WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:03.920 Even if you see your electronic devices as long-term investments when you buy them, 00:00:03.920 --> 00:00:07.600 eventually they'll reach the point where they've simply outlived their usefulness, 00:00:07.600 --> 00:00:10.720 and it's time to trade them in for some cold hard cash. 00:00:10.720 --> 00:00:15.280 But how can you be sure that you're getting enough in return for it to be worth your while? 00:00:15.280 --> 00:00:18.960 First off, before you do anything else, make sure there's actually a market 00:00:18.960 --> 00:00:26.320 for whatever it is you're trying to sell. You'll probably find plenty of buyers for, say, a relatively recent iPhone that's in good condition, 00:00:26.320 --> 00:00:30.800 but on the flip side, you probably won't have much luck selling a used inkjet printer 00:00:30.800 --> 00:00:35.840 when manufacturers are actually selling brand new ones for less than the cost of the included ink, 00:00:35.840 --> 00:00:43.600 and you can learn more about why they do that up here. So I usually start by having a look around on a site like eBay to get a feel for the demand 00:00:43.600 --> 00:00:53.120 before wasting any more of my time and energy. This market research stage also serves to give me an idea of how much I can reasonably ask 00:00:53.120 --> 00:00:56.560 and what kinds of offers might be way too low. 00:00:56.560 --> 00:01:00.640 Remember guys, you want to check what similar items have sold for 00:01:00.640 --> 00:01:03.840 rather than getting caught up on what they are listed for. 00:01:04.560 --> 00:01:08.560 The next step after deciding you have a decent chance at finding an interested buyer 00:01:08.560 --> 00:01:15.760 is to prepare your item properly. It seems like a small thing, but you definitely have a better chance of getting top dollar 00:01:15.760 --> 00:01:19.280 if you have all the original accessories and packaging materials, 00:01:19.280 --> 00:01:23.200 and you take a few extra minutes to take clear, well-lit photos 00:01:23.200 --> 00:01:26.960 that show that the item and its accessories have been cared for. 00:01:27.520 --> 00:01:30.880 Now if you don't have the original packaging, that's not the end of the world, 00:01:30.880 --> 00:01:34.960 but it is worth trying to find something decent to box the item up in. 00:01:34.960 --> 00:01:38.720 You can sometimes order boxes for popular items like iPhones, 00:01:38.720 --> 00:01:43.680 but if it's something less common, sometimes local stores will have, for example, 00:01:43.680 --> 00:01:48.560 a motherboard box, even if it's not one that's for the same motherboard that you happen to be selling. 00:01:49.120 --> 00:01:53.200 Good packaging might not make a difference to this particular sale, by the way, 00:01:53.200 --> 00:01:57.760 but it will almost certainly help to avoid negative feedback, which could affect your next one. 00:01:57.760 --> 00:02:02.640 So once you've gotten as much packaging together as you can and cleaned up the product to the best of your ability, 00:02:02.640 --> 00:02:06.080 you want to decide where you're going to try to sell it. 00:02:06.080 --> 00:02:11.360 If you're looking to get actual cash for it, Craigslist, Facebook Marketplace, eBay, 00:02:11.360 --> 00:02:15.600 and app-based marketplaces like Letgo are obvious choices, 00:02:15.600 --> 00:02:19.200 but don't assume that they will always be the best solutions. 00:02:19.840 --> 00:02:25.920 Although these sites are fine to use, there are regional advantages to one versus another. 00:02:25.920 --> 00:02:29.920 Here in Canada, for example, nobody back east uses Craigslist, 00:02:29.920 --> 00:02:36.080 and then no one in the west uses Kijiji, and you can often get more money by listing your wares on private, 00:02:36.080 --> 00:02:41.200 specialized marketplaces that focus on one category of gadget, like photography gear. 00:02:41.200 --> 00:02:44.880 Some of these sites do charge small fees to discourage scammers, 00:02:44.880 --> 00:02:49.360 but you can often still come out ahead, especially if your stuff isn't pretty good shape. 00:02:49.360 --> 00:02:53.680 However, if you're okay with trading in your gear for gift cards at a retailer, 00:02:53.680 --> 00:02:59.360 especially useful if your stuff is damaged, do some shopping around to see who will cut you the best deal. 00:02:59.360 --> 00:03:02.880 Sites like Flipsy and Glide can quickly compare offers 00:03:02.880 --> 00:03:09.920 if you don't want to bother finding an individual to sell to, but keep in mind guys, you probably won't walk away with as much in your pocket. 00:03:09.920 --> 00:03:14.240 Kind of like how places like GameStop are notorious for lowballing the public on game 00:03:14.240 --> 00:03:18.000 trade-ins so that they can turn around and make a profit reselling them. 00:03:18.000 --> 00:03:23.040 Once you've decided to list, make sure that you not only have good photos and detailed specs, 00:03:23.040 --> 00:03:26.160 but that you're paying attention to the words that you use, 00:03:26.160 --> 00:03:29.280 because they can affect how appealing your listing sounds. 00:03:29.280 --> 00:03:33.360 Just like an online dating profile, you want to make your gadget sound attractive, 00:03:33.360 --> 00:03:39.040 so avoid words like old and consider why people might want it. 00:03:39.040 --> 00:03:46.400 Is it vintage or retro? Understanding who might want your item and using the right lingo can make a big difference if, 00:03:46.400 --> 00:03:50.240 for example, you're trying to invoke a potential buyer's sense of nostalgia. 00:03:50.240 --> 00:03:54.000 And speaking of which, consider when you should be selling. 00:03:54.000 --> 00:03:57.120 For example, if you're selling a graphics card or a CPU, 00:03:57.120 --> 00:04:01.840 I've always found that keeping an eye on the rumors of the upcoming new products 00:04:01.840 --> 00:04:06.560 and trying to get rid of my existing stuff proactively before something new replaces it 00:04:06.560 --> 00:04:09.680 allows me to recoup much more of my original cost. 00:04:10.320 --> 00:04:14.160 And if you have something that you think won't fetch too much money at the moment, 00:04:14.160 --> 00:04:20.720 you may also consider holding onto it for a while. Some items can become hard to find replacements, 00:04:20.720 --> 00:04:24.400 or even popular collector's pieces once enough time has passed, 00:04:24.400 --> 00:04:32.160 like those classic IBM Model M keyboards. Finally, selling around the holidays when people are in a buying mood is never a bad idea, 00:04:32.160 --> 00:04:36.720 especially since plenty of us have no interest in waking up at four in the morning 00:04:36.720 --> 00:04:39.920 to go into a giant Black Friday brouhaha. 00:04:40.640 --> 00:04:45.520 Not a great word, brouhaha. Thanks for watching, guys. Like, dislike, check out our other videos, and subscribe. 00:04:46.160 --> 00:04:49.120 Especially subscribe. It's the best. You'll love it. 00:04:50.560 --> 00:04:51.520 Guaranteed.