If have an iPad and want to get a new iPad 2, then check out our list of online companies that help you find new sellers and/or recycle your older electronics. These places include old-timers like eBay which has been around since the 90’s and newcomers like Gazelle and NextWorth. Peruse our information below and add any suggestions or personal experiences in the comments.
Note: In each of these scenarios, I am using a WiFi-only iPad with 16 GB of storage. The condition is very good with a few light scratches on the back and no dent, dings or scratches on the screen. I also assume that you have the original charging adapter and sync cable. I chose the base 16GB WiFi model as that is presumably the most popular iPad model on the market.
eBay – $425
eBay is the reigning king of auction sites. eBay is familiar to many non-tech savvy people and its international reach makes easy to sell to people across the world. eBay also owns PayPal and includes the payment service as the primary, integrated payment method. eBay does expose your iPad to a large pool of potential buyers, but the fees associated with a sale are costly. These fees include a maximum $2 insertion fee and 9.0% final value fee. If you use PayPal for the payment, then PayPal takes an extra 3% cut. Both eBay and PayPal fees total about $40-50 for a $425 sale. You lay also run into unknown buyers who don’t pay and you have the extra hassle of packaging and shipping an item. Despite these drawbacks, I have used eBay since 1999 and have been happy with the overall experience both as a buyer and a seller.
NextWorth – $255
NextWorth is a Massachusetts-based trade-in company that has partnered with retailer Target and J&R Music & Computer World in NYC. NextWorth lets you select between shipping your item to its warehouse or going to a retail store to trade-in your iPad. If you choose the shipping option, NextWorth will give you a printable shipping label for your iPad. After you print your label, you need to package the item and ship it to the company. Once NextWorth receives and inspects the item, your payment will be sent via PayPal, as a check in the mail or as Target gift card (in-store or online). Prices are locked in for 21 days when you request a quote, so you have a few weeks to ponder your decision before you send your iPad away.
Gazelle – $240 for good condition; $300 for perfect
Gazelle is a another Massachusetts-based electronics trade-in company. Gazelle provides a printable shipping label as well as a pre-paid box if you don’t mind waiting the 3-8 days for the box to arrive. Once you submit your device and receive your quote, you have 30 days to send in your item. If you live in Boston, you can swing by Gazelle’s offices on North Beacon Street to sell your items in person.
Once the item arrives at Gazelle, it is inspected and your payment is processed. Gazelle may adjust your quote based on the condition of the device. You have the option to reject Gazelle’s offer if you disagree with its assessment of the item’s condition. In this case, the device will be sent back to you. If everything is kosher, then your payment will be sent by check, PayPal, a Wal-Mart Prepaid Visa, or an Amazon.com gift card. You can also select from more than 100 approved charities that will your donation.
Best Buy – $230 Best Buy gift card; $150 check
Best Buy has a trade-in program powered by Dealtree that lets you send in an item in or bring it to a local, participating Best Buy store. Once you receive your estimate, you will be able to print a shipping label to attach to your own box or print up the estimate and bring it to a Best Buy Store. Similar to NextWorth, you have 30 days to send in your item. Payment will be made once the item is received and inspected. You can choose to receive a Best Buy Check card or a check for a lesser amount. As shown above, the check fee is fairly hefty so you may want to stick with the Best Buy card. Best Buy will sell the iPad 2 on March 11th which makes it easy to sell the old iPad and use that gift card to buy the new one.
Craigslist – $350
Craigslist is the easiest way to sell an electronic device if you don’t mind meeting face to face and communicating with prospective buyers via email. There are no fees and most payments are done in cash. The biggest drawback to Craigslist is the amount of spam you get when you list an item (no, I will not ship my iPad to Nigeria for your brother’s birthday and no, I won’t trade my iPad for a log splitter). You may also run into the occasional interested buyer who never shows up to complete the transaction. If you have patience and can deal with some potential hassles, then Craigslist is an excellent venue for selling an item.