Used Medical Equipment Donations and Sales

Disclaimer: At this time Oswald’s Pharmacy does not accept medical equipment donations or purchase used equipment. The purpose of this page is to assist you in finding a destination for your used medical equipment.

One of the most common questions our team members get asked is “what can I do with my old medical equipment?” Contrary to what you may have heard, you have many options at your disposal when it comes to used medical equipment.

What to do Before Selling or Donating Your Medical Equipment

You should take care of a few things before you decide to list your used medical equipment for sale or offer it as a donation.

  1. Clean it up. Donations can be rejected due to cleanliness. Buyers will stay away from buying used medical equipment if a dirty item is the featured picture.
  2. Make sure the item is in working condition. If your medical equipment isn’t in working order, it shouldn’t be sold or donated. If you are set on donating it, tell the agency what needs to be repaired—they may be able to take the item and fix it.
  3. Be sure that you won’t need the item again. The last thing you want to do is get rid of an item that you may need. Wheelchairs and other large pieces of equipment are expensive—you don’t want to be forced into another purchase because you gave away an ‘old’ transport chair.

Medical Equipment Donations

There are many organizations that will gladly take unwanted medical equipment off your hands. Try to call one of these places in your community first:

  • Local Church
  • Veteran’s Affairs Local Chapters
  • Local Hospitals or Doctors
  • Your Township Advisory Board

If one of those organizations don’t need your item, they may have more local places for you to contact. If you can’t find a local spot to donate your used medical equipment, try one of these:

Children’s Medical Equipment Donations

If you have children’s equipment, contact a local elementary school or district office. Children’s medical equipment is always in need and you should find a good home for an item in short order.

Selling Used Medical Equipment

  • eBay Put your items up for auction.
    • Pros: Large audience, visibility
    • Cons: Shipping a large box, payment issues.
  • craigslist Advertise your item for sale locally.
    • Pros: Local sales, no shipping
    • Cons: Small audience, have to arrange a place to exchange
  • Facebook Marketplace
    • Pros: Local sales, no shipping, verify buyers and sellers via Facebook profile
    • Cons: Smaller audience, Facebook has stricter policies than eBay and craigslist

If you decide to use craigslist, be sure to read their personal safety blog first.

Phone App Medical Sales

  • Offer Up App (iPhone | Android) The largest mobile marketplace. List used equipment from your phone.
  • Letgo Another large mobile marketplace.

eBay and craigslist are the best options available for selling used medical equipment. The problem with selling medical equipment is that you have to find a buyer who is looking for exactly what you’re selling (ie a person in need of a wheelchair won’t buy your crutches). Selling through one of these sites may take a bit of time.

How to Price Your Used Medical Equipment

Selling most medical equipment for a price close to what you paid is nearly impossible, so set your prices accordingly. Here’s a quick list of what percentage of the original price specific used equipment generally sells for online:

  • Wheelchairs: 33%
  • Walkers: 25%
  • Rollators: 50%
  • Crutches: 33%
  • Lift Chair: 40%
  • Mobility Scooter: 50%
  • Hospital Bed Frame: 33%

These are ballpark figures based on craigslist and eBay listings. If you don’t like these figures, I suggest starting at 50% of the purchase price, then moving it accordingly.

Used medical equipment sells for less because most manufacturer warranties become void if the product changes hands after the initial purchase. Liabilities and damages are potential issues once a piece of medical equipment has changed hands multiple times. Medical equipment items experience wear and tear just like everything else, so the older the product, the less it’s worth—keep this in mind if you’re trying to sell your old equipment!

If you have any donation or sale success stories you would like to share, be sure to send us an email. Additionally, let us know if you have experience with any great donation/resale options we missed.