How To Buy And Sell Used Equipment

Audio Foreign Office provides a secure platform for buyers and sellers to buy/sell their used audio equipment.

Please read these terms and conditions carefully. Use of this website constitutes acceptance of these terms.

Buying and selling overview

Audio Foreign Office provides a secure platform for buyers and sellers to buy/sell their used audio equipment.

We act on a consignment basis. When we find a buyer and sell your equipment we deduct our commission from the agreed selling price and after you get paid. Please consult our commission rates.

During the period of consignment on our website we need to have the exclusive sale rights, unless otherwise agreed.

Products sent to Audio Foreign Office for sale remain the property of the supplier until sold or returned.

We do not sell without seeing, assessing and testing equipment.

Each used item is carefully selected and is supplied with a 3 months warranty on most products, to give you total peace of mind. Please refer to our warranty section.

Products listed for sale will be marked as firm. Offers will not be accepted.

Audio Foreign Office will not make demonstrations of the products listed on our website.

Please be realistic regarding the asking price to ensure a more rapid sale.

Why should I consign/sell to AFO?

Buyers prefer to deal with dealers on large transactions rather than private parties. (More secure).
We specialize in selling the world's ultimate and most expensive audio gear so we know how to do it professionally.
We have a large customer base of high-end audio buyers.
Sell with the least hassle. What is your time worth? Getting your product listed for sale on multiple websites takes time. Then there is answering questions, fielding offers, negotiating, dealing with buyers back out, avoiding scammers, and finally packaging then shipping.
When you sell with Audio Foreign Office, you can sit back and let us do the work for you. We have over a decade of experience selling high-end audio equipment.

The cosmetic rating/condition of the equipment for sale is based on a very conservative rating scale as shown below:

10/10 = Mint / Perfect / Factory Fresh Appearance
9/10 = Excellent; Zero Scratches; Very Light Use; Looks Nearly New
8/10 = Very Good; Perfect Front; Minor Flaws Elsewhere
7/10 = Good; 2-3 Minor Scratches; Used but Cared For
6/10 = Fair; 1 Big or 3-4 Small Scratches; Looks used
5/10 = Average; Multiple Scratches; Looks Very Used
4/10 = Mediocre; Rough Shape Cosmetically but Works Well
3/10 = Poor; Rough Shape - Mostly Works OK
2/10 = Very Poor; AS-IS Sale
1/10 = Scrap; Parts / Repair Only

If the equipment is not at our premises (with the owner/supplier), the condition as listed is the customers estimate according to our scale (0 to 10); this can only be verified on receipt of the product in question by Audio Foreign Office. If the said Condition does not match our evaluation a change in price or removal from our website will be considered.

It is important to make a careful assessment of your product before specifying its condition.

Products on which modifications have been applied will not be accepted, except if undertaken by the manufacturer.

Shipping & Insurance (Seller Sending to AFO)

Products sent to Audio Foreign Office for sale must include insurance on the value of the agreed selling price. We strongly recommend sending your package via TNT/FedEx, UPS so it can be insured and tracked (this is especially important with heavy, fragile and more expensive items). If a package is not sent via the above-mentioned carriers, then the seller/owner accepts all the responsibility if the package is lost, stolen or damaged in transit. Audio Foreign Office is not liable for any uninsured packages.

Please do not send items to us without first obtaining a verbal or written approval.

Legal Statement

The names: Accuphase, Audio Research, Boulder, Burmester, B&W, Gryphon, Linn, Naim, and all other manufacturers listed are copyright and/or trademark of the respective companies.

Applicable Law and Place of Jurisdiction

Portuguese Law and jurisdiction shall govern any dispute arising with Audio Foreign Office. The place of arbitration is Lisbon.

Alternative dispute resolution

The EU Commission's online dispute resolution platform is available at https://ec.europa.eu/consumers/odr/

Ordering Process

If you want to buy a product you must register first on our website. Your name, contacts and location are mandatory to the process, this will insure that we can calculate the delivery charges and send the product to the right location.

Now that you have registered you will receive a confirmation email on your chosen address. This email will request you to activate your registration. Confirm so that we know that you are not a robot.

Note:
Until the buying procedure is concluded the product you chose is reserved for you. Our website does not have money transaction features implemented: those will be done through Bank wire transfer.

