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Are you looking for the best places to sell used laptops?
Instead of having your old units collect dust, why not sell them?
I mean, what else could you do with your old laptops?
Unless you’re giving them away, they will only take up closet space. Then give it a year or two and it’s off to the trash bin with your laptops.
So sell them.
You could at least get a couple of bucks for something you no longer use. Then you can use the proceeds of the sale to buy another one. Talk about recouping the cost of getting a new machine.
Table of Contents
What are the best places to sell used laptops?
In this post, I’m going to share with you tips on selling used laptops.
From taking a few photos of your machines to determining the best price for it.
More importantly, I will also help you identify the best place to sell laptop.
So if you’re looking to make money off your old unit, this article can help you.
Let’s start with where to sell used laptops.
Are you ready to get rid of your old machine?
Not quite sure where to sell a laptop?
Here are 10 of the best places to do that.
1. eBay
What’s great about eBay is that it lets you sell used laptops at a fixed price or in an auction. In the latter case, interested buyers offer their best prices for your items. You, on the other hand, have the right to accept or deny any offer you receive.
Since tech products are among the top-selling categories of the website, eBay is, in my opinion, the best place to sell used laptops.
eBay has been around for more than 20 years. What’s more, it features a robust selection of computers and laptops. So people would naturally go to the website to look for stuff they need.
2. Facebook Marketplace
Looking for a site that’s more reliable than Craigslist?
Check out Facebook Marketplace. It caters to a more localized market.
And unlike Craigslist, flakers and scammers are not so prevalent in Facebook Marketplace.
In Facebook Marketplace, potential buyers can directly contact you. That way, you can deal with them without the need of an intermediary.
Plus, there are no fees when you sell on the platform.
3. Gazelle
Wondering what to expect from this site?
Gazelle is one of the leading eCommerce companies that buys and sells pre-owned laptops, computers, tablets, and smartphones.
To sell used laptops, Gazelle will inspect and certify your items. A representative will also ask you regarding the condition of your devices then make you an offer.
Should you choose to accept the offer, you just ship your old laptops and Gazelle will issue its payment.
4. Amazon Trade-In
Do you want to trade in your used laptops for a new one?
You can at Amazon Trade-In.
The online retail giant accepts many types of electronics such as cellphones and tablets.
Even if you’re not interested in trading in your used laptop, you can list it as an item for sale. All you need is a seller account then post your listing for your pre-owned device.
5. Gadget Salvation
If you’re looking to sell used laptops and other gadgets, check out Gadget Salvation.
To get started, you will need to answer a couple of questions regarding the condition of your devices up for sale. After completing the checkout form, you will receive a prepaid shipping label.
Next, you ship your used laptops, and that’s for free. Since the shipping label is prepaid, all you need is a box. Then you just drop off the package at any UPS outlet.
Gadget Salvation will pay you within 48 hours after its receipt of your package.
6. Mac Me An Offer
Want to fetch the best price for your pre-owned equipment?
You can sell used laptops at Mac Me An Offer.
Here’s how it works.
First, you fill out the seller form and provide details of your used Apple product.
Mac Me An Offer usually replies within one business day along with a formal offer.
When you accept its offer, you will receive a prepaid shipping label along with other instructions on how to ship your pre-owned devices.
7. Swappa
Check out this wonderful selling platform that lets you list your used laptops for sale.
Swappa is a marketplace that offers a platform for people to directly get in touch with one another. There’s no middleman; users can buy and sell directly with other users.
To sell used laptops in Swappa, you’ll need to create a listing for them. Each listing should have a description and pictures of the product you’re selling.
Swappa may require proof of your ownership of the items you’re selling; it’s one of the prerequisites before it approves your listing.
If you’re looking for an online platform that lets you transact directly and safely, you might want to consider using Swappa.
8. Best Buy
Wondering where to sell computers and laptops?
Check out Best Buy Trade-In. This website offers the most return for laptops.
You get two options when you transact with Best Buy. You can go to its local outlet and directly sell old laptops or you can ship your devices to a warehouse and await further processing.
So grab your pre-owned laptops. Don’t miss out on the cash when you sell them at Best Buy.
9. OfferUp
Electronic products, especially laptops, sell well at OfferUp.
Just list your pre-owned devices using the OfferUp app. Add a couple of photos and a description of the product and you’re good to go.
Then you wait for interested buyers to get in touch with you. It’s that simple.
10. Sell Laptop Back
At Sell Laptop Back, they buy old and broken laptops, phones, and tablets.
Turn your pre-owned devices into cash.
To get started, select the brand of your device. Then provide information regarding your item. Sell Laptop Back will reply with its offer and request that you send your used laptop to them.
Sell Laptop Back pays cash. Rest assured, the company will give you the best cash offer price for your unit.
Have you decided to sell used laptops?
If yes, then here are a couple of things you need to do first.
Start by preparing your items for selling. What this means is that you need to make sure you got everything that needs to go with each unit. Get the change cords, manuals, those sorts of things.
Next, check your laptops for any problems that it may have. Whether it’s a nonfunctional key or a broken USB port.
