What do you do with your old laptops? If you’re like most, you put them aside once you’ve bought a new one with plans to organize your files and transfer them neatly to your new device. Except then you get distracted by all your shiny new laptop can do, your files don’t get organized, and the old laptop shoves into your closet to take up space.
Here’s the thing though: That laptop could be recouping some of the cost of your new machine. So why not sell it? It will also ensure that your files are transferred before the hard drive is damaged!
Nobody wants to deal with corrupted data. That’s not a good time.
Instead, check out my post to find out how easy it is to sell your used laptops – it only takes a small amount of time, taking a few photos, and visiting a few of the sites below until you determine where you find the best deal. .
The first is the first
If you have decided to sell your used laptop, you need to prepare it for sale. That means making sure you have everything that comes with it (manuals, charging cables, that sort of thing) and that you’ve assessed any issues you might have, like a broken keyboard, USB ports not working, etc. You will need to clearly disclose any damage or defects present in the machine when listing it for sale to someone else or selling it to a company like Gazelle, as these things will affect how much you can expect to receive for your used laptop. It sucks to get excited about an offer only to have the company you sold it to contact you with a revised offer because your used laptop was not as you described it.
Next, you need to delete all personal data from your used machine. Make sure you’ve backed everything up first, like organizing your files and transferring them to your new machine, or moving all your files to Google Drive. Then securely erase the hard drive and reset the device to factory settings. You can learn how to do what is necessary through Google; try searching for “how to prepare laptop to sell” to get you going.
Now that you know what you’re dealing with, let’s dive into 10 of the best places to sell your used laptop online.
where to sell
1. Gazelle
Gazelle has been around for over 10 years; you may remember that his commercials were all over television about five years ago. They’re still around and still buying people’s used devices today, as long as it’s an item you can find on their website, that is. As with similar sites, they will ask you a few questions about the condition of your used device, and then make you an offer. If you like the deal, use your free shipping to ship the device to them. Once they confirm the condition of your laptop, they will issue your payment via Paypal, check, or Amazon gift card; however, you chose to receive payment when you shipped the item to them. If they determine your item is in worse than listed condition, you will have the opportunity to review a revised offer, but you will only have five days to decline the offer and have the item returned to you free of charge.
2.eBay
Some of the best places to sell your used laptop online are those old websites that have been around for over 20 years, one of the most notable being eBay. If you click on eBay right now, you’ll find that they have a very robust section of their site dedicated to computer equipment of various types, including laptops and netbooks.
How much you can get for your used laptop depends on what you have to sell, but eBay can give you the tools to list it and promote your auction. As long as you list fewer than 50 items each month on eBay, you won’t even have to pay a listing fee; you will only be charged a 10% fee on the final value of your sale (additional charges may apply). fees, too – check the fine print).
They will also help you calculate shipping; be sure to remember to factor that into how much you want to earn on your used device. You can sell for a fixed price or put a reserve price in an auction to make sure you don’t sell your laptop for less than you want to earn.
3. Amazon
Of course, you can also sell your used items to Amazon – this retail giant dabbles in everything. They accept many types of electronics (and other used items); in some of them, you may have the opportunity to make a barter. For example, you can trade in your used Kindle, tablets, cell phones, etc.
However, even if they won’t accept your used laptop in exchange, you can put your item up for sale by setting up a seller account. Just do some research before listing your items, as there seems to be a risk of getting scammed when selling used electronics on Amazon.
4. Device of salvation
Gadget Salvation is a business based on helping you sell your used devices online and getting paid for it. The process is pretty straightforward: first get a quote by telling them what device you have and answering a few questions about its condition. They will provide you with a postage-paid shipping label to ship your used laptop to them. Be sure to pack it carefully so it doesn’t get damaged on the trip. Once they receive your item, they will test your device and assess its condition. If everything matches what you told them, they will pay you what they quoted you in 48 business hours. If they determine the condition is worse than what you stated, they will send you a revised offer. You can either accept it or request that your used laptop be returned to you (which they will do for free). If you choose to get paid, you’ll be paid via Paypal, Venmo, check, or wire transfer, whichever method you prefer.