Now that you have completed the required formalities the time as come to choose what you want to buy. Here is how a typical transaction works:

Choose the product(s) you are interested in and click on the "Buy" button.
After you place your order, we will send you a pro forma invoice with payment details. These will include shipping costs and insurance.
After you receive the pro forma invoice you can make the payment by Bank wire transfer.
We confirm via email receipt of your funds when they arrive and we will let you know when your product will be shipped.
When your order ships you will receive an email with shipping confirmation and the tracking number for your package. Inside your package we will send you an invoice.

Further Notes:

If you prefer a local pick up at our company, please contact us.
We remain available before, during and after the sale for any support you may need.
Please leave feedback when you receive your goods.
We do not mark merchandise values below value or mark items as gifts.

Ex-demo items:

a) For EU buyers these items come with a VAT invoice, the selling price naturally includes 23% VAT.
b) For non-EU buyers the VAT tax amount included in the selling price can be deducted if the items are physically exported outside the EU, please ask us for additional information.

Level	Original packaging	No original packaging
<€1.000	15%	17,5%
€1.000 - €2.500	12,5%	15%
> €2.500	10%	12,5%

Until a product is sold no commissions are applied which means that you do not have to pay anything for the advertising of your products.

If the item does not have the original packaging, the costs associated with a required wooden crates/boxes will be charged to the supplier of the equipment, unless otherwise agreed.

If interested and you agree with these terms and conditions, please let us know by filling out the sales form and sending some recent pictures (8 pictures or more).

All pictures must be taken from the original equipment that is up for sale and they should mirror its current condition.

Audio Foreign Office will make every effort to promote the products listed on its website.

PAYMENT BY THE BUYER

All product prices and delivery charges can be paid by the following payment methods:

Bank wire transfer
Cash

Payment must be made in advance. Unless otherwise agreed.

Payments made by Wire Transfer must clear the bank before your order will be shipped. Once cleared, orders are processed and goods are dispatched.

All prices on our site are quoted in Euros. Your payment card company will perform any currency conversion.

If you transfer the payment directly into our account, please be sure to tell your bank we are to receive the full amount and that all transfer charges are to be debited to yourself, ensuring we receive the full value as stated.

RETENTION OF TITLE

Property rights shall only be transferred to the Buyer once payment has been made in full.

PAYMENT TO THE SELLER

The Seller will receive payment within 5 working days of receipt of the goods by Audio Foreign Office but only if they match the rating as described and upon inspection and audition by our team.

In case we do not agree with the rating given or general condition of the equipment Audio Foreign Office reserves the right to either renegotiate the price or return the product and void sale. In these circumstances the seller will be responsible for incurred costs and other such reasonable costs that may be incurred.

Audio Foreign Office will send through bank wire transfer the full payment for the agreed selling price to the seller minus the commission/costs. Read about commission rates.

SHIPPING TO EUROPEAN UNION COUNTRIES

Shipping costs are the responsibility of the buyer and are worked out on an individual basis and will include insurance on the value of the purchase price.

If you do not approve the shipping costs, then you have the option to cancel the order.

The contents of your order and your delivery postcode area will determine which delivery services you will be offered. Audio Foreign Office will select the most appropriate carrier for your goods.

Tracking information will be provided via email once your order has been processed. Orders are processed usually in 2 business days but can take longer during holidays or due to an unusual number of requests. Delivery time in transit is usually 1-8 business days.

Oversized and heavy items may be subject to additional shipping charges due to restrictions on weight, size, freight costs and/or carrier surcharges. Contact us for an accurate shipping quote prior to placing your order.

Goods will be dispatched after funds are cleared.

Ex-demo items come with a VAT invoice (23%).

SHIPPING TO NON-EUROPEAN UNION COUNTRIES

Audio Foreign Office is not responsible for any taxes, duties, VAT, or customs fees associated with importing your package. Please consult your country's import regulations.

For these shipments, we can only provide you with freight, insurance and export customs clearance costs.

We usually use FedEx/TNT for these shipments. They will carry goods at the nearest airport to your address.

When goods arrive at the airport in your country, our forwarder will call you in order to deal with Customs and to clear goods. Please note that you can also contract a customs broker to clear goods.

If agreed/contracted and after import customs clearance, our forwarder can deliver merchandise to your address.

We do not mark merchandise values below value or mark items as gifts.

