Can I Sell or Trade In Used Laboratory Equipment Through Akribis Scientific Supplies?

Updated

Yes — Akribis Scientific Supplies Ltd explicitly positions itself on both sides of the market. Its home page states that it helps customers "make the most informed and effective buying and selling decisions," and it describes supplying individuals, companies and academic institutions across the globe from its base in the new and used laboratory and scientific equipment field since 2003. What the site does not publish is a self-service listing form, an instant valuation tool, or a fixed commission structure, so selling is handled by contacting the team directly rather than through an online checkout flow.

What the site confirms about selling

The available evidence supports these points:

  • Buying and selling are both offered. The wording is not limited to sales; "buying and selling decisions" is the company's own framing.
  • The customer base is broad. Individuals, companies and academic institutions are all named, so a single surplus instrument or a full lab clearance both fall within the stated audience.
  • Worldwide logistics is part of the service. The company says it offers "a complete worldwide logistics service," which matters if equipment must be collected or shipped across borders.
  • The catalogue is genuinely mixed. Listed stock includes new and pre-owned items ranging from a Thermo Scientific Trace GC Ultra with TriPlus Autosampler at £2,750.00 to small consumable-type parts such as a BUCHI metal clip at £25.00 — a spread that suggests both complete systems and spares change hands.

What is not published

The home page gives no trade-in programme name, no buy-back guarantee, no published valuation criteria, and no online "sell your equipment" form. There is a cart and checkout path for purchases, but nothing equivalent for submitting equipment. Treat any assumption about guaranteed acceptance, fixed pricing, or free collection as unconfirmed until the team responds.

How to approach a sale or trade-in

Because the process is enquiry-led, the quality of your first message largely determines how quickly you get a useful answer. A practical sequence:

  1. Inventory before you write. List each item with manufacturer, model number, and any catalogue or part number visible on the unit. The site's own listings use this pattern — for example "Masterflex L/S Digital Drive 0.001 to 566 mL/min 0.1 to 600 RPM 07522-20" — so matching that format makes your equipment easy to identify.
  2. Describe condition honestly and specifically. Note power-on status, missing accessories, cosmetic damage, service history if known, and whether original manuals or software are included. For chromatography or detection instruments, calibration and service records carry real weight.
  3. State your location and logistics constraints. Since worldwide logistics is advertised, say whether the equipment is crated, whether it can be palletised, and whether you need collection.
  4. Ask directly about the model. Ask whether they would buy outright, take the item on consignment, or offer a part-exchange against something in their current stock. These are different arrangements with different risk for you.
  5. Confirm the commercial terms in writing before releasing equipment: price or commission, who pays freight and insurance, when title transfers, and what happens if the item does not sell or fails testing on arrival.

Points worth checking before you commit

  • Who bears transit risk. For heavy items such as a water bath or rotary evaporator glassware, damage in transit is the most common dispute. Confirm insurance responsibility explicitly.
  • Testing and rejection terms. Ask what happens if the buyer's inspection finds a fault you did not know about.
  • Documentation. Retain your own photos and serial numbers before dispatch; they are your record if condition is later questioned.
  • Data-bearing instruments. If a unit contains a PC, software licence, or stored data — common with plate readers and chromatography systems — wipe or transfer data deliberately and note it.

Is it the right route for you?

Selling through a specialist dealer suits you if you want the equipment gone without managing listings, packing, and unknown buyers, and if you accept that a dealer price reflects their resale margin and testing costs. It suits you less if you need the maximum possible price and are prepared to handle marketing and shipping yourself. For a single low-value accessory, the effort of a dealer transaction may exceed the item's worth; for a working GC system or a rack reader, a specialist with an existing academic and industrial customer base is a reasonable fit.

The concrete next step is a short, itemised enquiry to the Akribis team describing what you have, its condition, and where it is — then let their response define the terms.