How to sell your old iPad, and get the most money you can to put towards your new iPad!
So you've already got an iPad but have your sights set on purchasing a new iPad Air 2 or iPad mini 3. Lucky for you, iPads hold their value extremely well which means that you can fairly easily trade your old one in for some cash to put towards your new one. Whether you'd like to sell your iPad online or find someone locally to take it off your hands, we can walk you through some steps to help you get the most cash to put towards your new iPad!
The best time to sell
Keep in mind that the minute a new iPad drops, the prices for older models will most likely take a hit. This especially holds true for the last latest and greatest model. In this case, if you own a first generation iPad Air, the sooner you sell it, the better.
Preparing to sell your iPad
Before actually placing a listing for your iPad, there are a few things you should consider before starting to put for sale ads up on the internet that can help you fetch a higher price tag.
Disable Find My iPhone
iPhones and iPads with Find My iPhone enabled can not be activated by someone else unless the feature is turned off. In other words, be absolutely positive that you've disabled it before you hand your iPad over to a new owner or send it on its way via post.
If for some reason you've already sent out a device that has Activation Lock enabled, you can remotely turn it off by following this guide instead:
Before you sell your old iPad and get a new one, you need to make sure you remove all your personal data. You don't want to give the next owner access to all your old pictures, messages, accounts, and other private information, especially if it's someone you don't know personally.
iPhones and iPads hold their value rather well as long as you take care of them. If you've taken excellent care of your iPad you can probably get a little more for it than someone else who is trying to sell one with imperfections and scratches. First of all, clean it up. Make sure you remove any surface dirt and get any gunk or lint out of the corners, crevices, and ports as you can. It doesn't matter how great your iPad works if it looks like crap, you won't get the best price. This also includes removing fingerprints from the screen before taking photos. Nothing is more unattractive to buyers than seeing a device with tons of fingerprints caked on the screen. It only takes a few seconds and makes your iPad look a lot more appealing to buyers.
The key to making a quick sale is to make sure you're honest and open about the condition of your iPad. To make sure you are representing your product accurately, take high quality pictures of the actual iPad and avoid stock images at all costs. Many buyers will skip over listings that have stock images in them and only buy from sellers that include pictures of the actual device. If there are any minor scratches or nicks, photograph those too. Buyers like honest sellers and it helps build trust. Not to mention it can help you later on if someone complains, since you accurately represented the product.
Include accessories and original cables
If you've got the original cables and accessories that came with your iPad, that's a great selling point. If you have the original box it came in, that's even better. For an even quicker sale, you can include some accessories or cases you've purchased for it over time. Odds are, if you're upgrading from an older iPad, your cases won't be compatible anyways, so throw them in.
If you haven't updated iOS, don't!
There are still a lot of folks out there that like to be able to jailbreak their iPhones and iPads. If you're still running a version of iOS 7 on your iPad, leave it that way. This way the new owner can decide whether or not they want to update it. Those that want to jailbreak will specifically be looking for iPads running iOS 7 or older so advertise it as such! Updating is simple but downgrading isn't, so it only makes your iPad more appealing to a wider array of buyers.
Putting your iPad up for sale
Now that you've got all the information collected about your iPad and what accessories you want to include in the sale, it's time to actually list it sell it. There are many places online that you can utilize as well as listing sites that allow you to meet up with buyers locally. We'll cover the ones we recommend and you can decide which one is best for you personally.
We'll go over some options first that'll get you cash or credit quickly and then we'll take a look at services like Craigslist and eBay that may fetch you more for your old iPad but will require a little more patience and maybe some haggling with an actual seller.
Apple in-store trade-in program
Apple offers their own in-store trade-in program for iPads where you simply walk in and get cash for your old iPad to put towards a new one. Trade-in prices will vary depending on what country you're in, where exactly you're located, what condition your iPad is in, and what the capacity and model it is.
Keep in mind too that Apple's in-store program requires you to get a new iPad at the time of trade-in. To get accurate pricing info for your area, you'll need to visit your local Apple Store or check through the Apple Store app.
Apple will gladly buy back your old iPad and either reuse it as a refurbished unit or recycle it on your behalf through their Reuse and Recycling Program. You'll be asked a series of questions regarding the condition, capacity, and color of your iPad. It's important that you're honest because Apple will of course check that what you told them matches the actual condition once they receive it.
