Question: Why should I use The Ultrasound Trader instead of a dealer?
Answer: Our goal is to get you the best ultrasound for your budget. Equipment dealers who stock ultrasounds also have the same goal as long as you buy one of the units that they have in stock. Dealers have some significant flaws when compared to The Ultrasound Trader.
1) The first is unanticipated obsolescence. If the equipment dealer is forced to carry aging and/or obsolete inventory, guess who ends up paying the premium? The increased demand for portable ultrasounds is a perfect example of industry changes that can catch dealers off guard.
2) The second flaw is the high cost associated with bricks and mortar facilities, inventory overhead, and numerous employees & HR costs. Since we do not have any of those associated costs or overhead The Ultrasound Trader can charge a small flat fee and never add any hidden fee’s or charges.
Question: Dealers include warranties with their equipment.
Answer: Almost 100% of the dealers offering warranties do not employ their own service group. Instead if you have a problem they will call a local independent person (if there is one available) for you to deal with. The person that comes to repair your GE system may be an ex-Siemens repair person that is now out on his own. There is no guaranty over the quality of the service provided or that they will use new OEM parts. We always suggest that you use manufacturer's service or a nationally recognized service organization of which there are only a few.
Question: How is The Ultrasound Trader different than eBay?
Answer: eBay is great for rare baseball cards but not the best format for high end medical equipment. If you have a problem with an eBay transaction you are pretty much on your own. We provide a legal umbrella over the transaction in the form of separate buyer and seller contracts. Additionally we facilitate the transfer of funds, withholding 50% of the funds until the system is received and accepted by you.
Question: Isn't there a risk buying a piece of equipment from another physicians office? Do I need to put a warranty on the system?
Answer: We offer all our customers a chance to order such things as installations, inspections, training and extended service contracts on an a la carte basis so you buy and pay for only what you need with no hidden costs. Why would you want to pay a premium price for something which you either don't need or which is redundant?
Question: How am I assured of the quality of the Ultrasound I'm considering? Do I need a recent service report or at least an inspection performed prior to paying you in advance for the system?
Answer: Most of the systems listed on The Ultrasound Trader have been under continuous service agreements or have been reconditioned. We can also have a certification before shipment, or a certification and/or installation upon delivery.
Question: How do I actually purchase or make an offer on a system?
Answer: At the bottom of page on each systems individual page is a "Make an Offer/Ask a Question" button. Just click on the link, fill out the form and hit "Send". The Ultrasound Trader will then go to work, contacting the seller in your behalf with your question or offer, it's that simple.
Question: What does it cost to list my equipment on The Ultrasound Trader?
Answer: Nothing! We add our fee’s to the price you want to get for your system. Our fee’s are always a low, flat rate, and clearly visible to all parties. Never any hidden charges.
Question: Why should I use The Ultrasound Trader instead of trading my system in or selling it to a dealer?
Answer: If an OEM manufacturer is offering you a fair trade in for your system, by all means take it. Often this is not the case and both OEM’s and dealers will often offer you pennies on the dollar. The Ultrasound Trader is a great place to find out what systems similar to yours are being marketed at and compare the offer from the dealer or OEM.
If you have a little time you can list your system and see if you can get a higher price which can be put towards a new system.
The best analogy here is the automobile market. Take your car into a dealer and what they will offer you for your trade in is usually substantially below what you could sell it on your own.
Question: What should I price my systems at?
Answer: The Ultrasound Trader keeps a virtual Blue Book of systems and can give you guidance as to where to price your system. We also encourage that you do your own due diligence by searching the web and other resources so you have good idea of what is a competitive price for your system. The decision is ultimately yours, but similar to the automobile market, your system is worth what the market will pay. The higher the price is above the market price the longer it will sit without any offers.
Question: Some dealers are offering to take my system in on consignment, why shouldn't I do that?
Answer: We Strongly believe that you should NEVER send your system to a dealer and/or broker to sell it. Once you give physical control of your system over to a dealer you have lost control over the marketing and pricing of the system. Additionally you lock yourself into marketing your system to that one dealer, with The Ultrasound Trader you can continue to market the system on your own, any way you like.
Question: How do I make changes to the description or price of a system I have listed?
Answer: Simply send an e-mail to info@theultrasoundtrader.com or call us at (888) 587-2768 and talk to us live.
Question: How do I keep track of my listing of my system.
Answer: Every thirty (30) days you will be sent an automatic e-mail asking if you still have your system for sale and if you would like to make any changes to your listing.
Question: Is there anything else I can do to help make my system more sellable??
Answer: Yes, here are just a few suggestions!
1) An accurate description of the true configuration of your system including, calculation packages, probes, is DICOM active, printer type and current software revision. If you need help determining your true configuration give us a call and we can help get instructions on how to find this out.
2) Get a system inspection and certification to help potential buyers feel more confident about the quality of your system. This is similar to a “certified pre-owned” label often used in the automobile industry. We can give you a quote for nationally recognized service provider that can provide this for you.
3) Make sure to note if the system has been under continuous OEM warranty or independent service agreement.
WARRANTY/INSTALLATION/TRAINING FAQ’s
Question: Who do you use for service and warranty repair?
Answer: We use only the service providers that provide national coverage and offer competitive pricing. Again, you are in charge, we will offer you the various options from different providers. As always we can help with recommendations based on experience with other customers. We prefer to recommend providers that employ their own service technicians or the OEM service groups since this helps control the quality of the service provided.
Question: What about Service Contract/Warranty for my system?
Answer: Since we remain independent, we are able to offer different options for your service agreements. Whether it’s a service contract from the nation’s #1 ultrasound service group or in some cases a contract directly from the OEM manufacturer you will be in charge of which service provider you choose.
Question: Do I need an inspection/installation once my system arrives?
Answer: Many of our customers prefer to have an inspection upon arrival of their new system. We can offer this as a stand alone service or can couple it together with a Service Contract. This latter option offers additional protection at often a reduced package price.
Question: What if I need application training on my new system?
Answer: We can provide training tailored specifically to your unique system and application needs. We work together with our service providers or OEM contacts to get the best trainer for your office needs.
