Sealed in box or open box for photo?

Howard,

That is a great looking loco. Your images do look better than the stock image.

I say open the box. Real world pictures are nice, and help to avoid any surprises when it reaches the buyer. I was recently ready to sell a caboose that was NIB. I decided to open the box for pictures and discovered one of the trucks had broken off from the frame. Glad I caught that issue before selling and shipping. I'd have been out the cost of shipping both ways and would probably have suspect the buyer of damaging the train.

Open the box.

If I was doing this (and I have), I would bench or track test it, list as nearly new, and state whatever track time it may have.  I sell things that are nearly new with less than 10 minutes of track time but it is enough to let buyer (and seller) know that the item is nearly mint and will run.  Imagine the chagrin of both if you sell a NIB item that doesn't work.

abbrail, you make a great point.  I'm leaning towards opening the boxes.  

POTRZBE - You make another good point. 

Howard, I would not open the boxes. Sealed is a big advantage in selling.

This is a great question that I have asked myself. My guess is to leave it sealed because as PTC said above many people demand that as a condition before they buy.

But, as POTRZBE states, a quick test run can avoid any after sale issues.

If we take the item out of the box for a quick test run and then repackage them at lest we know they where perfect before they went out our door. 

Absolutely... opening the box is like driving a new car off of the lot... the resale just dropped considerably.

I have the CN version of this engine. Never did figure out the Marker lamp designs on these things... the fronts on these locomotives just look odd?

I've thought about this issue, but if it's sealed, once the buyer gets it, and either finds it broken or breaks it, then sends it back, what do you do at that point?

Howard,

If a person is truly interested, they already know what they are buying. Leave the boxes sealed. You'll always receive plenty of lookie-loos not wanting to buy anything.

Everyone - Thanks for the feedback.  I really appreciate it.

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An interesting experience.  I purchased a DeWalt dw735 planer for myself one Christmas. I never got around to where I could use it.  We sold our home and moved.  I decided to put it up on eBay.  I listed it and then a thought occurred to me.  It had been in the box for years.  What if it rusted?  I never opened the box to check.  I would have taken it back but I started to think about the shipping cost.  It weighed about !00 lbs.  Also, I didn't want it to taint my rating.

Luckily, I have a friend whose son is an engineer and has set up manufacturing plants all over the world.  He's spent a lot of time in China and set up some plants there.  I called his cell to ask him his advice.  I caught him in Scotland working on a project.  I told him my plight.  He laughed and said, "If it was manufactured in the US, I'd worry, but anything from China has so much protection from rust, I wouldn't worry."  I said, "Even after years in the garage?" (Subjected to heat, humidity, and cold) He said he would be very surprised if there was a problem.  

He was right.  The guy that bought it sent me a picture of some mahogany he ran through it.  It came through with a mirror finish.  I wish I had gotten a chance to use it.

The whole thing was an educational experience.

I am not questioning that a buyer knows what they are buying, however how often have we read on this forum how NIB was DOA?  Then what is the seller to do?  How does one know that a buyer doesn't get a NIB item, runs it, has buyer's remorse, and then finds fault?  Bench testing or a few minutes of track time hurts no one unless the buyer wants to keep it NIB and never run it.  Then you can look at it thru the cellophane (if it has cellophane).

So your Dewalt planer was made in China?

I wonder when Dewalt shifted from USA to China production.

As far as your trains go:
Once you've opened the box, there is no going back.
There are plenty of people who would be more interested in purchasing an item in a sealed box. If you cannot find one of them, then consider opening the box.

A couple of examples:

A few years back I picked up a 1977 service station (Budd car) set, simply because it was in a crisp sealed box. I already had two other sets.

Years ago, a friend had a Postwar CN Alco in a sealed box. He sold it as is. The buyer decided to open the box then and there. There was a burst battery. The buyer did not ask to return it.