After Apple certifies that the iPad is in working condition they'll issue you an Apple Store gift card that you can use towards any Apple Store purchase. Currently Apple is offering $240 for a 16GB wifi only first generation iPad Air. That price seems to be the same for many iPad Air models too, but be sure to put yours in and mark the condition accurately to get a quote custom tailored to you.
Amazon, like Apple, will buy back your old iPad as well through their trade-in store. The only hitch here is that you'll be given payment in the form of an Amazon gift card. If you're looking for hard cash to put towards a new iPad purchase and you don't want to wait for Amazon to have it in stock, it may not be the best option.
If you're okay with Amazon credit, it's a pretty painless process. You'll choose the model, capacity, and color of your current iPad and add it to your trade-in. You'll then be given a shipping label and instructions. Once Amazon receives your old iPad, they'll issue you an Amazon gift card for the trade-in value. Amazon is currently offering around $240 for a base model 16GB iPad Air. If you've got a larger capacity model, the trade-in values currently exceed $400, dependent upon condition.
Gazelle offers a service that lets you easily turn most electronic devices into cash. Simply send in your iPad and Gazelle will send you money after confirming the item condition. The first thing you'll need to do is tell Gazelle what you're selling and what condition the item is in. You can choose from poor, fair, good or excellent condition, and it's important to be honest when rating the condition so there's no hiccups or snags along the way. It also helps if you have the box and original documentation and cables with your item. Also make sure you check for any water damage, as Gazelle will too once they receive the iPad.
If you've got a base model 16GB wifi only iPad Air in perfect condition, Gazelle will give you $250. If you've got a 128GB iPad Air with cellular, Gazelle is currently offering around $350 if it's in flawless condition, still a little less than you can fetch on Amazon.
SellYourMac offers a similar service to Gazelle by letting you send in your old iPad for payment with little to no hassle involved. They'll not only buy your old iPad, but any Apple gear you have laying around. This is a good option if you have other Apple products you're willing to sell besides an old iPad.
You'll be required to provide pictures along with a serial number next to your item description and condition. Once SellYourMac.com receives your iPad they clean it, inspect it and verify that it's in working condition before they turn around and sell it on eBay. Users can receive payment via Paypal if they choose as well. Currently SellYourMac is offering buybacks on iPad Air models starting at $198 for a good condition 16GB wifi only model.
mendmyi has a great buytback service in the UK called buymyi. It's the first of it's kind when it comes to buying used iPhones and iPads. While most others only let you choose whether the device is in good condition, broken, or liquid damaged, buymyi will actually price out and buy your used iPad regardless of the issue. Simply pick out a fault (or multiple faults) and buymyi instantly adjusts the price. Since at it's core, mendmyi is a repair company, it's one of the few companies that can offer this kind of service to their customers. Currently mendmyi offers buybacks for iPad 4 and older, but should have buybacks available for iPad Air owners within the next week or so.
It's a great option for iPad owners that have issues selling an imperfect iPad for a fair price elsewhere. buymyi will send out payment within 24 hours of receiving the device and they let you choose between Paypal, bank transfer, or check. The service is currently only available to UK residents but may expand to other countries in the future.
Swappa is a marketplace that allows you to quickly and easily list your iPad for sale in just a few minutes. Since prices are based on what other users are buying them for, it makes values a little more reasonable. Unlike eBay and other online listing sites, Swappa specializes in phones and tablets so anyone browsing is there for that reason. Most folks I've known to use the service have sold quickly as long as they price fairly. Currently a mint condition iPad Air on Swappa is selling anywhere from $319 to $880 depending on model.
If you don't have a problem exercising a little patience when selling your iPad, Swappa can fetch you higher prices.
