Microscopes are extremely expensive scientific instruments. It becomes even more so when you’re looking for high-end specialty microscopes. If you have budget concerns, here are some tips on where to look for lowest price microscopes.
Hobby Shops – There are many hobby shops and other kinds of stores in malls and cities in general selling different kinds of microscopes but none of them are sold cheap. It’s still good to visit these places however just to know how much they’re selling in the market and to determine later on if the microscopes for sale in the Internet are truly as cheap as they sound.
Forums – Join forums targeting scientists, researchers, or simply people with interests in science. Join as many as you can. There are two ways to find the answer you need from forums. Firstly, you can always start a thread. Most members will be glad to point you to the right direction. Secondly, look for the forum’s marketplace section. You might find a number of microscopes being sold there by fellow members. If you’re an active part of the forum, there’s a good chance that you know the seller and can therefore haggle for a better price.
Classifieds – Search the newspapers and Internet for classifieds. People who place ads in the classifieds are usually those who don’t have time or the interest to wait for the best price for their items and that’s why they’re counting on the classifieds’ large readership to sell off their products quickly. Call as many sellers as you can even if they’re not offering what you’re looking for. Tell them what you want and give them your contact information. Consider putting up your own ad as well and state what you’re looking for as well as your budget.
Auctions – Visit both land-based and online auction sites. For the former, it’s usually a good thing if you’re friends with the auctioneer since it could grant you the privilege of reserving desirable items. They’ll also be inclined to contact you beforehand for advanced sales. As for online auctions, browse their websites daily since items here tend to be sold quicker than you can press the bid button. Again, don’t hesitate to put up your own ad detailing your needs.
Garage Sales – While it may seem highly unlikely to find microscopes sold in garage sales, there’s still a slight possibility that you’ll find one buried amidst secondhand clothes and books and especially since you’re looking for the lowest price microscopes anyway. Nevertheless, since microscopes are quite costly, you might not waste too much time if you focus your search on garage sales held in the more upscale neighborhoods.
Online Stores – Go directly to the website of microscope manufacturers and if you’re lucky, they could be holding an inventory sale online or in the branch nearest to your area. Check out rebate and comparison shopping websites like PriceGrabber. As there are scores of stores in the Internet selling microscopes, you need to be diligent in browsing them one by one – yes, you read it right – to end up with a microscope you can afford.
Blogs – Check out the blogs of people with known interests in science. Usually, they serve as bulletin boards for all sorts of announcements in the world of science and that includes sales for microscopes and other scientific equipment. Subscribe to their email lists and RSS feeds to be constantly updated.
Laboratories – Hang out around commercial, private, and educational laboratories and befriend the people working there. Laboratories usually enjoy discounted prices because of their high volume orders. If you’re lucky, the laboratory could offer you the chance to have your order included with theirs and benefit from discounted prices as well.
Universities – The same rule applies to universities. Schools also make bulk orders so if you befriend the right people, you definitely have higher chances of getting your microscope purchase greatly discounted.
Networking – Lastly, don’t underestimate the power of networking. Get the word out about what you’re looking for. Tell everyone you know about what kind of microscope you wish to buy and how much you’re willing to pay for it. If there’s a story behind your need, tell it because people generally love drama! Sooner or later, one of your contacts will turn up with the right connections.
While the number of places where it’s possible to look for the lowest price microscopes is plentiful, not all of them will naturally yield desirable results. Sometimes, it’s a matter of luck. Other times, it’s all about the right connections and timing. Either way, work hard for it and you’ll get what you want sooner or later.
