If you’ve got older electronic items sitting around at home that you’re no longer using, you may be sitting on a small gold mine of undiscovered cash. If you look in your drawers, how big is your collection of electronics that you haven’t touched in a while?
Declutter your home and make some money in the process. But be aware of scam websites promising to help you make a sale. We’ve researched the best places to sell your used electronics to keep you on the straight and narrow path towards cash in your pocket.
Great Sites to Sell Used Electronics
The Internet is your oyster when it comes to selling used electronics. Here’s a guide to selling your devices with trusted websites and companies. Note: these aren’t listed in any particular order.
1. Amazon
Selling your used electronics on Amazon is a fairly straight-forward process, despite how daunting it might seem at first. To begin the selling process, you need to setup a third-party seller account. You’ll provide your tax information, along with other personal details, and before long, you’ll be listing items to your heart’s.
Amazon is a huge buying platform that customers use to purchase used products, no matter the condition. Consequently, your devices don’t have to be in perfect working order when making a listing. But just make sure you specify its condition in the product description to not mislead anyone.
Bear in mind that you’ll pay a listing and final-sale fee from Amazon. However, if you plan to sell used electronics regularly, you can set-up an account that’s called Fulfilled by Amazon (FBA). This profile requires a monthly fee of $39, but you’ll receive many benefits from this service.
2. Swappa
Swappa is popular for selling used mobile devices. As the seller, you won’t pay a fee, although, you should consider PayPal fees if your mobile device sells. Buyers will pay Swappa a fee that’s based on the final sale price.
Creating a listing is easy. Begin by writing a headline and description, followed by a few questions to help buyers sift through listings easily. Swappa makes it easy to make a fair price, thanks to the bar chart that shows price fluctuations for your device over time.
You can sell a variety of devices, including smartphones, tablets, laptops, VR headsets, and smartwatches, but they do not accept Windows laptops.
3. Best Buy Trade-In Program
Best Buy makes it easy to trade in your used electronics for a Best Buy gift card. More often than not, you won’t receive as much as you would with selling your devices to a customer, but the process is instant, which is great if you don’t want the hassle of waiting.
You can also use Best Buyer’s trade-in estimator on their website to see how much money your item is worth. This is a great way to gauge how much you’ll receive to know if the Trade-In program is worth your time.
The downside of this program is that you can only receive a gift card, not cash. On the plus side, the Best Buy Trade-In Program enables you to sell a wide range of electronics, including: iPhone, iPad, laptop, cell phones, video games, camera, TV and home theater, and more.
4. Gazelle
Sell your used electronics with Gazelle if you need a quick sale and want to avoid encounters with buyers. Begin by telling Gazelle what you want to sell and it’ll estimate a price. You can then accept or decline this price. If you choose to sell your used electronics to Gazelle, you’ll then ship it to them for free. It’ll even send you the packaging.
Once Gazelle receives your device and is satisfied that the condition is consistent with your representation, they’ll pay you via PayPal, Amazon Gift Card or by check. Gazelle has also recently offered self-service kiosks where you can drop off your items to receive cash instantly. Bear in mind that this amount will be lower than what you’d normally receive, but it’s useful if you’re looking for instant cash.
5. eBay
You can’t talk about selling used items without suggesting ebay. This is a great platform for selling your used electronics, whatever condition it may be in. Even phones with broken or cracked screens. eBay is one of the biggest online marketplaces, featuring around 1.3 billion product listings on a given day.
Once you know what electronic device you want to sell, you should price your item competitively. Fortunately, eBay makes this step easy, thanks to their appraisal tool. This tool allows you to determine the trending price of a similar item according to sellers’ prices.
The marketplace offers two buying formats: auction and “buy it now”. The former is what made eBay rise to fame, as it makes items more likely to sell. This is also an effective buying format if you’re looking for a quick sale or want to sell a competitive electronic. However, you should always set a reserve price for the lowest amount you you are willing to accept for your device.
For fixed-price listings, there’s no bidding necessary. It’s convenient for the seller and doesn’t require any haggling or waiting until the auction has come to an end. But with either listing, make sure you take into account any selling fees and shipping costs when calculating your selling price.
Although eBay isn’t necessarily a selling platform for experts, you’ll need to carefully consider the product description you write for your product. This part of the listing affects your ranking in eBay searches, so think like your potential purchaser. You want to use keyphrases that people may type into the search bar. For example, if you’re selling a used iPhone 6s, you can optimize the title such as, “Used iPhone 6s 32GB, rose gold”. Details like this will set your listing apart from the competition.
6. Facebook Marketplace
Facebook Marketplace has quickly become a competitive selling platform for an array of products. Listing is fairly straightforward, especially if you already have a Facebook account. However, begin by clearing any personal information you don’t want projected to potential customers, such as your location, images, or phone number.
