I don’t know why it annoys me but why can’t they just say it’s used. What’s it suppose to mean 95%new? And everyone uses the term to sell things, just say it’s used in good condition or something. It’s a really annoying term when people try to say that to me.
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It doesn’t bother me that much, I know there’s usually a stigma in buying used things and they’re trying to say it’s in good condition. Although it is pretty annoying to see repeated so often. What I hate in these used item groups is people selling things near or greater than the retail price. Even right now I’m looking at someone selling a 27,000NTD camera (now used goods) for 25,000NTD. And someone a month ago was selling a used laptop for $700NTD above retail price.
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THAT drives me crazy! I often hunt on FB groups for good second hand lenses and I constantly find used gear out of warranty at a price that is above new imported goods. Wtf!
What about when they put 99999 as the price. Wtf fuck does that mean?
Usually:
If you’re using Ruten, it means that the item is out of stock - hopefully temporarily - and the seller doesn’t want to kill the ad in case he has to make a new one at a later date.
If you’re using Facebook, it’s because the seller failed to use the price field properly, or else is selling multiple items, which Facebook’s sale pages don’t handle well at all.
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The worst is the Taiwan expat groups. All these foreigners trying to sell absolute garbage for close to a new price. Never buy shit from foreigners in Taiwan unless they’re you’re buddies. I guess noobs buy the stuff since they don’t know where else to get them.
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9.5成新Chéng xīn VS 用過幾次Yòngguò jǐ cì/少用Shǎo yòng
I would choose the first one 10/10. You’re trying to make a sale after all, right?
If the buyer sees “new” in the ad, they’re more likely to think, “Oh, it’s practically new” whereas if you type “used”, the buyer thinks “Oh, it’s been used”. It’s kind of stupid because when you say it’s lightly used/95% new, it means it’s used! However, it’s all a marketing ploy.
Yeah, but how precise can one be about 95% used? How about 90%? Or 97.5%?
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It’s based on the depreciation schedule of the respective product, as specified by the tax law. For example if depreciation is over 10 years, then after 6 months it is 95% new and after a year it is 90% new.
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I think thats why I hate it, I feel like they’re being dishonest or trying to trick me using 95%new.
It makes sense, but I doubt people every thought about this when stating their things are 95% new. 
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Typical Taiwanese nonsense.
A good can be either brand new or used.
Claiming something to be “95% new” only means the seller was trying to get a price higher than he should get.
Other Taiwanese nonsense is like “下次next time”
“Sure, I will go out with you next time”
“Okay, see you next time”
It means “No, never.”
Well, there’s glass half full and half empty way of looking at things. You chose the latter 
Whenever I see anything like this, I steer clear.
Why would you buy something slightly cheaper than in a store that would include a warranty?
Out of about 20 things I have bought through fb/Ruten only one seller lied on a vintage guitar pedal he said worked even though it was 500NT.
I got the thing fixed for 1000 which means the pedal is now worth at least 3000 on ebay.
It’s just people try to sale their things in Ad. Way. Don’t care that much about 95 or 90 %. %%%…@#^^$#*
I’m not gainsaying that, Andrew, but that kind of behavior is called puffery, and in some places it’s almost a tradition (unless it’s carried too far):
I’m glad you started this thread, though, because I didn’t know about the 95-percent thing.
Glad someone else noticed this tendency. AFIK, the only accurate percentages are 100% brand new and 100% second hand. Everything else is just a way to make the arbitrary seem scientific.
‘Adoga’ also has a point. You should always double check local prices before buying from a fellow adoga. Overcharging seems frequent.
When I first arrived I checked out an apartment. I was told that there would be other viewers due to high demand. The apartment was a shithole and the other viewers comprised of two whiteys who stayed within my earshot continuously bigging the place up to a ridiculous degree. Maybe they were tenants who wanted out and had cut a deal, or one or both of them was in a relationship with the landlady. Of course it didn’t work, but perhaps it does work with enough punters to sell a lemon.
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