Whether it's last year's Android phone, a digital camera, or a robotic pet, getting the price you want for your used gadgets can be a challenge. Here's how to sell your old stuff and get the best return.


Earlier this week, we detailed how to get a free iPhone upgrade by selling smart. Today, let's take a look at getting the most out of the sale of all your other, less over-hyped gadgets. Overall, it's really about keeping your stuff in good shape, finding a buyer you like, and selling at the optimal time to get the best return on your purchase. Doing this requires a little work and a bit of patience, but putting in the extra effort from the start will pay off in the end.


When to Buy (and Sell)

Step zero in selling is, naturally, buying what you're going to eventually sell, and specifically when you buy it can be important. The most obvious mistake would be to buy a product towards the end of its product cycle. Apple products are some of the most predictable (see the MacRumors Mac Buyer's Guide) but, on the whole, you can research the product cycle of just about anything. For example, Canon releases new Powershot cameras for the Photokina trade show, among others, and you can determine what will be updated based on average product lifespan and demand for the product.



If a product is in low demand you're not in good shape, in general, because you own it. It's also more likely to be replaced faster, in hopes of getting a better product to market, or be discontinued entirely (which could be a good thing, since it can sometimes cause high demand and a significant price increase, like in the case of the Sony AIBO). Other product cycles are harder to detect, like in the case of the Amazon Kindle. Looking at the Kindle's release schedule, it's hard to pinpoint a future release date. Amazon has been fairly inconsistent with its product releases. In cases where you can't easily predict the future, it's important to listen to the relevant product rumor mills to get an idea of when the next release is due.


Product release cycles are important to understand so you don't end up buying something right before it goes out of production, but also so you know when to sell your gadget. You don't necessarily want to upgrade to the newest model every time. In most cases, last year's model will do just fine. Digital SLR cameras, for example, tend to retain their value quite a bit longer than other devices. They also last longer and upgrading frequently is rarely of benefit. Laptops, however, can benefit from more frequent upgrades. Extended warranties are costly and a broken machine requires quite a bit of extra time and attention. The benefit of upgrading your laptop frequently is that you can sell it a little before the included warranty expires and potentially avoid the repair shop all together. This may sound like an expensive prospect, but if you time it right you can generally get pretty close to what you paid for the machine when it was new. In my experience, the difference is comparable to purchasing the extended warranty but you rarely—if ever—have to deal with the frustration of repairing your machine.




An alternative is to stay a few generations behind. You can buy a used laptop, for example, resell it after awhile, and then buy a used upgrade. The hit you'll take on older hardware resale is pretty minimal. Once the product cycle has moved on, hardware tends to float in a general price range that doesn't shift much for a couple of years. You can take advantage of this and upgrade on a yearly basis, since your years old laptop isn't worth much less than the generation that followed it.




So how do you track a product's release cycle?Wikipedia is an excellent source for this information. If you can find a site on the web that's already compiled predictions for your particular product, you can figure out its release schedule pretty easily with Wikipedia's help.

Proper Care


Taking care of your gadgets is vital for good resale value. This should probably go without saying, but if you don't take the proper precautions ahead of time you could end up with an accidental dent or scratch that you didn't expect to get. Even if the scratch or dent is harmless, that's not how a buyer is going to see it. In a little bit we'll look at how to deal with any damage you do incur, but first let's see what we can do to prevent it.

Full-Body Coverage


Laptops have sleeves and cameras have cases. You can put all of those things in bags. Products like the ZAGG invisibleSHIELD exists for all sorts of gadgets so you don't have to worry about keeping them contained. The important thing is to protect your purchase in some way so it'll stay resistant to scuffs and scratches (or worse). Just be sure that your protective gear is actually giving you the protection you need. For example, I purchased Apple's iPad case for—you guessed it—my iPad and kept it in my padded bag. I'm not sure what caused the damage, but I recently discovered a dent in the back of the iPad. I was a little too trusting that a thin case would keep it dent free when bouncing around with other items in my backpack. Consider where your gadget is going to be when you're not using it—and what else is sharing the space—so you can adequately protect it when it's out of sight.



Strap It On


Most damage comes with use, however. To prevent accidentally dropping your new digital camera or throwing a Wiimote through your flat screen, use wrist straps. A lot of gadgets come with them and most of us don't use them because we're lazy or think they look stupid. Chances are that you're going to look a lot dumber if you break an expensive piece of technology, so get over it and strap it on. Anything you can do to avoid dropping your gear is worth doing. You can't sell something that's broken, and you'll have a much harder time with highly noticeable cosmetic damage.

In the Event of a Dent


Any time you leave something up to the buyer's imagination, it will get you into trouble. They're not going to imagine how fast your laptop is because your keyboard is superbly clean. Instead, your buyer is going to see a little nick in the casing and wonder if you managed to take care of your laptop properly. They will imagine the worst-case scenario, and you don't want that to happen. Even if it is what happened to your laptop, their imagination does not include your assurance that it won't affect the performance of your gadget. In the event you do get any accidental damage, the best approach is to both be completely honest about it and volunteer information. Don't wait for your buyer to ask—point out the imperfections and give a very quick explanation. Most people appreciate your honesty and the responsibility you take when pointing out the issues with whatever it is that you're selling.



