Info Check...KNOW the Listing!

Info Check Frequently Asked Questions

Have a question that isn't covered here or just want to talk to someone about the program in general? Contact us and we can further help you.

Click on a question to have its answer displayed.

General

What is Info Check?

Info Check is a listings enhancement for the HDD Broker websites.

Info Check provides a checklist for each listing that shows how comprehensive the information within a listing is. Website users are now able to search and sort listings by their Info Check rating.

This new system will help to increase buyer confidence and motivate sellers to provide even more information about their equipment.

How are these listings different from regular ones?

Info Check rratings are applicable to all listings. As additional information is added to a listing, its Info Check rating will increase. The higher the rating, the more comprehensive the listing and the further up it will appear in certain search results on the website.

What key things do I need to make my list "info-checked"?

There are eight categories of Info Check ratings and they are:

Complete Description
Detailed Photos
Video
Complete Serial Numbers
Inspection Reports
Lien Disclosures
Titles
Service and/or Work History

How much does this cost?

Like submitting your equipment to HDD Broker, there is no cost to add Info Check details to your equipment listing. The more information available to the buyer the more confidence they will have in your equipment.

Description

What qualifies as a Complete Description?

A checkmark is awarded if the description includes a complete list of all components offered for sale including year, make, model and hours along with tallies of all included parts, tooling, pipe, etc.

Photos

How many detailed photos do I need to qualify?

A minimum of 10 photos are required in order to attain this checkmark.

What is "resolution"?

Resolution refers to how "big" a photo is and is a measure of the amount of computer screen pixels in a photo. For example, our minimum resolution is 800 x 600 pixels, meaning that the photo must measure 800 pixels wide by 600 pixels tall. Typically, the more pixels in the photo, the larger the file. Most digital cameras and even smart phones are capable of resolutions of more than 3648 x 2736 pixels!

What is the format?

HDD Broker can accept photos in most standard photo formats including JPG, TIF, PNG, BMP and GIF.

Can I submit more than the required amount?

Absolutely! The more photos you have, the better it will come across to a potential buyer. HDD Broker can host an enormous number of photographs of your listing. Be sure you take advantage of it!

What should I take pictures of - do you have a list?

A list of recommended photos is available for download from the HDD Broker website, or you can also view an excellent tutorial on taking photos for our site at http://www.hddbroker.com/en/videos/index.php

I have photos but they're in a ______ (PDF/WORD) format, can I send this to you?

While not preferred, we do have the capability of extracting photos from documents such as Microsoft Word or Adobe PDF. If you don't have the original photos, feel free to send us what you have and we'll do what we can to make it work!

Videos

What should I show in my video?

Your video should include footage of your equipment running and operating its basic functions. Just bear in mind that buyers will be looking to your video to help them feel good about the condition and capabilities of your machine so shoot your video accordingly.

What format should I send?

The most common video formats include MP4, AVI, FLV, and MOV. We should be able to convert any of these and more to useable footage for your listing.

The file size will be huge, what is the best way to send you the video?

Videos are typically very large in size and are difficult to email. If you have a video for your listing, simply get in touch with our Listings Department at listings@hddbroker.com or by phone at +1.866.960.3331/ +1.239.237.3744 and we'll talk you through uploading it to us.

Serial Numbers

What qualifies to receive a check mark for Serial Numbers?

A check mark is awarded if a full serial number has been provided for all equipment in the listing that has a serial number. Partial serial numbers are not sufficient. Here is a rough list of equipment where serial numbers are required:

Will my serial number be displayed publicly?

No. Your serial number is held on file at our offices for use in invoicing your equipment when it sells.

Should I send you a photo of the serial plate?

Sending a photo of the serial or VIN number plate of your equipment is a great idea! Doing so helps to ensure that there are no typos and the plate also includes other valuable information such as make, model and year of manufacture.

Where is my serial plate located?

The location of your serial number plate varies by equipment. If you're unsure of where to look, just give us a call and we'll talk you through finding it.

What should I do if there is no serial plate?

If your equipment does not have a serial or VIN# plate, please contact our Listings Department and we'll work through the reason and options to move forward with your sale.

What kind of items do not have serial numbers?

Most pieces of equipment will typically come with a serial number of some sort. Some exceptions include tooling, certain home built pieces of equipment and certain small trailers in some states.

Inspections

Can I fill out my own inspection report?

HDD Broker highly recommends that your equipment inspection be carried out by a qualified mechanic from an independent third party company. These inspections carry the most value for potential buyers. However, in the case where the services of a third party company are not available or are not cost-effective, we do accept condition reports directly from the seller, provided it was carried out by a qualified mechanic. The inspection reports for these listings will be flagged with a disclaimer informing potential buyers of the fact that the seller supplied the inspection report.

