Tech Today with Ken May
How to sell your electronic devices
Happy new year! With a new year comes new electronics, be tablets, phones, laptops or what have you. There is a much better solution than to just let those device sit around and gather dust! The more adventurous and technically inclined may wish to hack the devices into “do it yourself” projects, but for most of us, it is better to simply sell them. Well, here it is in 2016, and there’s more options than ever, and it’s very, very easy to do! Here are some of the most popular options right now.
- Auction style
EBay is the gold standard here. It is a pretty safe bet to say that if you look through the most recent completed listings, you will have a very good idea of what your device is worth on the open market. Be sure to set your buyer filters to not allow people with negative feedback to bid. You may also want to disallow new members from bidding. There is nothing more frustrating than selling your item, and having a non-paying bidder.
- Bulletin board style
Craigslist is the go to for local, community listings. Creeps and scammers abound, so you want to take every precaution. Only meet in a public place for the transaction, and only do cash. If you have larger item, craigslist may be the way to go, if you want to avoid dealing with shipping.
- Consignment style
These sites are starting to pop up now. They will pick a price, you ship it to them, the list and sell it for you. You won’t get as much as eBay, but it is less hassle. Glyde is a front runner here. You have to wait for it to sell, but don’t have to deal with the seller. I would recommend avoiding this route, and just go for eBay or a direct sale site.
- Direct sale style
This has exploded recently. Sites like Amazon Trade-In, Gazelle and Nextworth are some front runners. They will pay you up front for your device. You probably get the least amount of cash using this method, but you get paid right away, and it is done. It’s very easy to sell this way, since you can just click through a few screens to find out the value of your item. There are even mall kiosks doing this now, but their payouts are terrible.
In the end, there is a variety of options out there, so you can choose the method that your feel is right for you. It is definitely worth spending a little time checking out what you would get for you item from the various sites. I have seen pricing range by as much as $50-$100! Keep in mind that you’ll get the most value for a working device in good condition. If your device is broken, eBay may be your best bet.
