We know buying and selling pre-owned medical equipment can be confusing. Below is our list of need to knows.

Buying Pre-Owned Equipment

• Inspection of the equipment
• Know what you’re looking for during the inspection
• Make sure the person doing the inspection is qualified
• Request the appropriate personnel be on hand for the inspection
• Your written offer should always come before the site inspection and be contingent on a satisfactory inspection
• Understand what comes with the equipment
• Don’t assume anything, beyond that which is in the written agreement, comes with the equipment
• Ask to see service records and films
• Take control of the deinstallation and crating
• If possible, be on site for the deinstallation
• Use only qualified personnel
• Use your own contract or be comfortable with the seller’s contract
• Know where you’re willing to negotiate and where you’re not
• Deal with an IAMERS member – who must honor your written agreement
• Check references on the shipping and rigging company and verify they have the experience to do the job
• Agree to a deinstallation date
• Understand your liabilities if the date cannot be met
• Are there penalties imposed on the buyer or seller if the date slips
• Evaluate the equipment as soon as it arrives at your location
• If something is missing or broken; you need to know right away. Just because your site isn’t ready, doesn’t mean you should wait. Your chances of a favorable resolution from the shipper, or whomever, are negatively impacted with time

Selling Pre-Owned Equipment

• Do the research ahead of time so you have a good idea of the value of your equipment
• Allow for inspection of the equipment
• Give the buyer time to inspect
• Discuss the site visit ahead of time so you know what the buyer wants to see• Have the correct personnel on hand for the inspection
• Your written offer should always come before the site inspection
• Clearly identify what comes with the equipment
• If you aren’t including that special workstation that’s there during the site visit, make sure this is clearly defined in your offering
• Be forthcoming with service information and records
• Leave sufficient time between inspection and removal
• If the inspection is on Monday, and the equipment has to be removed on Friday, that doesn’t leave you much time. If your buyer knows this, he’s in a position to renegotiate the contract. You don’t want to be forced to take a lesser offer because you’re out of time and at the mercy of the buyer
• Use your own contract or be comfortable with the buyer’s contract
• Know where you’re willing to negotiate, and where you’re not
• Deal with an IAMERS member – who must honor your written agreement
• Check references