£2k super duper reclining chair that never got used - what to do with it?

Loadsasaving

Hi all,

We bought a brand new G-Plan power recliner chair for my father-in-law for around £2k. Sadly he passed away and he never got a chance to use it. As there is nothing wrong with the chair and it was (so we've been told) made to order, we are unable to return it. 

Ideally we would like to recoup at least some of the cost of the chair, and ensure that it goes to someone who can make best use of it.

We are, I think, being fairly realistic in terms of what we could get for the chair, but having advertised it on social media we've had only time wasters, scammers, or people offering very low sums for it. 

We have considered donating the chair, however we struggled to afford the cost of the chair and so want to recoup at least a portion of the cost. 

What do people think would be a reasonable price?
Has anyone any suggestions about how and where we could go to sell the chair? 

Thanks all, and have a good day.

zackary71

Very sorry for your loss. My advice would be a reputable local auction house. G-Plan does very well at Auction, and it's an item that in my opinion, is much more suited to the Auction channel than eBay/Marketplace etc, especially as it would get maximum exposure through Saleroom. Downside is the commission, which could be c. 20% or more, but worth it for peace of mind.

soolin

I agree that G Plan can do well at some auction houses, but the prices seem to be for vintage collectable or iconic items. Most of the B and M houses I sue would struggle to get £200 for the chair before fees. It is definitely worth contacting a few local ones though to see what they think. 

For price suggestions look at completed sales (not listed prices) on eBay, it is very disheartening. How about something simple like asking a local centre that do day care or activities for older people if you can advertise in their notice board? 

RFW

Loadsasaving said:

Hi all,

We bought a brand new G-Plan power recliner chair for my father-in-law for around £2k. Sadly he passed away and he never got a chance to use it. As there is nothing wrong with the chair and it was (so we've been told) made to order, we are unable to return it. 

I'd echo Soolin on auctions. On a good day you'd maybe get £500 back but the likelihood is nearer the £200 Soolin mentioned but some may have customers for it.

I don't know how you've approached social media. I'd maybe try again on a local page or a little further afield with a bigger audience. Mention the time wasters and the stress it has caused you and the family.

Failing any of that, have a look for retailers of similar. If you have the invoice from the chair you may get one to give you a half decent price for it. Bear in mind that they'd likely want to sell it for the price you paid.

greyteam1959

How old is the chair ?

GDB2222

What sort of colours is the chair? That would make a difference to saleability. 

I had difficulty giving away furniture in the past, and I ended up taking perfectly usable furniture to the dump. That was secondhand, of course, whereas yours is unused.