When you’re selling old laptops, please note that any damage or defect can affect the price. Nonetheless, it is important that you disclose these defects to your prospective buyer.
This next step is a very important one. You should erase every bit of personal data. You don’t want any of your sensitive files passed on to the next person who buys your computers.
So to do this, you need to back everything first before wiping your files off your laptop. Perhaps move your personal data to your new computer or just transfer them to Google Drive.
When you’ve done that, it’s now safe to erase all the contents of the hard drive. Just select the reset option that will restore everything to factory settings.
Now that you’re ready to sell used laptops, take pics.
Great photos are the magic charm of online selling.
Prospective buyers are more likely to buy an item if they see pics of it.
The clearer the photos, the better. That’s because it allows these prospective buyers to see what they’re buying. Pictures will let them assess the condition and quality of each item.
If you ask me, I would skip a product listing without a pic.
Wondering if you need a professional photographer to take these pics?
The straightforward answer is NO.
With inexpensive lighting and using the camera on your phone, you can take photos that still look like they are professionally done.
Need tips on how to take good photos?
Check out these simple pointers on how to get clear and effective photos for your listing.
1. Give your laptops a good clean.
Would you buy an old and dusty laptop?
I wouldn’t.
So for your photos, your goal is to present your laptops in the best light possible.
A good dusting will do. Give them a quick wipe as well to remove the specks and smudges.
2. Get proper lighting.
Watch out for flashes, shadows, and glares; they can ruin your shots.
Uneven light, which leads to lackluster photos, results from having a single light source.
So what’s a better alternative?
Go outdoors and seek natural light instead. This is why most photographers love to get their shots outside.
Now, if doing outdoor shots is not an available option, you can use indoor lighting.
For this, you will need two separate light sources, which should be appropriately distanced apart from each other. Ideally, you need one of each side, pointing it to the subject of the photo at a 45-degree angle.
3. Be careful when using flash.
It can cause harsh glares and shadows, which you should avoid in your pics.
So when opting for flash, use it at a distance. This allows the flash to fill in the light to the subject.
4. Pick a plain background, which contrasts with your subject.
Use a solid white or light grey background for your photos. Avoid having a patterned background, which can be distracting.
However, if the subject of the photo is white or light grey, then you shouldn’t pick the same color for its background.
Because you will want your laptops to stand out, pick a contrasting color. Use another neutral but darker color like blue.
Also, make sure to remove any clutter surrounding the subject of the photo.
As a rule, just one laptop in every pic.
However, you can include the laptop’s accessories in the photo (I’m pertaining to the accessories, which you mentioned in your listing).
5. Get up close and at a slight angle.
For the primary photo, you should show each laptop in its entirety.
But in the other pics, try to show the relevant details. Take a photo of the model number, special features, tags or labels, and any notable defect.
6. Reveal the depth of the item by shooting at a slight angle.
Taking snapshots at an angle will add depth to the subject.
Of course, you will need a couple of straight-on shots that show the pertinent details of the item.
For reference, you can place a ruler to show the scale of the smaller items or details.
7. Avoid over-editing your images.
Sure, you can crop your photos and adjust their brightness; those are harmless edit. But don’t introduce fake features, enhance the color, or cover up the defects in your images.
How to determine the value of your laptops?
Getting the right price is important when you’re selling used laptops.
You don’t want to price them too low. Especially if you’re trying to recoup the cost of buying a new computer.
On the other hand, you don’t want to price it too high; otherwise, you risk discouraging potential buyers.
It’s a careful balance.
So how should you price your used laptops?
These pointers can help.
1. Are your laptops high-performing?
When you sell an old laptop, your first consideration in determining its price is its CPU (central processing unit).
Measured in Gigahertz (GHz), the faster the CPU, the better. Which is why laptops with faster processors are more valuable.
In addition to the CPU, check the amount of RAM; the higher, the better. Also, take a look at the quality of the video card.
2. Do your laptops have a longer battery life?
Laptops with longer battery life are convenient because you can use them virtually everywhere, whether you’re in your living room or at the park.
So naturally, they are more preferred over laptops with shorter battery life.
3. Are your laptops lightweight?
The lighter the laptop, the more expensive it is. This, however, may admit a few exceptions.
Lightweight laptops are usually made of more advanced components. So check if your laptops have lighter batteries, cooler-running processors, or more expensive materials.
4. What programs do you have in your machine?
A licensed copy of a full Microsoft Office Suite pack is expensive, adding more value to your laptops.
So even if your laptops aren’t that expensive, you can ask for a higher price for them if you have licensed software products installed.
5. Scratches and defects can affect the value of your laptops.
Scratches are normal since laptops are often banged around.
But if these scratches and dents are more prominent, these defects can affect your laptops’ valuation.
The more significant the damage, the lower the price gets.
So if your laptops have a wonky charging port, nonfunctioning key, or cracked screen, you can’t expect a higher asking price for them.
Why let your old laptops just collect dust?
Make money from them.
Sell them to recoup the cost of buying a new one.