This can be a great platform to sell your used electronics, although some sellers take it less seriously than others, due to Facebook’s lighthearted nature. One key tip is to always list the price that you’re looking for. Buyers don’t want to be misled by a figure that will later change when they start a conversation with you. Setting it too low at the beginning can confuse buyers and goes against Facebook’s Commerce Policies.
One of the biggest bonuses of using Facebook Marketplace is that there aren’t any selling fees. Plus, you can visit the potential buyer’s profile to review any past feedback and reviews to see if they’re a serious buyer.
7. Craigslist
Craigslist has been a popular website for selling used items for years, and is a great way to sell your electronics without any fees. Before officially listing your item, research some competitors to see what they’re selling a similar electronics for. It doesn’t matter what you originally bought your device for, as prices will naturally fluctuate over time.
When selling on Craigslist, bear in mind that you’ll need to meet the seller to exchange money and goods. For your safety, we suggest meeting in a public place, or your home where the buyer has the time and opportunity to enter your property to inspect the electronic before handing over your goods.
The most difficult part of selling on Craigslist is getting buyers to trust that you’re selling what you’re promising. As such, it’s important that you provide as much information as possible—all of which must be accurate and legitimate.
Communication is key and you may need to exchange phone numbers with your seller so they can get in contact with you when arranging a place to meet.
8. GameStop Trade-In
GameStop also has a popular trade-in program that lets you trade electronics for cash—even if they’re not in working order. To do so, you’ll need to visit your local store with your items for a member of staff to assess their condition.
An employee will then offer you two options: a cash price or store credit. The latter tends to be higher value, as GameStop wants you to spend your earnings with them, but it’s great to have the option of cash, compared to Best Buy. Plus, if you’re a GameStop reward member, you’ll receive an extra 10 percent store credit for items you trade in.
We love that GameStop accepts a variety of electronics, including: smart phones, tablets, cameras, gaming accessories, headphones, and more.
9. Close5
Close5 works similarly to Facebook Marketplace and has a website and mobile app that’s designed for people who live in the same area. It’s easy to create new listings with the app and Close5’s simplicity is one of the main reasons buyers love it.
Once you find a prospective buyer, you’ll communicate with them through the app and then meet up to make a transaction. It’s then down to you and the seller how you exchange money, but most people opt for cash.
Tips for Selling Your Used Electronics
If you Google-search ‘sell used electronics’, the Internet will reveal a plethora of websites. But, we don’t recommend using any that you haven’t heard of, or that require a hefty upfront fee. The above options are the best places to sell your used electronics and are trusted by many users. Aside from choosing the website you’ll advertise your device on, here are some tips for boosting your sale.
First Impressions Matter
You should spend some time dusting off your electronics before even thinking of a sale—even if they’re not in working order. If you’re choosing a platform such as Craiglist where an interested buyer will meet you to exchange money, they’ll want to assess the device first.
Even if your electronics are in excellent working order, someone won’t give it a chance if it looks dirty and uncared for. They’ll make the assumption that it hasn’t been looked after, which could then affect its performance.
Even if you’re not meeting the buyer in person, they’ll expect a certain standard when they receive the product through the post or look at pictures of the electronic online.
Presentation is Important
As well as ensuring your device is clean for the seller, you should also carefully consider its presentation on images, too. Before taking a picture, take a look at your background and ensure there’s no clutter that could be distracting for potential buyers looking at your online listing.
Have a solid-colored background that contrasts to the items you’re selling, so people can clearly see everything. The lighting is also key to creating professional shots.
Try to Sell the Full Package
Electronics that include the original packaging, charger, and necessary cords have a better chance of selling compared to products that only include the device. For example, if you’re selling a used iPhone, ensure that it comes with the charger, box, and maybe a case or two to increase your chances of selling. Customers prefer to have all the essentials in one purchase to prevent them from having to search elsewhere.
Doing so makes your product stand-out compared to competitors and increases its value. If you haven’t got all of the cords and original packaging, expect to receive less money from a buyer.
We also recommend including any essential documentation with your used electronics, such as a manual or warranty. This will boost your sale.
Be Honest
Honesty is key. You won’t get away with lying about the condition of your electronics in the attempt of making a final sale. If you’re dishonest about your device’s condition or any other details, the sale will only come back to bite you in the end. Plus, being labeled as a liar on online platforms will damage your future reputation.
Conclusion
We hope this article helps you find a great place to sell your used electronics. Just remember, that old phone or tablet sitting in your desk drawer may be a stack of cash waiting for you to cash in. Don’t wait!
