Should You Use An Apple Trade-In Offer?.
Although Apple releases new devices quite often, at least when it comes to phones and tablets, you can use their products for quite some time. Your Mac, MacBook, or iPad can stay useful and up-to-date for years. However, at some point you will need an update. This means that your existing device has to go somewhere.
There are several options for getting rid of your old Apple device, but Apple itself presents an interesting option in the form of their Apple Exchange Program. We will take a close look at this offer and see if it suits you.
What is Apple Trade-In?
While the details vary from country to country, Apple generally gives you credit to store your old device. You can spend this credit on anything in the Apple Store, but it’s probably better to spend it on upgrading the device you exchanged – assuming you need a similar device again.
Apple will assess the condition of your existing device and then offer you the amount of money it deems fair. Whether it will be as much as you need depends on your personal circumstances.
Apple Renewal Program
What is Apple doing with the products it sells? We are aware of two main directions.
The first has already been mentioned above. If your device is beyond repair, Apple won’t pay you anything. However, they will properly recycle your broken device and possibly save it a bit from environmental doom. So, it’s good that you didn’t just throw it in the trash.
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If your device is worthy of their exchange, Apple will repair the device and resell it for a small discount from the price of the new model. By the way, if you’re wondering if it’s worth buying a refurbished Apple product, we’ll take a closer look at the idea.
Direct Selling Brings More Money
One of the main alternatives to Apple’s official device replacement offer is to sell your old device directly to another person through a service like Craigslist. There are several good reasons for this. First, you are likely to receive a large amount of money. It will also be money that you can spend anywhere, not just in the Apple Store.
On the other hand, you have no idea how long it will take to sell your item. In addition, private selling carries its own set of risks. There is a lot of fraud and even physical danger associated with private sales.
See what prices other people are selling for similar items and compare them to Apple’s exchange deals. Then the risks of direct selling should be taken into account. Is the difference worth the money? You decide.
But Apple is safe and predictable!
While the dollar amount that Apple trade-in offers isn’t always impressive, it’s a very reliable way to get anything for your old device. Their rules are very clear, and if the condition of your device requires it, they will pay you what their rules say.
They will not rob, cheat or try to cheat. This convenience has a lot of value that can offset the less money you get from Apple compared to selling privately.
Just make sure you are actually dealing with an official Apple store and not an unauthorized third party reseller. Unless they offer a better deal.
Alternative Swap Programs
Apple isn’t the only company offering exchange programs for devices like laptops and tablets. Other companies also want to take part in this promotion. They may even be particularly interested in using Apple devices for both parts and resale.
This is not true for every country. In addition, we generally discourage you from buying a refurbished Apple device from anyone other than Apple. Mainly due to the fact that they have a tight hold on the aftermarket for their products.
However, if all you want is the best deal for your existing device and they offer cash, it is worth making some comparison shopping. If they also only offer in-store credit and don’t sell anything new that you want, the extra cash clearly won’t pay off.
However, it’s all about bottom line. It doesn’t matter to you what the company does with your old device, as long as their cold cash offer is good enough.
If the battery is Kaput, definitely replace it
Devices like the iPhone and iPad don’t really have components that can wear out in just a few years. The only component with a relatively short lifespan is the battery.
Lithium-ion batteries, which are now the standard for computing devices, are only rated for a certain number of charge cycles before they fail. Since the batteries in modern Apple devices are not user replaceable, you will be hard pressed to get a good price for a device with a worn out battery.
Since Apple is going to replace the battery during the repair anyway, they don’t care about it and will offer you the same deal anyway. This means that replacing such devices makes a lot of sense.
Consider switching your device ON
In some cases, the amount of money Apple is willing to offer you will be quite low. This may not be enough to justify abandoning a functional device that is still in good condition. So why not give your device to someone who really needs it?
Give it to the student, give it to mom. It doesn’t matter that this is not the latest or most brilliant model. There is probably someone in your life who will be immensely grateful for a used Apple device in good condition. Just remember to erase it properly first!
Why don’t you just keep it?
Do you really need to throw your device away? There are many good reasons to just keep your old Apple device, even if it is exchangeable.
- It’s a good idea to keep a spare phone in case the current one gets damaged or stolen.
- iPad can be permanently installed and connected to a power source.
- You can use iOS phones and tablets to control smart home systems or perform all sorts of useful tasks as a built-in computer. They also make good general smart devices that anyone can use to quickly browse the web or watch Netflix.
If you can find a use for your old device with a little imagination, you can use it until it runs out of power and only then hand it over to Apple for recycling.
To trade or not to trade: Summary
So, let’s break it down into a simple checklist to help you decide if Apple Trade-in is right for you. You should use the Apple Exchange Program if one of the following conditions is not met:
- You can safely and quickly sell it privately for a higher price.
- You don’t need Apple Store Credit.
- A third party offers a better deal for cash.
- You think there is someone who can use the device (and you like them enough).
- You may find a useful assignment for your old device.
Apple’s swap offer isn’t for everyone, but it’s great that this option is being offered to owners of these devices. So always keep this in mind when it comes time to update.
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