If you've ever used eBay for selling things in the past then you know the selling process isn't all that tricky, however there are still some things to keep in mind when using eBay to sell your iPad. For instance, eBay charges fees for each auction based on the item you're selling and how much it sells for, among other things, so here are five quick tips to help you get the most out of your auction:
Only ship to the buyer's confirmed Paypal address if using Paypal. Price competitively, especially if you're using Buy It Now as an option. Make sure the pictures you use follow your description and are good quality - post pictures of any physical blemishes on the iPad and be up-front in your description. Use a fast shipping service and make sure you include that in your item description. People are impatient by nature so sellers that offer fast shipping tend to sell items quicker. Use keywords in your title and in your item description to attract more potential buyers. You may also want to consider insuring your item in case anything goes wrong during shipping. Watch out for low-feedback buyers and also keep in mind that Paypal charges processing fees as well. Craigslist
Craigslist allows you to list items for sale in your area so you can perform the transaction locally and face-to-face. This is a quick way to get some cash for your iPad on the spot and also an easy way to let the buyer check out the iPad in person before committing to the purchase. As long as you were honest about the condition and specifications, you should have no issue in completing a painless transaction with a buyer.
Don't ever put your personal or home address in an ad. Ever! Price your iPad competitively. A good way to do this is to find existing ads on Craigslist in your area for iPads that are the same model, capacity, and condition as yours and price accordingly. If your iPad shows up next to someone else's and yours is grossly overpriced, it won't sell. Some buyers prefer being able to text or call you immediately about an item and it may increase the likelihood of a quick sale. Having a phone number that they can reach you at is ideal. Only do this if you're comfortable with putting your phone number on the internet. This is a good time to use a Google Voice number or other forwarding number if you have one. Meet in a public place, preferably in the daytime. A coffee place like Starbucks is a good idea. It's also never a bad idea to bring a friend or relative with you. While most buyers are perfectly friendly, there are shady people out there. If the person doesn't want to meet in a public place, pass on them and wait for someone who doesn't have an issue with that. Watch out for email scams, something Craigslist is notorious for. Anyone offering to pay you a great deal more than the list price or who asks you to ship the item to a foreign country is a scammer. Delete their e-mails and correspondence immediately and wait for a legitimate buyer to come along. Sell your iPad to a friend or family member
Even you aren't willing to part with your old iPad for free, it doesn't mean friends or family members aren't interested in buying it from you. Perhaps they don't have an iPad and don't care about having the newest model available. Using this method you ensure that your old iPad finds a good home and you know the buyer isn't a scam artist.
Ask around and offer a reasonable price and you may be surprised how many of your friends or family members could be willing to snag your old iPad. Throwing in accessories such as cases can help sweeten the deal as well. I've sold many devices this way simply by posting a Facebook status.
Get more help selling your old iPad
Whether you just aren't sure which method to use, need advice on what condition you should list your iPad as, or what you should price it at, we're here to help. You can leave any questions you have about selling your old iPad in the comments below or better yet, in our iMore forums where lots of our members have years of experience selling and trading gadgets of all kinds.
One of our members may even be interested in taking your old iPad off your hands so be sure to check out our Marketplace forum as well!
So you've already got an iPad but have your sights set on purchasing a new iPad Air 2 or iPad mini 3. Lucky for you, iPads hold their value extremely well which means that you can fairly easily trade your old one in for some cash to put towards your new one. Whether you'd like to sell your iPad online or find someone locally to take it off your hands, we can walk you through some steps to help you get the most cash to put towards your new iPad!
The best time to sell
Keep in mind that the minute a new iPad drops, the prices for older models will most likely take a hit. This especially holds true for the last latest and greatest model. In this case, if you own a first generation iPad Air, the sooner you sell it, the better.
Preparing to sell your iPad
Before actually placing a listing for your iPad, there are a few things you should consider before starting to put for sale ads up on the internet that can help you fetch a higher price tag.
Disable Find My iPhone
iPhones and iPads with Find My iPhone enabled can not be activated by someone else unless the feature is turned off. In other words, be absolutely positive that you've disabled it before you hand your iPad over to a new owner or send it on its way via post.
- How to disable Find My iPhone
If for some reason you've already sent out a device that has Activation Lock enabled, you can remotely turn it off by following this guide instead:
- How to turn off Find My iPhone remotely with iCloud
Before you sell your old iPad and get a new one, you need to make sure you remove all your personal data. You don't want to give the next owner access to all your old pictures, messages, accounts, and other private information, especially if it's someone you don't know personally.
