Better to sell tools as a package deal?

[98sierra]

So getting ready to start going through a divorce and am thinking about selling my tools. I quit wrenching professionally and will never go back, most of the stuff I no longer need.

Think I’d come out ahead selling everything individually or selling the whole box and tools as one package? If I went the whole thing route what do you think I should ask? I know it’s hard to say, ball park guesses are ok!

Didn’t film the side drawers but it’s mostly diagnostic and specialty tools in those.

 

[MattT]

The only guys who buy package deals are resellers who are looking to, at least, double their money by parting it out. So you should make at least twice as much by cutting out the middleman and doing the work yourself. You'll be able to get "used retail" selling on ebay, or maybe try the classifieds here first. It'll just take more time and effort.

Also have you got the tools secured somewhere your fixin' to be ex can't steal them? If not get them moved ASAP. And same goes for your other personal property.

 

[Stuart in MN]

You'd make more money breaking it up, but it would also take a lot more of your time. So, you have to take that into consideration.

 

[98sierra]

I wonder how much I could make selling it all individually. It certainly would be tome consuming just coming up with prices, and a listing. Let alone sitting on it to sell.

 

[acer66]

You'd make more money breaking it up, but it would also take a lot more of your time. So, you have to take that into consideration.

x 2

 

[kd3pc]

I wonder how much I could make selling it all individually. It certainly would be tome consuming just coming up with prices, and a listing. Let alone sitting on it to sell.

don't forget about shipping charges, if you have not sold things online recently, the shipping charges are way up.

 

[acer66]

Ideally you want to find a local guy who wants to get into what your are getting out of.

Or a trade school etc. where a few guys want to buy your whole lot and split it among themselves.

 

[finn]

Individually, if your time is free, and you don’t mind spending months, if not years cashing out.

Consider this an opportunity to move on with your life. Add the two together and the balance tips towards dumping the lot as a package, in my view.

 

[98sierra]

Individually, if your time is free, and you don’t mind spending months, if not years cashing out.

Consider this an opportunity to move on with your life. Add the two together and the balance tips towards dumping the lot as a package, in my view.

Kinda what I’m thinking as well. I told my buddy $6,000 for it all. Waaaaaay more than that new but wasn’t sure of a fair price used. It would take me DAYS to look up the value of everything.

 

[NUTTSGT]

You may want to consider keeping them. If you're getting divorced, you might to need make some side cash to survive if the divorce gets nasty.

 

[98sierra]

You may want to consider keeping them. If you're getting divorced, you might to need make some side cash to survive if the divorce gets nasty.

I’ve held onto them for a while because the thought of getting rid of them breaks my heart. I hate working on stuff though. Years doing it has turned me sour towards it.
I’m a lineman now and have good overtime when/if I want it.

I also don’t think it will turn nasty. I could be wrong, but I highly doubt it.

 

[Davefr]

Think I’d come out ahead selling everything individually or selling the whole box and tools as one package?

^^None of the above. Sell complete sets vs individual tools.

That's good stuff you have. I counted about 25-30 sets. They'll sell quickly on Ebay for about 50% MRSP.

I'd also try and make sets out of the loose pliers.

You could list all that stuff in a few hours and then watch the moolah roll on in. Most of what you have should fit USPS flat rate boxes which will save time. Make sure you take good quality images.

If you try to sell all that as one lot expect about 10-20% MSRP and the aggravation of dealing with lowballers and flakes.

My guesstimate is about $2-3K market value of the tools if sold on Ebay but I could be low. (that's assuming the tools are mostly SO). The box looks like around $1-2K.

 

[98sierra]

^^None of the above. Sell complete sets vs individual tool.

What do you mean? Obviously I wouldn’t break down socket sets to sell individual sockets and stuff. Is that what you’re talking about?

 

[pelletman]

Where are you located? Maybe someone here would be interested

 

[ItsNemo]

Does anyone actually buy a full tool set in box at once? I don't know many people with thousands of dollars lying around to do that and usually the sets I see are 90% junk but because there's one snap on wrench in the mix, they get advertised for 90% of retail too.

 

[DFB]

Get ur new GF to sell em on Ebay for ya

 

[98sierra]

I’m in Alabama.

 

[98sierra]

Does anyone actually buy a full tool set in box at once? I don't know many people with thousands of dollars lying around to do that and usually the sets I see are 90% junk but because there's one snap on wrench in the mix, they get advertised for 90% of retail too.

While I agree with you, there is literally one tool in that box that didn’t come off a tool truck, and that’s a pair of channel lock brand channel locks I’ve had since a kid lol

All the ratchets are snap on and 80tooth, no junk. I think I have one SK long 1/2” ratchet but the rest is Snapon. I can assure you there is no junk.

 

[acer66]

What do you mean? Obviously I wouldn’t break down socket sets to sell individual sockets and stuff. Is that what you’re talking about?

My guess would be he means something like
standard 1/4” socket set
metric 1/4” socket set
etc etc

 

[98sierra]

Get ur new GF to sell em on Ebay for ya

HA! No new girls for me right now. Gonna spend time in counseling and get right first.

 

[Davefr]

What do you mean? Obviously I wouldn’t break down socket sets to sell individual sockets and stuff. Is that what you’re talking about?

You asked "individually". To try and keep it simple, sell sets, make up sets, or combine several sets.

Like I said earlier, I see maybe 30 or so Ebay'able lots. That's not overwhelming. Run 10 listings per week and you'll be done in a few weeks.

 

[Professional Tool User]

It really depends on how badly you need the money and how much time you are willing to spend on unloading your tools. Selling everything as a single lot is a bad idea. Very few people have the money saved up to absorb all your stuff. When I go looking for a used tool box, I am looking for extra space to store my junk. I am not looking to buy someone else's junk unless it is being sold for next to nothing.

