Take a look around your house. You might have a few old devices lying around you don’t use anymore.
All your old cameras, laptops, smartphones, TVs, and other electronics could earn you hundreds or even thousands of dollars. It’s never been easier to turn these unwanted devices into a tidy little sum of cash,
Between local Facebook groups, older marketplaces like Facebook and eBay, buyback platforms like Buyback Boss and Swappa, and trade-in deals, you have more options than ever for where to sell.
In this ultimate guide to selling electronics, we’ll walk you through everything you need to know to turn your clutter into cash in no time.
- Part I: Getting Ready to Sell
- Part II: Where to Sell
- Part III: The Bottom Line
Part I: Getting Ready to Sell your Electronics
1) What Are You Selling?
Begin with an inventory of what you want to sell. Go through your house, crawl spaces and attics, storage units, and office. You may have just an item or two like an old smartphone or computer.
Or maybe, you have several things like old a collection of Nintendo 64 games. If you have numerous items, it’s best to use a spreadsheet to keep track of everything.
2) Research the Value
Pricing is a challenge with selling any used items. We all want to get as much cash as possible. But many people buying used things are looking for deals. Electronics can be very tricky since there are always new models that are priced competitively. In general, the newer the electronic is and higher its original cost, the more you’re likely to get for it.
It’s best to create a price range to see what to expect for particular items. You can check the value of used smartphones here. And you can see how much other electronics can fetch here. You might also want to look at other sites like eBay, Craigslist, and other venues that we’ll go into more detail about later.
3) Repair or Sell As Is?
This is one of the trickiest questions about selling used electronics. There’s a good chance you don’t use your old phone anymore because it has a cracked screen or a battery issue.
You’re going to have to balance the difference of whether it’s worth it to get the item repaired or sell it as is. If it’s only a minor fix and isn’t a significant convenience, then get it repaired to get more from the sale.
If it’s too costly to fix, however, sell the device as is. You’ll have to lower your price expectations accordingly.
4) Be Sure to Value Your Time
There’s a balance between taking a little extra time to get more money and then wasting too much time for just a few bucks. When selling anything, many people forget to value their time. They may drive across town to make a sale forgetting about the cost of gas and other expenses.
Find a happy middle between investing enough effort to get a good value for your electronics but not so much time that you would have been better off letting the things continue collecting dust in your basement.
5) Take Good Photos
Images are the backbone of eCommerce. The nicer the photo, the higher the conversion rate. So, make sure you use high-quality, well-lit photos. Take A little time to make sure there isn’t a flash bouncing off the screen or other issues that will make your electronics appear in bad shape.
Take multiple pictures from a variety of angles so the buyers can get a more complete understanding of what they’re purchasing.
6) Create an Accurate Description
You have to be honest. You need to state what is wrong with the device if there’s a few dents or other issues, particularly if you end up selling to a retailer. Most retailers vet your electronics, so if they are not the quality you say they are, then they’ll either reject your item or change their price quote.
If you’re selling privately, you’ll still need to be honest. But you can be a little creative here with an attention-grabbing headline. By honest and say something like “Seasoned iPhone 8 Ready for a New Adventure.” This is both honest and fun, which will increase your chances of a sale.
7) Clear Out Your Data
If you’re selling anything that stores data from cameras to smartphones and tablets, be sure you clear all the data from them. Anything you leave on them could be a huge security risk, especially if there is payment information on them.
Begin by backing up important data to the cloud or a local storage drive. Then, restore the device to factory settings. If you’re selling a computer, you may also want to overwrite the hard drive. This ensures no data on it is recoverable.
Part II: Where to Sell Used Electronics
Now you’re ready to sell your electronics. Here are some of the top places you should check out. We’ll begin with buyback or trade-in services.
1) Buyback Boss
Buyback Boss is easily the best place to sell your old phone. They make it easy by creating an instant quote for your iPhone, Samsung, or Google smartphone. If you accept the quote, all you do is print out a free shipping label and send your phone to them. After inspection, they deposit cash into your PayPal account or send a check in the mail.
