Oddball Testing Procedure

As the majority of the items you'll be working with in Oddball Testing are uncommon, there is no one overarching method to cover every device. Instead, the goal of Oddball Testing is to impart you with a logical framework as well as a toolbox of questions and processes you can use to figure out how something works and how to troubleshoot it, be it a computer, stereo system, bicycle, umbrella, car, or Crackerjack toy.

Incoming shelf

There is a shelf just outside the Oddball Testing area where incoming items go.

Evaluation

Here are some questions you should ask yourself when working with a particular item:

• What is it, and what does it do?
• How much is it worth on eBay?
• How much would it cost to ship?

How do we decide whether or not something is sold online?

Assuming that the item works or has some value as-is, the easiest way to determine whether or not something will be sold online is to estimate the final eBay value of the item and the shipping cost. If the shipping cost exceeds the final value, we probably don't want to sell it online.

What do we do with items that won't be sold online?

Items that won't be sold online can be diverted to the thrift store.

Testing

• Does it power on?
• Do all buttons, knobs, dials, ports work?
• Can you get it to do whatever it is it's designed to do?