I would add in the description that it is untested and no returns, like buying one of those storage lockers, you are taking a chance. as a buyer I would take that into consideration before buying and adjust my offer accordingly. 

When I had a small parts business back in the 80's, i bought allot of sealed post war engines. Of course I would open them and then part them out. They were worth more in parts then whole Even if they were in sealed boxes.

There is nothing made since 2000 that should be kept in a sealed box. If your collecting modern day trains in hopes of making a bundle your not keeping up. 

The only thing I keep sealed in a box are my demons and they have a hammer and saw.

I also keep a cat sealed in a box, but I'm not entirely certain about that....

In a way, you answered your own question. Had you not opened the box, you would never have seen what a nice locomotive that Mogel is. I really don't see any current production losing value by just having the box opened.

Gilly

Burfle - I don't know what it is with you but yes, the planer was designed in Baltimore and produced in China.  DeWalt had produced some of their larger woodworking tools in China.  I have a DeWalt hybrid table saw (no longer available) with a sliding table and miter gauge, plus.  It was manufactured in China (designed in USA).  It was a great deal at the time because a comparable woodworking saw produce here would have been at least $1500 more.

Here's a video of the saw:

 http://www.finewoodworking.com...blesaw-accesory.aspx 

From a review of the planer on another site:

"Funny, I just met a tech who works for DeWalt last weekend.  He says all the engineering is done in Towson, MD, and the manufacturing is done all over the world.  Don't know about the planer.  I own a DW735, too.  I like it a lot, very satisfied with it, hope you will be, too."

quote:

Burfle - I don't know what it is with you but yes, the planer was designed in Baltimore and produced in China.  Before you start questioning things you ought to know what you are talking about. 

Huh?

I asked if your older Dewalt planer was made in China. I knew that my recent Dewalt tools were imported from China, but I thought that maybe the change was also fairly recent.  Some other brand tools I've purchased only recently moved out of the USA.

I like my Dewalt Max cordless power tools

MARKER,

  That is one pretty engine.  I have a question on the engine, how many chuffs per revolution, 2 or 4? 

Huh?

I asked if your older Dewalt planer was made in China. I knew that my recent Dewalt tools were imported from China, but I thought that maybe the change was also fairly recent.  Some other brand tools I've purchased only recently moved out of the USA.

I apologize if I misunderstood.  Yes, back around 2006-2007 (I think.) DeWalt started designing some of their larger tools and having them built in China.  I never used the planer but the table saw (see video above in previous post) has been good to me.  I have a friend that has one (which is why I bought it) and he has done some cabinet quality wood work with the saw.

I also enjoy my DeWalt cordless tools, couldn't do it without them.  Couldn't find them if they weren't yellow.

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laz1957 - I don't know.  I haven't run it, but after this thread, I think I'm going to have to run it.  I'll let you know.

Mr. Schrodinger, I presume.

laz57 - It has 2 chuffs.  AlexM posted a video of his 4 chuff conversion of a NYC version last year.

I've thought about this before for those rare postwar finds....sealed in original shipping carton...from Madison Hardware....found in attic. etc.etc

I wonder if a collector ever thought to have the box Xrayed? Buy.. it leave it sealed... and display the sealed box with the xray framed?  

MY personal preference is that if the box is still factory sealed leave it that way.  

quote:

I wonder if a collector ever thought to have the box Xrayed? Buy.. it leave it sealed... and display the sealed box with the xray framed?

I have read about xrays being done on some prewar (tin) pieces.

I have owned more than one sealed box item. I opened some and left others sealed. It really depended on what the item was, and the mood I was in.
Earlier in the thread, I mentioned purchasing a 1977 Service Station special set in a sealed box. Its still sealed. A couple of items I opened were a Postwar Lionel 415 Diesel Fueling Station and a Postwar 68 Executive Inspection car.

I also keep a cat sealed in a box, but I'm not entirely certain about that.

Werner believes you can return Erwin's cat to him now.