Buyback Boss isn’t just the best because they’re super easy to use. It’s also because they offer the highest prices. If you find a better deal, just email it to Buyback Boss and they’ll either match it or beat it! They even accept broken phones.
Finally, they give you cash. As you’ll see, some of the other options on our list only give you store credit, meaning you’ll be stuck spending your money someplace you might not want to.
2) GameStop
GameStop also has a very competitive phone trade-in program. But they really excel in games, DVDs, accessories, and more. They also offer either cash or store credit, usually for the same value. You don’t feel forced to take the store credit.
GameStop is the best spot for gamers because they include other incentives like access to game discounts, accessories, merchandise, and more. And with 5,000 locations around the US, you should be able to find one pretty close to your neighborhood.
3) Amazon
Amazon doesn’t offer the best prices for used electronics. But it does accept a much larger variety of products, including streaming devices, e-readers, Bluetooth speakers, books, and games.
Using Amazon is easy. After finding your electronic, answer a few questions about its conditions, and you’ll receive a quote. After that, you print off a shipping label and send it to Amazon. You only get store credit. But since Amazon sells everything, there’s plenty of flexibility for you.
4) Best Buy
If you have larger electronics like TVs or appliances, then Best Buy is an excellent option. They accept all kinds of products regardless of their current condition or when/where you bought them.
You can bring things to any participating Best Buy or arrange a pickup for large items for $19.99. Best Buy also doesn’t offer cash, so you’ll have to settle for store credit. Click here to see what you can get from Best Buy.
5) ecoATM
ecoATMs are now in malls and other locations around the country. The futuristic kiosk system allows you to sell your smartphone quickly. All you need to provide is your driver’s license and thumbprint.
From here, it scans your devices and generates a quote. What’s great about them is you can do this whole process and get cash in just a few minutes. There’s no sending anything in, and they have 24/7 support if you need any assistance.
Honorable Mention: Flipsy
Flipsy isn’t a trade-in site. It allows you to take a look at all the different platforms and services to see a full range of prices for your device. It then links you over to whichever offer you want to accept.
For research alone, it’s worth checking out Flipsy.
Options for Private Buyers
By now, you’ve probably noticed that some electronics are much harder to sell than others. If you’re not selling either a Samsung or Apple phone or computer, it can be much more challenging to sell your electronics. This is doubly true for older products.
In these cases, you’ll want to reach out to private buyers. The advantage is you might be able to get a better price, but you’ll have to work for it. Your best option is eBay, but you can also check out a few options.
1) eBay
eBay was the original online marketplace. It still is the best overall place to buy and sell electronics. You can sell virtually anything on the platform.
Unlike the old days, things are much more secure on the platform too. Aside from payment protection with PayPal, eBay now does a better job vetting buyers and sellers and has a variety of convenient options like Instant Selling. However, you’ll have to be satisfied with an eBay gift card instead of cash.
If you have something you can’t sell anywhere else, then eBay is a great option.
2) Facebook Groups
All local communities have Facebook groups for buying and selling everything. It’s easy to list your electronics and connect with prospective buyers. From here, you can agree on a price, meetup location, and sell.
3) Craigslist
Craigslist was the king of local selling until only a few years ago. Now with Facebook groups and other apps to better vet prospective buyers, it doesn’t quite match up. You can still list things for free on the site, so it doesn’t hurt to put up a listing.
Part III: Selling Electronics – The Bottom Line
It’s never been easier to sell your used electronics for cash. Whether you have a convenient service like Buyback Boss or trade-in a Best Buy, it’s quick and easy to dispose of old devices responsibly. Start by doing a little research and comparing between offers. Then you’ll be able to find the best value for whatever you want to sell.
Learn more about buying, selling, and recycling electronics on the Buyback Boss Blog. If you want to recycle your old electronics, this guide covers everything you need to know—including how to get some cash. We also have specific guides on how to sell tablets and phones. Learn about this and much more when you cruise on over to our blog homepage right now.