- How to wipe all personal data from iOS
iPhones and iPads hold their value rather well as long as you take care of them. If you've taken excellent care of your iPad you can probably get a little more for it than someone else who is trying to sell one with imperfections and scratches. First of all, clean it up. Make sure you remove any surface dirt and get any gunk or lint out of the corners, crevices, and ports as you can. It doesn't matter how great your iPad works if it looks like crap, you won't get the best price. This also includes removing fingerprints from the screen before taking photos. Nothing is more unattractive to buyers than seeing a device with tons of fingerprints caked on the screen. It only takes a few seconds and makes your iPad look a lot more appealing to buyers.
The key to making a quick sale is to make sure you're honest and open about the condition of your iPad. To make sure you are representing your product accurately, take high quality pictures of the actual iPad and avoid stock images at all costs. Many buyers will skip over listings that have stock images in them and only buy from sellers that include pictures of the actual device. If there are any minor scratches or nicks, photograph those too. Buyers like honest sellers and it helps build trust. Not to mention it can help you later on if someone complains, since you accurately represented the product.
Include accessories and original cables
If you've got the original cables and accessories that came with your iPad, that's a great selling point. If you have the original box it came in, that's even better. For an even quicker sale, you can include some accessories or cases you've purchased for it over time. Odds are, if you're upgrading from an older iPad, your cases won't be compatible anyways, so throw them in.
If you haven't updated iOS, don't!
There are still a lot of folks out there that like to be able to jailbreak their iPhones and iPads. If you're still running a version of iOS 7 on your iPad, leave it that way. This way the new owner can decide whether or not they want to update it. Those that want to jailbreak will specifically be looking for iPads running iOS 7 or older so advertise it as such! Updating is simple but downgrading isn't, so it only makes your iPad more appealing to a wider array of buyers.
Putting your iPad up for sale
Now that you've got all the information collected about your iPad and what accessories you want to include in the sale, it's time to actually list it sell it. There are many places online that you can utilize as well as listing sites that allow you to meet up with buyers locally. We'll cover the ones we recommend and you can decide which one is best for you personally.
We'll go over some options first that'll get you cash or credit quickly and then we'll take a look at services like Craigslist and eBay that may fetch you more for your old iPad but will require a little more patience and maybe some haggling with an actual seller.
Apple in-store trade-in program
Apple offers their own in-store trade-in program for iPads where you simply walk in and get cash for your old iPad to put towards a new one. Trade-in prices will vary depending on what country you're in, where exactly you're located, what condition your iPad is in, and what the capacity and model it is.
Keep in mind too that Apple's in-store program requires you to get a new iPad at the time of trade-in. To get accurate pricing info for your area, you'll need to visit your local Apple Store or check through the Apple Store app.
- Free - Download Now
Apple will gladly buy back your old iPad and either reuse it as a refurbished unit or recycle it on your behalf through their Reuse and Recycling Program. You'll be asked a series of questions regarding the condition, capacity, and color of your iPad. It's important that you're honest because Apple will of course check that what you told them matches the actual condition once they receive it.
After Apple certifies that the iPad is in working condition they'll issue you an Apple Store gift card that you can use towards any Apple Store purchase. Currently Apple is offering $240 for a 16GB wifi only first generation iPad Air. That price seems to be the same for many iPad Air models too, but be sure to put yours in and mark the condition accurately to get a quote custom tailored to you.
- Visit the Apple Reuse and Recycling Program
Amazon, like Apple, will buy back your old iPad as well through their trade-in store. The only hitch here is that you'll be given payment in the form of an Amazon gift card. If you're looking for hard cash to put towards a new iPad purchase and you don't want to wait for Amazon to have it in stock, it may not be the best option.
If you're okay with Amazon credit, it's a pretty painless process. You'll choose the model, capacity, and color of your current iPad and add it to your trade-in. You'll then be given a shipping label and instructions. Once Amazon receives your old iPad, they'll issue you an Amazon gift card for the trade-in value. Amazon is currently offering around $240 for a base model 16GB iPad Air. If you've got a larger capacity model, the trade-in values currently exceed $400, dependent upon condition.
