Jul 20, 2020
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If you’re looking to make some quick cash, selling your old tech and other stuff online is a solid option. But depending on how you go about it, the process can be a chore.
Big marketplaces like eBay and Amazon have a ton of potential buyers, but they often charge transaction fees. You’ll have to take photos and write descriptions for every single item you want to unload, and you might wait for weeks before someone actually buys your stuff.
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Meanwhile, a number of smaller buyback websites out there try to make the process quick and hassle-free. They’ll give you a quote upfront and pay you right away after you send in your things.
Here’s how to sell fast and get the most money for your used smartphones, tablets, laptops, video games, DVDs, CDs and books.
Get your items ready for sale
No matter what site you choose, you’ll want to take a few basic steps before putting anything up for sale.
Start off by cleaning your items. Remove any dust, dirt, stickers or sticker gunk that might appear unsightly to potential buyers. This step is especially important if your site of choice requires you to take photos.
Then assess your items’ condition. Be honest: Failure to do so could result in your stuff being returned without payment and may affect your ability to sell again through the same site in the future.
You’ll often be asked to choose between categories such as:
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- Like new: Your item is in perfect working order, comes in the original packaging with all its peripherals and shows no visible signs of wear.
- Good: Your item is fully functional, comes with all its peripherals and shows some signs of wear.
- Poor: Your item is fully functional but shows significant signs of wear.
- Faulty: Your item is not fully functional and is visibly damaged.
Then you’ll want to take note of the details. For tech, that would include the make and model, the year it was purchased, the color and any special features that might be of interest to potential buyers.
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Compare online selling sites
Now that your items are ready to sell online, it’s time to see where you can sell them for the most money. That can vary, depending on the exact item you’re selling.
It’s tough to nail down average prices on huge, constantly shifting marketplaces like eBay and Amazon. Buyback sites are much easier to compare.
To find the best buyback site, we looked at Decluttr, Buyback Boss, Swopsmart and Gazelle, and compared the going rate for in-demand devices in good condition.
| Decluttr | Buyback Boss | Swopsmart | Gazelle | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apple iPhone 11 (128GB) | $433 | $365 | $352 | $299 |
| Apple iPhone X (64GB) | $277 | $245 | $252 | $216 |
| Apple iPhone 8 (128GB) | $152 | $120 | $127 | $141 |
| Samsung Galaxy S10 (128GB) | $307 | $300 | $202 | $239 |
| Samsung Galaxy S9 (64GB) | $153 | $145 | $92 | $115 |
| Samsung Galaxy Note 9 (128GB) | $216 | $200 | $157 | $169 |
| Google Pixel 4 (128GB) | $324 | $250 | $307 | $279 |
| Google Pixel 3 (128GB) | $135 | $125 | N/A | $118 |
| Google Pixel 2 (128GB) | $45 | $35 | N/A | $66 |
| Decluttr | Buyback Boss | Swopsmart | Gazelle | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apple iPad Pro 11” (2018) Wi-Fi 256GB | $460 | $455 | $504 | $407 |
| Apple iPad Air Wi-Fi (64GB) | $73 | $55 | $61 | $83 |
| Apple iPad (2018) 9.7” Wi-Fi 128GB | $145 | $95 | $117 | $117 |
Not all of the above sites offer prices for video game consoles upfront, so we’ve added Gamestop and Buyback World as alternatives.
| Decluttr | Swopsmart | Gamestop | Buyback World | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sony PS4 Pro (1TB) | $170 | $139 | $175 | $140 |
| Sony PS4 (500GB) | $110 | $103 | $100 | $90 |
| XBOX One X (1TB) | $176 | $138 | $165 | $145 |
| XBOX One S (1TB) | $100 | $78 | $95 | $80 |
| Nintendo Switch | $150 | $144 | $175 | $157 |
| Nintendo 3DS XL | $52 | $42 | $40 | $51 |
Of the services we checked out, Decluttr, Gazelle and Buyback World were the only ones that offered upfront quotes on Apple laptops.
| Decluttr | Gazelle | Buyback World | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apple MacBook Pro Core i7 2.9 15” | $800 | $773 | $685 |
| Apple MacBook Core i7 1.4 12” | $700 | $454 | N/A |
| Apple MacBook Air Core i5 1.6 13” | $540 | $328 | $210 |
Best option: Decluttr
In almost every case, the best option for selling old tech online was Decluttr. Despite being completely free, Decluttr sometimes paid up to 40%, 50% or even 60% more than its closest competitor.
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Plus, the service is easy to use and guarantees speedy payment. As soon as they receive your stuff, you’ll get paid by direct deposit or PayPal the following day.
Just type the make, model and condition of the device you want to sell into Decluttr’s website and you’ll get a quote instantly.
Decluttr also makes it simple to sell your old physical media, like BluRays, DVDs, CDs, video games and books. To see what your items are worth, just scan the barcodes using Decluttr’s free app.
When you’re ready to sell, put your stuff into a box, attach the label provided by Decluttr and drop it off at your nearest UPS outlet. Shipping is always free, no matter how large your item is.
To get started, visit the Decluttr website or download the app. Before you know it, the junk taking up room in your home will be replaced with cold, hard cash.
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Shane is a reporter for MoneyWise. He holds a bachelor’s degree in English Language & Literature from Western University and is a graduate of the Algonquin College Scriptwriting program.
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