For example, I sold a MacBook on Craigslist last year. A few months before putting it online, I was home visiting my family and we taught my Grandpa how to play Wii Sports Bowling. While these two incidents might not seem related, when Grandpa doesn't listen to instructions your MacBook can end up with a dent in the bezel. The damage could've been worse, but I pointed out the problem right away and told the story. The buyer and I ended up laughing about it and the price was left unaffected.


Preparing Your Gadget for Sale


People like a good deal, so when you're preparing to sell your gadget you should consider the little bonuses you offer. These range from keeping the packaging to make the product seem newer to including some accessories. You don't want to go overboard and look like you're offering some ridiculous bundle package (you're not a Cable provider), but a few bonuses here and there can make a big difference.

Keep the Original Materials and Keep Them Organized


If your gadget is pretty small, storing a box isn't a big deal. If you have a big workstation or television it gets a little more difficult. People generally don't care about the box when it comes to a flat screen, and you don't always need to keep absolutely everything, but if you can it can't hurt. More importantly, you want to hang on to all the manuals and materials included with your purchase. Some may be obvious, like driver discs and cables, but stickers are also a nice thing to include. Anything that makes the product feel new is a good thing to keep around. In the event you lose a driver disc, for example, one alternative is to burn the latest drivers onto a disc for your buyer. While it won't feel ideal to them (even though it really is, since it's guaranteed to be up-to-date), it's definitely better than nothing. Even if you have the driver disc already, burning a copy of the latest drivers can be an added bonus that your buyer will appreciate. It'll only take you a few minutes and cost you a fraction of a dollar, so it's worth the time and effort.



Keeping receipts for warranty purposes is also a good idea. Everyone wants the cushion of a warranty, but most buyers will accept a very limited warranty period. If you've only got a week left on your purchase, that's often enough. Not only does it give the buyer the peace of mind that they'll be okay if you're totally full of crap and sell them a dud, it also—in many cases—allows them to purchase an extended warranty if they so choose. Many receipts are vital to warranties, or at least include important information all in one place. The box of your purchase, should you choose to save it, is a great place to keep them—although you might want to put the receipt and any relevant documents in an envelope first. Home and technology blog Unplggd also has a great recommendation: mark your boxes by the date purchased and the warranty's expiration date. This is a handy way to quickly reference common information buyers want to know: when you bought the product and how long the warranty will last.


Include Accessories (But Not Too Many)

You want to save the accessories that came with your gadget, but if you picked up any extras of your own along the way you might want to consider including them. If you can use them again with your next gadget, you might want to hold on to them. If they're cheap or unusable, however, they're good items to include. People who buy used goods are looking for a deal, and if you want to try and avoid too much haggling you can offer a few freebies. If I'm selling in person (as in via Craigslist), I like to save something as a surprise. For example, if you have a case for your iPod or smartphone, you can leave that one out of the listing. When you meet with the buyer and show them the iPod, you can say "by the way I also have this case I don't need anymore, if you want it." It's a nice gesture to make, even if you're just giving them something you would have anyway. All you're doing here is subtly calling attention to your generosity, which isn't a bad thing to do when interacting with someone you've never met.


Don't Forget to Wipe!


Not everything has internal storage, but if you're selling a smartphone, laptop, or even a camera (with its memory card), you don't want to pass along your private data to the next buyer. Obviously wiping out photos on your camera is a bit different from wiping data from your laptop, so the process will vary by device. Just be sure to research what you need to do so you're not selling them more than they're expecting.

Making the Sale


Actually selling your gadget isn't too hard if you've done the necessary prep work, but you want to sell through the appropriate channel and find a good buyer that you trust and like.



Where to Sell


There are a lot of places to sell your stuff online. I tend to choose between Craigslist and Amazon. Craigslist will often net you less money, but since you're not paying fees to list and sell on Craigslist, it normally works in your favor. Amazon is really great because listing an item is not only incredibly fast, but you can just send Amazon a bunch of your stuff and they'll take care of everything for you. Amazon is fee-based, of course, but it's often worthwhile for the sheer convenience. If you're selling something pretty specific, there may be a specific site that will do a better job. For example, Etsy is great if you have vintage stuff to unload, and Chegg is great for selling textbooks. If you want to try and find a site specific to your gadget, just do a search for sell + the type of gadget you're selling and you should be able to find some options. Not all sites are going to be as obvious as you might expect. Don't overlook forums, for example. Some of the best places to sell camera-specific lenses are popular forums with a marketplace.



Creating Your Listing

When posting the ad, don't make it too long. Nobody's looking to read. Include the important information first (condition, age, warranty, etc.), and leave the stuff the buyer can skip for the end. If you're posting to Craigslist, you're better off writing only a few sentences anyway. (For more Craigslist tips, check out our seller's guide to Craigslist) Amazon will only allow you a single sentence, so you don't have a choice. Excessive length is mainly reserved for eBay listings, but I don't recommend selling on eBay these days. In my recent experience, their customer service is pretty much non-existent. This is my personal opinion, however, so take it with a grain of salt.


