This may not be for everyone but it is certainly my favorite. Last summer I made a couple thousand dollars doing this and it gets really easy once you get the hang of things.
First things first: What exactly should I sell?
Well, in my experience iPod touch and iPhone are the two hottest things to sell. Again, this was last summer when I did it so iPads probably also sell pretty well. I never really tried with nanos and classics because they don’t cost enough in the first place to make it worth your time. Remember that the more expensive items are better to deal with because their prices can fluctuate much more! But don’t let that that stop you. If you think you can get nanos and classics (or even shuffles) for a cheap enough price to resell, by all means, go ahead.
Next: Where to get iPods to resell?
Well there are a couple of ways to get ipods for a good enough price to resell. My personal favorite is craigslist. All you need to do is search iPod, iPod Touch, or iPad. Depending on where you live you may come across hundreds of these for sale posted within the past two days. The bigger the market, the better it is for you because people will realize they need to sell it for a lower price to get people to buy their iPods. Look through all the prices and try to find the cheaper ones. Look especially for people who are saying they need to sell asap or college students in need of money. The more desperate they are the cheaper you can get it! Another place to look is with friends, family or anyone within your community. Ask anyone and everyone you know if they or someone they know is looking to sell an ipod. Most people probably won’t find much here but its worth a try since its the easiest and most trustworthy way. The third and least likely place is eBay. Since there are so many people looking to buy ipods on eBay and its much less shady prices tend to be higher. This is actually the best place to sell because of the high prices.
Step 3: How to get the best prices?
Bargaining is a skill that might take some time to learn but if you do what i say it’s pretty easy to do. The number one rule is: always say you’ll pay less than they are offering no matter what. Even if you are more than willing to pay the price they have set its always worth trying to get it cheaper. For example, i found a 32gb iPod touch on craigslist being sold for $200 now I’m willing to pay $220-$230 because i can resell it for $250. Still, i will email or text them and tell them that I’ll pay $175 and I’ll buy it today. (Side note: i believe email or texting is the way to go because if you call them they may immediately reject your offer but text/email gives them some time to think about it and accept. again to each his own, so do what works for you!) They might respond and say $190 and boom i just saved $10! if they seem very adamant about the price then just leave it there. If you like the price take it if not don’t. Nobody wants to keep on getting pestered and when you’re dealing with strangers you don’t want to risk anything crazy happening! Also ask if it comes with a case/charger or if it has scratches, poor battery life, etc. Any of these things can get you an extra couple of dollars off and might just make you double the money. A similar approach can be used for friends and family, but eBay, again, is a totally different ball game.
#4: How to get the iPod without getting killed?
We’ve all heard of those stories of craigslist killers and similar scares of people dealing with craigslist. This is why: YOU NEVER GO TO THE PERSONS HOME OR GIVE THEM YOUR ADDRESS TO COME TO YOU! There are all kinds of creeps out there and all it takes is one to stalk and kidnap you! Instead suggest to meet at a Starbucks, coffee bean, or any other safe public areas. This way if they are weird or crazy you can just leave and never see them again.
Well now you’ve arranged a meeting at the Starbucks conveniently located an equal distance from both your houses and you spot the guy/girl who is selling their iPod. Make sure to ask to see the ipod before you give/show the money to them. Turn it on, make sure it works and play around with it to make sure all is well. Make sure to look it over very carefully and again try to bargain with them for a lower price if you notice anything wrong. Next give them the money say thank you and enjoy the rest of your coffee.
Last but not least selling that iPod and making some $$$!
Post your ipod on craigslist or eBay and wait for interest. If selling on eBay then just wait until the item sells and ship it! For more info on how to sell on eBay, see later posts or just google it for now. Once you find someone willing to buy the ipod, meet with them and pocket some cash.
5: Start again!
