NEW YORK, May 6, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — Radiowell, America’s leading authority on the value of used radio equipment, released more findings from its 2023 market research. The latest opinion, which was based on the analysis of thousands of used-radio transactions, ranks the best channels for government agencies to sell their used, surplus, and end-of-life radio communications equipment. The analysis reviewed transaction prices and other important factors like risk, compliance, and resources.
The below ranks selling channels from highest to lowest financial return:
1. Other government agencies
Selling equipment to other government agencies generates the highest financial return. The nearest municipality, fire district, or other agency is best suited to buy the equipment, explains Radiowell spokesperson Andrew Park. “Quite often, local agencies share the same state or county networks, so the equipment is compatible.” Moreover, the parties generally know each other, which allows for favorable terms. Shared capabilities and networks, mutual trust, and the benefits of being local, mean that government agencies should first contact a nearby agency for an offer.
- Highest return; convenient
- Generally compliant with local/state/federal radio disposition guidelines
- Indemnification available to protect selling agency from future legal liability
2. Existing radio dealer (or Radiowell)
The agency’s existing radio dealer is the second-best channel for selling used radio equipment. Dealers generally have other government clients that need the equipment – for add-ons or parts. Plus, radio dealers are generally trusted advisors, which makes working with them easier. Radiowell is also in this category as it can provide market-value compensation directly to government agencies or in conjunction with the agency’s existing radio dealer.
- Second-highest values; convenient
- Generally compliant
- Indemnification available to protect agency from future legal liability
3. Recycling companies
The third channel includes recycling and electronic waste companies. While they do not offer compensation, and may charge fees, they make the disposition process simple and compliant – thus saving resources for budget-constrained agencies. However, Radiowell cautions, if the radios are still connected to active communication networks, the agency should remove programming before sending the equipment to a recycler. Andrew Park explains, “A public safety-grade radio was engineered to survive floods and fires; a recycling company’s data destruction process for hard drives will not work for radios.”
- Convenient
- Generally compliant
- Indemnification available to protect agency from future legal liability
- Active radios must be deprogrammed prior
4. Government auctions
Finally, public government auctions, including physical and Internet-only sites, generate the lowest financial return according to Radiowell’s analysis. Park explains, “In our view, auctions erode the value of used radio equipment for a variety of factors. For starters, they lack the professional audience necessary to properly appraise equipment.” Other factors, like deadbeat bidders and double-digit percentage fees, depress already constrained values. And finally, auctions place significant risk on agencies to ensure all compliance guidelines for sold and unsold equipment are met. Park explains, “If it isn’t already obvious that selling government radios to the general public is a bad idea, the inherent limitations of auctions mean they aren’t ideal for an agency’s finances either. We recognize auctions excel in many areas, like selling confiscated property, but a radio is a niche commercial item with a specific audience.” Agencies that list their equipment in auctions are encouraged to first contact Radiowell for a no-obligation auction reserve guarantee.
- Lowest return and high risk
- Unlikely to meet all local/state/federal compliance guidelines
- No indemnification from future liability
- Consult attorney before listing equipment
- Contact Radiowell for a no-obligation auction reserve guarantee
Government agencies have many options for the disposition of their surplus radio equipment. While there will always be exceptions, we encourage government agencies to begin the disposition process by contacting nearby government agencies for an offer.
About Radiowell:
At Radiowell, our purpose is to reduce the environmental impact of decommissioned radio equipment. It began as a passion project and evolved over the last 25 years to us becoming the largest buyer of used radio equipment in America. As a conscience-driven company, we’re committed to keeping unneeded, outdated, or unwanted two-way radio equipment out of our nation’s landfills. As such, Radiowell repurposes decommissioned radio equipment for parts and donations. Interested entities may contact us to sell their surplus used radio equipment.
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SOURCE Radiowell