Who can do my inspection for me?

Most buyers will require an inspection report be completed as a condition of sale, so providing one in advance can significantly speed up the sales process. Additionally, providing an independent assessment of the equipment's condition helps buyers feel more comfortable with your offering and will also help them make faster decisions about buying your listing.

How much will it cost?

Inspection reports from equipment dealerships typically range from a few hundred dollars to over a thousand depending on whether you can bring it to their dealership or whether they need to send a technician out to your facility. Consider this cost an investment in the sale of your listing.

Do I need to give them something to fill out or do you supply a form?

HDD Broker has a great Condition Report that you can download and print for the technician to fill out.

Can I supply invoices to show that maintenance has been performed on the machine to qualify that the machine has been "inspected"?

Maintenance records are different from a condition assessment. Many pieces of equipment may be very well maintained but may also have mechanical issues that need to be addressed in order to operate at their highest capability. Maintenance records are considered a separate topic for Info Check qualification.

Liens and Loans

I have a loan on my equipment. If I give you the information about who the loan is from, will it be showed publicly?

Absolutely not! We collect this information to simply make the sales process go faster. Most buyers conduct one of HDD Broker's independent Lien searches prior to committing to purchase in order to be certain that there are no liens or encumbrances against the equipment. Being up front with who has financial interest in your listing makes the whole process go much smoother. HDD Broker handles all aspects of the payout, communicating with your bank or leasing company regarding the payouts and transferring the funds directly to them at the time of purchase. It's easy!

Does HDD Broker have a template that I can sign to show the equipment loan holders or that its free and clear?

You can fill out and sign our Ownership Statement document.

Should I be concerned there is a lien on this particular piece of equipment?

In most cases, this is a perfectly normal thing. It's not often that companies elect to pay for an expensive piece of equipment with cash, and loans or leases are very common. Proper due diligence is always encouraged of all potential buyers so your honesty and upfront information will help to ensure a fast and easy transaction for all parties.

I have a blanket loan on my company. Do I still need to declare a lien on the equipment that I have for sale?

Absolutely. Liens are public information and HDD Broker contracts with an independent company that researches both specific pieces of equipment as well as the owners and their companies. Blanket liens will show up. Be sure to declare any and all outstanding debt that may relate to the sale of the equipment.

Titles

What types of equipment will have titles?

The most common types of equipment include trucks, trailers, and all other vehicles or equipment that travel on public roads.

Do I need to send you the original Title and what is the best format to send you a copy?

In most cases a digital or high quality faxed copy of your title is sufficient for our needs. Once the deal is complete, the original title will need to be signed and couriered to the new owner directly.

What do I do if I am not in possession of the title?

Most on-road equipment requires a title. In the case of a lost title, there are resources available from your local DMV that will allow you to replace the title. There are some situations where on-road equipment such as small trailers in some states do not require titles, and in that case the buyer is made aware that they will need to file for a new title if their state requires it.

Service

How many service records should I provide?

The more information you provide, the easier it will be to sell your equipment. If you keep detailed service records, sending those that pertain to the last six months should be sufficient.

Check out a sample document of the kind of service history you can submit.

Can I provide invoices of work that "needs" to be done but has yet to be performed on the equipment?

Repair estimates are always welcome, but are not considered service or work history and they are not considered inspection reports. Having said that, they are a great piece of information to pass along to a potential buyer that will undoubtedly help with them feeling more comfortable about the actual condition of the equipment. If you have a repair estimate, please be sure to pass it along to us!

Additional Questions

Can I submit the required information at any time or is there a time frame?

You can submit any of this information at any time. Obviously, the sooner you can get it to us, the sooner we can include it with your listings and the sooner we can find a potential buyer for you.

Can I have someone send the information to you if I do not have access to a device that will submit videos or photos?

Absolutely! Just be sure that they reference you as the seller and the type of equipment that it is in reference to. We'll do the rest!

Why do some listings have only a couple of checkmarks and yet show up with an Info Check rating that's higher than that?

Some listings will have certain categories of Info Check that don't apply to them. For example, tooling does not have titles, and most people would not require a lien disclosure for a backreamer. In those cases, even though the listing does not have those components of Info Check in the listing, it will not be penalized with an "X", instead getting a "not applicable" flag in our system which will count as a check as it pertains to its Info Check rating.

This chart outlines types of equipment where an Info Check category may not be applicable:

Close