Selling or Trading In Old Hardware
Although computers and electronics depreciate quickly, you can recoup a little bit of what you originally paid by selling your old hardware. And, in some cases, you might find that trading in old hardware towards the price of new printers or digital cameras is a better deal.
Direct Selling
- eBay exposes your items to a huge market. If you don’t want the hassle of posting the item in exchange for a smaller cut of the selling price, use one of eBay’s Trading Assistants.
- Craigslist combines the local flavor of a newspaper classified ad section with online convenience. It’s free to post and sell, but it’s strictly buyer and seller beware.
- Local shopper papers and the local newspaper. Local newspapers sometimes run ads for items under $100 at no cost.
Selling to Resellers
- Gazelle.com buys laptops, digital cameras, portable hard disks, and other electronics for resale through various outlets. Gazelle is also partnering with Costco, Wal-Mart and other retailers.
- Cash4Laptops.com specializes in buying old laptops and smartphones.
Trade-In Offers
Some major electronics resellers periodically offer trade-in deals on printers and digital cameras. Typically, you can get credit of up to $50 towards a new item – frequently more than you could get by selling your old printer or digital camera. In some cases, the item might not even need to be in working order. So, if you’re in the market for a new printer or digital camera, keep an eye out for these offers.