Buying Solar Panels on EBay

You can get just about anything on eBay, and that includes solar panels. The market for used solar panels is growing fast as the solar industry itself grows older. Already you can find quite a variety of panels on eBay, in a variety of sizes, wattages, and prices. You will find new, used, and broken panels for sale as well.

The key to buying on eBay will be knowing what you are looking at and what you are looking for. So some research on brand names and the type of solar panels you need for your system are just two important considerations. As with any buy-sell-trade type website, finding an honest, reputable seller is just as important as finding the right product. You must be wary of sellers out to make some fast cash.

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Along those same lines, Craigslist is another possibility for finding some solar panels online. Craigslist is divided up by city or region, so you’ll likely be dealing locally, which is a good thing. Still you must be even more wary of fraudulent sellers. Be sure to get a local phone number and talk to the seller before handing out any promises or personal information. There tend to be a lot of phonies who use Craigslist, but at the same time, it doesn’t take much digging to figure out who is real and who is not.

For one, compare the prices listed on Craigslist with retail prices listed on the manufacturer’s website. Is a “new” solar panel on Craigslist ridiculously lower in price than what the supplier is asking? That’s your first clue to a fraudulent posting and should put you on your guard a bit when you call.

Before you get too scared of buying online, remember that these are the places for deals. It just requires some smart shopping. Also check into state and federal incentives for solar installations. These usually require new panels that meet certain guidelines and will probably affect how you spend your cash on eBay or Craigslist.