- Visit the Amazon Trade-in Store
Gazelle offers a service that lets you easily turn most electronic devices into cash. Simply send in your iPad and Gazelle will send you money after confirming the item condition. The first thing you'll need to do is tell Gazelle what you're selling and what condition the item is in. You can choose from poor, fair, good or excellent condition, and it's important to be honest when rating the condition so there's no hiccups or snags along the way. It also helps if you have the box and original documentation and cables with your item. Also make sure you check for any water damage, as Gazelle will too once they receive the iPad.
If you've got a base model 16GB wifi only iPad Air in perfect condition, Gazelle will give you $250. If you've got a 128GB iPad Air with cellular, Gazelle is currently offering around $350 if it's in flawless condition, still a little less than you can fetch on Amazon.
- Visit Gazelle
SellYourMac offers a similar service to Gazelle by letting you send in your old iPad for payment with little to no hassle involved. They'll not only buy your old iPad, but any Apple gear you have laying around. This is a good option if you have other Apple products you're willing to sell besides an old iPad.
You'll be required to provide pictures along with a serial number next to your item description and condition. Once SellYourMac.com receives your iPad they clean it, inspect it and verify that it's in working condition before they turn around and sell it on eBay. Users can receive payment via Paypal if they choose as well. Currently SellYourMac is offering buybacks on iPad Air models starting at $198 for a good condition 16GB wifi only model.
- Visit SellYourMac
mendmyi has a great buytback service in the UK called buymyi. It's the first of it's kind when it comes to buying used iPhones and iPads. While most others only let you choose whether the device is in good condition, broken, or liquid damaged, buymyi will actually price out and buy your used iPad regardless of the issue. Simply pick out a fault (or multiple faults) and buymyi instantly adjusts the price. Since at it's core, mendmyi is a repair company, it's one of the few companies that can offer this kind of service to their customers. Currently mendmyi offers buybacks for iPad 4 and older, but should have buybacks available for iPad Air owners within the next week or so.
It's a great option for iPad owners that have issues selling an imperfect iPad for a fair price elsewhere. buymyi will send out payment within 24 hours of receiving the device and they let you choose between Paypal, bank transfer, or check. The service is currently only available to UK residents but may expand to other countries in the future.
- Visit buymyi
Swappa is a marketplace that allows you to quickly and easily list your iPad for sale in just a few minutes. Since prices are based on what other users are buying them for, it makes values a little more reasonable. Unlike eBay and other online listing sites, Swappa specializes in phones and tablets so anyone browsing is there for that reason. Most folks I've known to use the service have sold quickly as long as they price fairly. Currently a mint condition iPad Air on Swappa is selling anywhere from $319 to $880 depending on model.
If you don't have a problem exercising a little patience when selling your iPad, Swappa can fetch you higher prices.
- Visit Swappa
If you've ever used eBay for selling things in the past then you know the selling process isn't all that tricky, however there are still some things to keep in mind when using eBay to sell your iPad. For instance, eBay charges fees for each auction based on the item you're selling and how much it sells for, among other things, so here are five quick tips to help you get the most out of your auction:
Craigslist allows you to list items for sale in your area so you can perform the transaction locally and face-to-face. This is a quick way to get some cash for your iPad on the spot and also an easy way to let the buyer check out the iPad in person before committing to the purchase. As long as you were honest about the condition and specifications, you should have no issue in completing a painless transaction with a buyer.
Even you aren't willing to part with your old iPad for free, it doesn't mean friends or family members aren't interested in buying it from you. Perhaps they don't have an iPad and don't care about having the newest model available. Using this method you ensure that your old iPad finds a good home and you know the buyer isn't a scam artist.
Ask around and offer a reasonable price and you may be surprised how many of your friends or family members could be willing to snag your old iPad. Throwing in accessories such as cases can help sweeten the deal as well. I've sold many devices this way simply by posting a Facebook status.
Get more help selling your old iPad
Whether you just aren't sure which method to use, need advice on what condition you should list your iPad as, or what you should price it at, we're here to help. You can leave any questions you have about selling your old iPad in the comments below or better yet, in our iMore forums where lots of our members have years of experience selling and trading gadgets of all kinds.
One of our members may even be interested in taking your old iPad off your hands so be sure to check out our Marketplace forum as well!