5. Craigslist
Speaking of old times, you can also sell your used laptop through Craigslist! There are just a few important items to keep in mind. First, there’s a real-life component to this sales method: You’ll list what used item you have for sale on your local Craigslist site, and make arrangements with a prospective buyer (once you have one) to trade the used laptop for money. . What this means, secondly, is that you need to keep security in mind when setting up the sale.
Meet potential buyers in a public place and bring friends. Also, be explicit and honest about the condition of your used laptop, what accessories and components it comes with, and that you are selling it as-is. And never give out your home address to anyone you’ve met on Craigslist.
6. Let go
If you’ve watched TV commercials in recent years, you’ve seen a commercial for Let go – You have made a name for your app with your weird ads! Since its founding in 2015, LetGo’s had over 200 million listings on its app and website. Famously, all you have to do is take a picture of the item you want to sell and include it in the app – someone decides they want to buy it, and they get together to trade their used laptop for their money. You can think of LetGo as a local classified section that you find on your smartphone. You decide how much you want to sell an item for and who to sell it to. As with other sales processes that include a real-world component, make sure you are confident when meeting with a potential buyer. Interested in apps similar to LetGo? Check out OfferUp or Close5 (listed as a group of eBay classifieds).
7. Send me an offer
Are you trying to sell a Macbook or some other used Apple product? There’s a whole place for that! make me an offer is a division of macofalltrades.com, and they boast paying out over $18 million during their nearly 25 years in business. The process for selling them your used device is the same as with most others: select your used product on their site, tell them about it, get a quote, and they’ll send you a formal offer. If you agree, you can move on to the shipping part, which they pay for. They pay via Paypal or check within three business days of receiving and verifying your product. According to Flipsy, they have great reviews from people who have sold to them, make good purchase deals, and are a Google Trusted Store.
8. Facebook Marketplace
Facebook Marketplace is another great reason not to rule out selling your used laptop online to locals. If you’ve never noticed this little gem, you’ll find a link to your local Marketplace in the left-hand menu of their Facebook page. It should be near the top. Click on it and you will find all kinds of items for sale by local people. You can also easily offer your used electronics on this platform – take some photos, choose the right category, describe what you are offering and set your price. Once a buyer indicates interest in your listing, you’ll receive a Facebook message and you’ll be able to set up a meeting with them and get paid. As always, safety comes first: meet in a public place, bring friends, and don’t tell strangers on the internet where you live.
9. Swap
Swappa is a selling platform that allows you to list your used items for sale; they simply make the sales process easier for buyers browsing their platform. In order to sell your used laptop with them, you will need to create a listing with pictures and a description. Swappa reviews each listing to ensure that what you’re selling meets their quality criteria, and you’ll need to prove ownership of the item before your listing is approved. You set your own price and Swappa takes care of the payment so you get paid right away via Paypal. You then ship your item directly to the customer. The only person who seems to pay fees on Swappa is the buyer, and that fee is built into the advertised price of your used electronics.
10. Best Buy
If you’re a fan of Best Buy (you love their customer loyalty points), you can also sell them your used laptops (among other items). Visit their website and access their Exchange program via the links in the footer of your website (it’s in the Support & Services column). They’ll help you estimate the trade-in value of your old laptop: just pick the right product category for what you’re selling, tell them about the device (make, model, condition) and they’ll give you an estimate of what they’ll pay for it. You can even ship the item to them if you don’t want to walk into a physical store.
Keep in mind that you will be paid with a Best Buy gift card if you accept the trade-in. For any other questions, including a breakdown of how they rate your used laptop, check out their FAQ.
Now, grab your used laptops and start taking pictures of them. They are worth much more to you as green in your pocket than the dust gathered in your closet. Don’t miss out on some free money when you can sell your used laptop.