If you feel like selling everything yourself, inventory what you have and form complete sets. Figure out what is going to be easy to unload, what is going to be hard to sell, and price accordingly. For stuff that is harder to unload like specialty tools, see if you know anyone in the trade that may want it.

Selling a large amount of tools is going to take a lot of time. There was that one estate sale located in a big city I went to that has dragged on for at least a year. This one was well organized into 600 or so lots. Frankly, the widow was probably better off with sending everything to auction which is what you should do if you don't want to spend the time.

 

[1foxracing]

I've had good luck with Facebook marketplace then you can actually see who wants to buy your stuff. Much better then the craigslist low ballers.
Take nice clear photo's (real camera non cell phone if possible) and the people come out of the wood work for me.

 

[Rickster]

Offer Up is a decent App that a lot of young guys use. Can move some tools through there. But selling tools you'll be in for the long haul, time consuming, dealing with no-shows and low ballers. If you do the meet up sale, pick a highly visible public spot near you and have them call when they get there. Good luck!

 

[thin_concrete]

Check with your divorce attorney, but if proceedings have already started and you liquidate big ticket items, the proceeds could become part of the group of marital assets, assuming the value already isn’t. It may be better to wait until the divorce is finalized before selling certain items off.

 

[greg13]

HA! No new girls for me right now. Gonna spend time in counseling and get right first.

That statement right there tells ME to stop before you do something you may regret doing. Get your head back on right first.

If you selling because you need money, you are going to loose your shirt and be pissed at the loss.

If you are selling because of loss of interest WAIT until your head is where it should be, You may have a different outlook in 6 months or a year and their value won't change in that time frame. Been there,done that trust me on this.

If you are still intent on selling, contact one of the tool truck owners, he can tell you an accurate value of used tools & boxes and may even be willing to work with you selling them.

 

[98sierra]

Selling to fix up the house to get ready to sell and pay off some debt we have together. She’s all for it because it benifits us equally.

We are fresh into it, nothing has been started yet.

 

[Leaflessshadetree]

Break it up. Sell the box, diagnostic tools individually. If doing craigslist or trying to sell locally group things like making sockets/ratchets as complete 1/4, 3/8 and 1/2" "master" sets. Maybe combine the impact wrenches with impact sockets or just put all the pneumatics as one lot.
If doing E-bay and shipping I'd do smaller sets.

 

[MattT]

Selling to fix up the house to get ready to sell and pay off some debt we have together. She’s all for it because it benifits us equally.

I bet she is. You're fixin' to sell your personal property and give her half the proceeds. Is she gonna put any money into fixing up the house and paying off debts?

 

[Minnesota Steve]

I bet she is. You're fixin' to sell your personal property and give her half the proceeds. Is she gonna put any money into fixing up the house and paying off debts?

Welcome to "How to turn a divorce into a big ugly fight..."

 

[jd_1138]

Don't you want to keep at least the basics? Like wrenches, sockets and screwdrivers? But I guess you can buy those in a cheaper set (Craftsman, Tekton, etc.). Maybe drop $100-$200 on a mostly complete set.

But as far as selling whole or separately, it's a function of what your time's worth. Selling in smaller sets on ebay will get you the most $$$$, but it will take more time. If you choose to sell separately, make sure you have lots of boxes and packing materials on hand. Staples shipping products are pricey. You can get boxes and most materials for free. I just save the materials from purchases we buy off the internet. And buy a scale so you can charge the correct amount for s/h.

 

[J B]

Selling in small sets would be the best. I've bought entire sets in the past, in pre-Ebay times. Large sets usually sell for slightly more than pawn value, about 20%. Stay away from Cracklist, Facebook Marketplace works well. Good luck brother.

 

[Rory Bellows]

How about dropping it off at an auction house and be done in one day? They would definitely separate everything to bring the most money.

 

[DGersic]

Does anyone actually buy a full tool set in box at once? I don't know many people with thousands of dollars lying around to do that and usually the sets I see are 90% junk but because there's one snap on wrench in the mix, they get advertised for 90% of retail too.

It’s probably not common, but it happens. A friend bought several full boxes at a couple of estate sales to outfit a hot rod shop he opened last year.



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[m6z]

Don't sell any of it.

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[Briguy_123]

I haven't worked at a dealership since the early 90's. Would never sell my tools. Infact I have purchased way more over the years. You are at least going to want to maintain your own vehicles and toys. Over just a few years you will save way more using those tools than you get from the proceeds of selling them.

 

[unslow1]

I haven't worked at a dealership since the early 90's. Would never sell my tools. Infact I have purchased way more over the years. You are at least going to want to maintain your own vehicles and toys. Over just a few years you will save way more using those tools than you get from the proceeds of selling them.

Pretty much the same all the way across here. I probably have triple the tools now as I did then. They have saved me a small fortune in being able to avoid large repair bills. That doesn't even include helping out friends and family. Even if I for some reason have to get rid of them I would keep a basic set.

 

[RTM]

Have not seen too many large value lots sell at prices that benefit the seller. I would think try to keep each lot at $200-300 value, as it's in more people's price range than a single $6k lot

eBay opens up your world, Craigslist not as much. Being able to ship at buyers expense is important, cuz many of us can't get to Alabama, even for a good deal. A fantastic deal maybe.

 

[CafeTools]

It will be more time consuming breaking it up but that's the best way.

But honestly tools and name brand too boxes don't depreciate much. You might be better off hoarding it. Instead of watching it go to your ex.

 

[Indexmill]

Get it all the hell out of there and then sit on it until the divorce is done.