SEC/N Thoughts

"I'm sorry, but the equipment we had listed for sale is no longer available. I apologize for not removing it from the list. But is there something else I can help you with?"

If you have ever had anything to do with sourcing used equipment, you will find the above statement both familiar and irritating. Thinking you have located that "diamond in the rough" — only to find that it really doesn't exist — is very frustrating and a waste of time for buyers everywhere.

Many times, not removing previously sold equipment from an offering list is truly an oversight. However, more likely than not, it is the result of a trite marketing strategy or a company's inattention to detail, both of which should be taken as a warning to any potential buyer.

In the initial stage of SEC/N's evolvement, there was consideration given to providing a listing service to our member companies. The effort required to keep such a potentially large listing current led us to establish the listing of equipment and service needs that exists on SEC/N's Web site today. This service is free to all potential buyers, and a summary of these needs is circulated twice a week to our member companies around the world.

Marketing your own surplus equipment can involve a significant administrative effort, and it requires timely communications between all parties. Careful consideration should be given to both of these challenges before a company decides to publicly list its available assets, whether it establishes its own system, outsources the function, or both.

If the choice is to go outside, do your homework and don't treat the marketing of your equipment lightly. Ask for client references from companies you are considering listing with, along with a demography of their customers. Advertising non-existent equipment is one of the major reasons that many e-commerce and other semiconductor listing services have failed.

It only takes getting the "I'm sorry . . ." message once or twice before potential buyers take their business elsewhere.