Wading Through the Delusional Waters of the Used Gadget Marketplace

I peruse listings for used technology all the time and I have come to the conclusion that people who sell their gadgets this way are delusional. They list their items at retail or close to it, even when it’s obvious that there are so many other people out there trying to sell the same way. Listing your used gadget for retail is almost like not listing it at all. You might as well include “Don’t buy this” in the title of your listing. People who look for used gadgets are trying to get them for a lower price. It’s impossible to recoup the cost of what you spent in the store unless your item is still in the box and wrapped in plastic.

From time to time, I message people about devices I find interesting to see if they have any wiggle room on the price they’ve chosen. More often than not they tell me that not only is their zero wiggle room, but they would love to list it for more if they could. I believe that this buyer’s remorse could be remedied one of two ways.

First, buyers need to do more research before they go out and buy something. We have a tendency to fall in love with things based solely on what advertising and word of mouth tell us. The reasons why a device works for a person differ depending on the individual. Just because a device works for someone you know doesn’t mean that it’s going to work for you. You have to look at each device individually and pick the one that gives you the most value, not what’s most expensive or listed at the lowest price.

Second, buyers need to resist the temptation to buy the newest version of a device the moment it comes out. This approach often leads to mountains of still usable devices falling by the wayside all because their owners wanted something new. If you are able to get the newest device every year, you are more than welcome to do so. I would encourage it. Don’t expect that people are going to pay off your old device or buy it outright though. The moment the new version of a device comes out its value plummets. When you get two or three version out, you’re looking at a device with zero resale value.

I feel bad for people who are anticipating a payday when they resell their old devices. I’ve been there and had to face the harsh realities of nobody being interested. I’m from a different camp of device owners though. I use a device until there’s none of it left. My devices are slow as molasses and look like a train has run them over by the time I’m done with them. That’s why I have a tendency to give them away to the places from which I buy my new devices. I’ve gotten my money’s worth and no longer have use for them. Whatever they do with them is fine by me.