Goods will be dispatched after funds are cleared.

For ex-demo items, the VAT tax amount included in the selling price can be deducted if the items are physically exported outside the EU, please ask us for additional information.

FORCE MAJEURE

a) Audio Foreign Office is not liable for delays in performance (incl. delivery or service) caused by circumstances beyond its reasonable control; examples include strikes, terrorist acts, war, supplier / transport / production problems, exchange fluctuations, governmental or regulatory action and natural disasters.

b) In case of force majeure, Audio Foreign Office cannot be bound to its obligations to the Buyer, and such obligations shall be suspended for the duration of the force majeure.

If your item arrives damaged during transit or is the wrong item, you can return it for a full refund. If the item is in full working order and you've changed your mind and want to send it back, we cannot accept a return. If you do not agree with our return policy, we strongly advise you not to proceed with the purchase.

We shall pay the return shipping costs if you received an incorrect or damaged item.

You should expect to receive your refund within four weeks of giving your package to the return shipper. This time period includes the transit time for us to receive your return from the shipper, the time it takes us to process your return once we receive it, and the time it takes your bank to process our refund request.

To return goods, you must firstly notify us in writing / via email.

DAMAGED MERCHANDISE

Our shipments are carefully inspected and packed before leaving our premises.

When you receive product you must inspect it for any defects or damage before signing for the product.

If you receive a package with damaged merchandise, please notify both carrier (at the delivery site) and Audio Foreign Office immediately. If not verified when delivered you must notify Audio Foreign Office within 24 hours. The customer must keep all packaging for the damaged merchandise, as carrier will pick up the package for inspection.

CONDITIONS

1) Duration of Warranty
Products listed on our website can be either ex-demo or used.

Ex-demo products will carry the full manufacturers warranty if applicable. Used products will carry 3 months warranty.

The following products will not be covered by warranty: accessories, cables, phono cartridges and vacuum tubes.

Notes:
- Our team tests all listed products.
- Please handle phono cartridges with care.
- Make sure phono cartridge problems are not due to either user error or incompatibility with your equipment.

2) Limited to the first purchaser
This warranty is for the sole benefit of the first purchaser of the covered product and is not transferable.

3) What is included in this warranty?
This warranty is limited to parts and labour.

4) What is excluded from this warranty?
This warranty does not cover:

a) Damage or defects caused by mains supply (power surge) problems;
b) Damage, defects, deterioration, malfunction or failure resulting from:
- b1) Accident, acts of nature, misuse, neglect or unauthorized product modification.
- b2) Improper installation or failure to follow instructions supplied with the product.
- b3) Repair (or alteration) or attempted repair (or alteration) by anyone not authorized by Audio Foreign Office.
c) Any product on which the serial number has been removed, defaced or modified;
d) In the event that an item cannot be repaired due to obsolescence of the product and or /parts, we cannot be responsible for the repair and we reserve the right to suspend warranty.

5) Warranty Service
Whenever a warranty service is needed you must contact us, we will require an explanation for the repair. Do not return your product without consulting and receiving approval from Audio Foreign Office, Ltd. If we decide that your product needs repair, then the product must be packed and returned to Audio Foreign Office by the customer. A returned item, for repair, must be accompanied by a written description of the problem on a Return Products Authorization (RPA paperwork) form, which must be obtained by phone or email. Your return package must include the following: a copy of your invoice, RPA form, all original packing materials, including cables, power supplies, instructions, remote controls, warranty cards, etc. After receiving the repaired equipment we will provide you with the Job Sheet on which you can see the carried out work.

Notes:
- Products will be repaired by an authorized Audio Foreign Office repair center (or manufacturer via distributor).
- Any product for repair will not be accepted without a RPA paper work that will be sent by email.
- Please follow the RPA form instructions.

6) Shipping Charges
Customers are responsible for the cost of insured shipping of the item sent to Audio Foreign Office for repair. Return shipping and insurance to the customer is also at the customers cost.

Notes:
- If you are returning any product, you should use a reputable carrier - do not use regular Post. We cannot accept responsibility for the unit while in transit to Audio Foreign Office;
- Please ensure that your equipment is insured by you during any transit or shipment for repair;
- Audio Foreign Office is not responsible for any taxes, duties, VAT, or customs fees associated with your package. Please consult your country's import regulations.