With gadgets receiving updates every year, there might be many old phones, unused tablets and even broken electronics around your house. While we don’t know what to do with our old gadgets, those things represent unclaimed cash. The good news is, there are plenty of places that want to buy your used electronics. However, you will have to figure out which service will pay you the most for the items you’re trying to sell — to help remove the confusion, CNET is here to help you find the best service to sell electronics.
There are plenty of companies where you can sell electronics — places that’ll happily buy old fitness trackers, smartwatches, gaming consoles, laptops, digital cameras and other electronic equipment. In exchange, they’ll send you cold hard cash, often in the form of a gift card or PayPal transfer — not too shabby for that MacBook gathering dust in your closet. You can even sell your old electronics without having to visit a physical location such as a pawn shop, which is a bonus during the pandemic. And you won’t have to worry about paying for shipping or shouldering the cost of a fee, which is somewhat commonplace with services that sell electronics and old equipment.
The prices offered with trade-in programs on an old device are usually a little lower than what you could sell electronics for, but the reduced price is worth forgoing the headache of trying to sell on your own. Some places will even take broken items, of course at a much lower cost than a gadget that is still in good working order.
Read on to see the best places to sell electronics and gadgets, unless it’s one of these seven used items — those things you should probably never buy or sell.
Turn those old phones into cash.
Patrick Holland/CNET
Payment Method: Direct deposit, Paypal, or charity donation
Turnaround Time: Three to five days, depending on shipping
If you’ve never used Decluttr before, you’re in for a treat. This is one of the fastest bidding services you can use for selling a ton of different kinds of tech. Plug in your details to the form, and you’ll see a bid for your gadget in seconds. As long as it’s a bid you like, you’ll be presented with an option to complete the sale and start the shipping process. Payments are made quickly, which is why this company has one of the highest TrustPilot ratings you can find.
Payment method: Amazon gift card
Turnaround time: Two business days after Amazon receives the item
Amazon’s trade in program works a lot like its retail store. You do an easy search for an electronic item, enter any necessary details (storage, screen size and so on) and then select the device’s condition. Amazon will then make an offer for your electronic gadget and, if you accept it, provide a free shipping label for the item.
The number of items Amazon accepts spans across a wide spectrum, including video doorbells, wireless routers and other home security devices.
Once you ship the item, Amazon will inspect it to ensure the item matches your original description. If it all checks out, your Amazon account is credited with an Amazon eGift card for the offer amount. If the item is in better condition than you described, Amazon’s customer service promises to pay you more.
If you’d rather trade-in a device in person, Amazon has a list of locations, where you can take Amazon devices and select phones. Amazon states that even nonworking devices can be accepted.
The drawback? Your money is locked to your Amazon account.
Payment method: Apple Store gift card
Turnaround time: Instant if done in an Apple Store. Two to three weeks if done online
Apple’s trade-in program will take devices from a wide range of companies, not just its own. Currently, Apple will accept your laptop, smartphones, tablets, watches and “other” devices and old equipment. If the company doesn’t have a trade-in offer for your device, like iPods or AirPods, Apple will recycle it free of charge.
Apple states it will take two to three weeks to complete the online trade-in process. If you want to place your order for a new device right now, the company will credit your payment method with the trade-in value once it’s processed. Alternatively, if Apple Stores are open in your area, you can visit the store and get an instant store credit for your trade-in. It’s especially helpful with the launch of the iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 Pro.
Using Apple’s trade-in service makes sense if you’re already planning on buying a new iPhone or Mac. It’s not a worthwhile option for someone who wants to buy the latest Samsung Galaxy phone, for example.
Payment method: Best Buy gift card
Turnaround time: Instant if done in store. Seven to nine business days if mailing in an item.
Getting a quote from Best Buy is as simple as picking a product category, manufacturer, model and condition. Once you’ve filled out the questionnaire, the tool will estimate the unwanted device and give you an instant quote. The offer amount, if you choose to accept it, will only be awarded as store credit in the form of a Best Buy gift card.
The company lists just a handful of stores that don’t participate in the trade-in program.
Best Buy’s payment turnaround time is slower than other services, but the company accepts a wider variety of gadgets — matching nearly every type of electronic device it sells, including various laptop options, smartphone options, wearables, digital camera options, and video game consoles. You can trade in your gaming system, video games, and an iPhone or iPad at the same time, for example.
Watch this:
Sell your old iPhone for the most money
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Payment method: PayPal, Zelle or check
Turnaround time: Typically 72 hours after receiving your item(s), but you can pay for 24-hour turnaround.
Unlike the previous services for selling electronics online, the ItsWorthMore program will pay you through your choice of PayPal, Zelle or an old-fashioned paper check.
The process for selling electronic goods entails answering some questions about the old cell phone, tablet, Apple Watch (or other Apple device) or computer you’re selling. ItsWorthMore will then give you an offer and, if you accept it, provide you with a prepaid shipping label. During the checkout process, you can select how you want to receive your payment. You also have the option to pay $15 for two-day shipping and 24-hour processing time. Otherwise, standard shipping and a turn around target time of 72 hours. However, processing can take up to five business days.
When your device is received, ItsWorthMore will verify if the indicated working condition is accurate — that is, whether it’s in good condition, fair, broken, and so on. If there’s a discrepancy, you’ll have a chance to ask for the device back or accept the revised offer.
Old laptops shouldn’t just collect dust.
Joshua Goldman/CNET
Payment method: PayPal, direct deposit, BuyBackWorld gift card, prepaid debit card or check
Turnaround time: 48 hours after passing inspection
BuyBackWorld will buy a wide range of products including phones, tablets, iPods, cameras, game consoles, computers, headphones, drones and, well, you get the point. You can even get a custom quote for products that aren’t listed on the site.
After getting a quote and selecting how you want to be paid, send your item(s) into BuyBackWorld. Once they receive your shipment, they’ll inspect your items and you’ll get paid. If the quote is adjusted after inspection, you’ll have the option to accept the new offer or have your device returned to you.