A Seller's Guide to Craigslist Click to viewIf you live in a city with a thriving Craigslist community, the free, popular online Read more

Regardless, wherever you're posing you should keep it short and to the point. When people ask you questions about your listing that the listing clearly covers, answer them anyway. It may be frustrating, but expect that people won't read. If you set your expectations ahead of time and keep your listing short, it won't be so annoying when you receive questions you've already answered.


Avoiding Scammers


When I was a tween and selling beanie babies on the black market (my nickname for eBay), I adopted a policy of never selling to anyone who made me uncomfortable. It was a necessity with all the weird folks who sought out the popular bean bag bear memorial to Princess Diana. There are always a handful of people willing to take advantage of you, especially if you're a nice seller. Don't act desperate or impatient, even if you are. Impatience and desperation leave you vulnerable to scammers. It's always best to take your time. In the long run it will pay off.



Scammers can be pretty easy to detect. Offers that seem too good to be true are too good to be true. If you're offered more money than you want, ignore the offer. If the buyer wants you to jump through hoops, 99% of the time they're looking to take advantage. (I say 99% of the time because I've asked a seller to jump through hoops before, and I wasn't scamming this person—honest!) Don't feel you need to respond to everything in the order it arrives, either. When responding to prospective buyers, I sort the emails by how well they're written and how much I like the writer.


This may seem kind of silly, but it really isn't. Think about how you respond to most of your emails. You probably do not respond in chronological order. Beyond responding to emails that are particularly urgent, when you have to select from a pile you're probably going to pick the message you feel like responding to first. Selling your stuff should work about the same. In fact, so should your entire life. You want to make decisions that lead to positive experiences and these little judgments on your prospective buyers have that goal in mind. This doesn't mean you shouldn't try to reply to everyone, but simply get back to the people you like first. This is not only important in having a positive selling experience, but also in avoiding scammers at the outset. Unless you're someone who finds scammers charming, they'll easily find their way to the bottom of the pile.


Bonus: Good deed of the day. It's not hard to get pretty good at spotting scammers and avoiding them, but if you have a little free time you can work a little good deed into your selling process. You may not be aware of it, but the US Government has an Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3), and other countries have similar organizations (or, you know, the police). Find a contact person at the particular organization and get their first name. Let them know you're going to send some scammers their way and tell the scammer to call you to work out the details of the sale, but give them the number of your contact at the IC3 or other organization. While it might not necessarily result in a catch, it will at least scare the crap out of the scammer.



The Transaction


Everything is building up to this moment, right? You're finally getting paid. Before you take the money and ship/hand over the product, familiarize yourself with the seller policies that are relevant to you. Amazon, for example, requires you to ship in two days and won't release funds until you provide a tracking number (or the buyer confirms delivery). If you don't have a tracking number you can actually just enter N/A and Amazon will accept it, but you nonetheless have to confirm shipment before you can get paid. Craigslist is nice because you sell on your own terms, but other sites will have explicit terms. Learn them and abide by them or you'll cause trouble for yourself.



In the case of Craigslist and sites like it, you'll find that while there are few rules for sellers, there are customs and culture you'll want to know. For example, it's generally assumed that Craigslist transactions are cash-only. It never hurts to restate this, and any other terms of your sale, but if you're okay with accepting a credit card payment through PayPal, Google Checkout, or any other online merchant service, you'll want to specify. Your sale will go much faster and more smoothly if you understand the tools you're using. Your buyers come to the table with expectations that you know the culture surrounding the site you're using, so you don't want to enter a sale unprepared.


Once you've made the sale, however, there's little else you have to do. If there's a problem later on, be gracious and helpful. I'd once sold an iPod I received for free through an Apple promotion. I never opened the iPod, so when I found out it was dead on arrival I had no way of knowing. I apologized to the buyer for the problem and offered to take it back, but made another suggestion instead. Since I had the buyer's address, I found that they lived near an Apple Store. I sent the buyer the receipt so they could make the exchange themselves and save us both some trouble. This required the buyer to make a 20 mile drive to the Apple Store, which is—as I understand it—considered far for people outside of Los Angeles, but it meant receiving a replacement faster.


The moral of the story is pretty simple: if something goes wrong, don't panic. Just consider all your options and present what you want to do as the most positive situation. Most sales will go well, but when they go wrong it gives you an opportunity to handle it well and build trust. You might be selling to them again someday, or maybe they know a friend who'd be interested in one of your listings. Mistakes are often opportunities for a better experience for the buyer than a sale that just went perfectly well. Plus, when my dud of an iPod was exchanged, the process somehow left me with a refund of two cents. I definitely didn't win the lottery, but it's always nice to turn a profit on a problem.



If you've got any great strategies for getting a good resale price on your stuff, share 'em in the comments!