’ll be out of luck.
Instead, post your listing on accessible sites—at least one, but preferably several. This doesn’t mean you shouldn’t post on bulletins or put it in the classifieds, but it’s essential to show your listing to as many people as possible. Whether it’s a private listing site like Craigslist or an auctioning site like Ritchie Bros. Auctioneering, a widely-used website is the key to finding the perfect buyer.
6. Being Hard to Reach
Communication is key! Not being responsive is a quick way to make buyers think twice about buying your equipment. If you’re not responding in an efficient manner, you’re showing buyers that you don’t care about the sale and that you may not be a trustworthy seller. On the other hand, a prompt response shows a buyer that you are open, reliable, and ready to communicate with them.
Always respond to potential buyers as soon as possible. If you cannot immediately respond when you see the message, set a reminder so you don’t forget to answer. Then, respond as soon as you have a chance. The more attentively you respond, the more likely you are to make a successful sale!
7. Not Referring Buyers to a Reliable Heavy Haul Company
Transportation should always be kept in mind when selling used equipment. Whether you need to send it to the next province over or across the country, you and your buyer will need to use a reliable heavy haul company. Otherwise, your shipment could face several problems before and during its time on the road.
In many cases, the transportation of heavy equipment is left to the buyer. If this is the case for you, recommending a reliable shipping company to them is a simple way to ensure their new equipment arrives safely and efficiently at their destination.
At Trusted Dispatch, we’re dedicated to providing excellent, dependable shipping services. Hauling used farm equipment is easier than ever with our network of professionally vetted drivers.
How to Transport Equipment After the Sale
Once you have sold a piece of machinery, hauling the farm equipment to its new destination is the final step. As mentioned, this step might be left primarily to its new owner, but the seller is often involved in transportation as well. In this section, we’ll go over the step-by-step process of preparing your used agricultural equipment for transport.
Post Your Load on Trusted Dispatch’s Load Board
The first step in the shipment process is finding an appropriate driver. Fortunately, it isn’t as difficult as it sounds; with Trusted Dispatch’s easy-to-use online system, connecting with a professional heavy hauler is a simple process.
When you post your load on our load board, professionally vetted drivers across North America will be able to see it. If they have space and are passing through the area, they can choose to pick up your load. When this happens, you’ll be put in contact with them, and you can then discuss the details together.
Organize Pickup/Drop-off Locations and Times
Once you are in contact with a driver, you and the driver can arrange the timing and specific locations for pickup and drop-off. Your buyer can also be a part of this conversation. Alternatively, they can tell you their needs for time and destination, and you can relay this information to the driver.
When planning, remember to account for unexpected delays and problems on the road. Though your shipment will most likely go smoothly, there’s always a chance that an unforeseen problem could get in the way. Aim to get the machine to its destination at least a few days before the new owner needs it. This extra precaution will prevent issues like roadblocks from affecting anyone involved in the shipment process.
Prepare Your Equipment for Shipment
You’ll most likely want to start preparing for the shipment a few days before your driver arrives. This preparation involves a few simple steps designed to ensure the efficiency of loading and to verify the current state of the machine.
Start by thoroughly cleaning your machine. If you already cleaned it for your listing, you can just give it a quick run-down with a pressure washer or hose. Then, take comprehensive pictures of your machine. Use as many angles and get as many details as possible. If the machine is damaged during transport, you’ll now be able to verify that the damage was not there before the shipment.
Lastly, you’ll need to park the machine in an appropriate location for pickup. Find a large, flat area that has enough space to fit both the machine and the trailer. The machine should be in a spot where the driver will be able to load it onto the trailer with ease.
Keep Up to Date
Just like selling equipment, transporting agricultural equipment also requires a fair amount of communication. While you have the option to chat with your driver as often or as little as you like, we recommend keeping a steady stream of communication with the driver. More contact often results in a better shipping experience for everyone involved.
If the buyer does not have a line of communication with the driver, be sure to relay all relevant information to them as soon as possible. They’re relying on you to give them any necessary updates, so it’s important to always keep them up to date on the latest news.
Complete the Shipment
From here, all you have to do is wait. When your driver arrives at their destination, they will unload the shipment, and it will officially be in the hands of its new owner. When the delivery is complete, you will need to send the driver the delivery completion code, which can be found in the confirmed driver’s e-mail.
Your driver will use this code on Trusted Dispatch’s platform to verify the delivery and let us know that it was successful. We will then pay the driver for the delivery, and you will receive an e-mailed receipt. With that, your shipment is complete, and you have successfully sold your used farm equipment!
Farm Equipment Hauling in North America
For high-quality, reliable farm equipment transport in Canada and the United States, look no further than Trusted Dispatch. Our online system makes shipping farm equipment easier than ever.
The process starts with a free, instant quote, where you will need to enter three pieces of information:
- The pickup location
- The drop-off location
- The dimensions (including the machine’s height, width, length, and weight)
If you don’t know the dimensions of your machine, don’t worry! Trusted Dispatch’s powerful Specs Tool contains over 60,000 makes and models of heavy equipment pre-loaded. Just type in the make and model of your machine, and the Specs Tool will load the closest match.
After receiving your shipping quote, you’ll be able to post your load on our load board. Drivers will be able to see your post on the board. If they have room on their trailer and your destination is on their route, they can claim the load. You’ll be put in contact with them, and the two of you can organize the specifics of the shipment.
Get in Touch With Us
Have questions about our system or heavy haul trucking? Get in touch with us today, and we’ll be happy to answer any questions you have as soon as possible.
