The cheapest place to sell my superseded iPod
Posted on 25. Jul, 2009 by Stuart in Money, Music
Technology is advancing at such a rapid speed that the hottest new ipod is likely to be superseded by a newer model in a short amount of time. So, what is the cheapest way to sell your old, perfectly good, ipod when the next trend comes sailing around the bend? There are actually a two cheap options from which to choose, both of them with their own specific benefits and disadvantages.
Craigslist
One of the best places to sell your items at no cost is the online site known as Craigslist (@www.craigslist.com). This innovative interactive forum began as a small experiment in San Francisco and it has rapidly grown to service International regions across most of the globe. You can post an announcement on Craigslist and potentially let the whole world know that you have an ipod for sale.
Craigslist allows you to place your telephone number or email in your posting, or to provide an email link for interested parties through Craigslist, which keeps your personal information anonymous. You are also allowed to post pictures of your ipod from several different angles, as well as a short description of your ipod, its extra features and its current operating condition.
The greatest benefit of using Craigslist is the fact that posting is free of charge. Let me repeat, there is absolutely NO service charge included when you post on Craigslist; the profit from your ipod sale is all yours. In addition, your postings have the potential to be viewed by a large local audience, as listings are organized according to neighborhood. This means that an interested party could potentially meet you at a local coffee shop and purchase your ipod within as little as an hour after posting your item for sale.
The disadvantages of using Craigslist have mainly to do with the lack of security inherent in the posting process. Although you have the option of keeping your personal information safe, you will ultimately have to meet the prospective buyer at a local location in order to complete the sale.
In addition, if you choose to do business with an individual that is not local, you will have to exercise great trust in them to conduct your business transaction via the postal service. Be aware that there are a number of scam artists that target Craigslist users, promising to send payment in full as soon as the item is received in the mail. If you receive such an offer on Craigslist, refuse it or politely (but adamantly) propose that the buyer first send you payment via Paypal or another secure online site, designed specifically for the safe and secure exchange of funds for goods or services rendered.
eBay
Though eBay is not free, this online auction venue does not charge very much for its hosting services. They also frequently run promotions wherein sellers are not charged the usual “insertion fees” for displaying for sale items.
One major benefit to using eBay to sell your ipod is that you will enjoy a great deal of security surrounding the sale of your item. Each user is given a ranking based on their previous business transactions, which will let you know right off the bat who to trust (or not trust) with the sale of your ipod. In addition, eBay backs your sale by a “resolution center” that lets you log complaints if you do not receive payment for your item. If the buyer is found guilty of non-payment, they can be prosecuted and/or banned from eBay. This can give you a sense of security in the sale of your ipod, knowing the eBay is on your side when it comes to payment issues.
One disadvantage of using eBay is that the majority of buyers interested in your ipod will be out-of-state. This makes it difficult for you to explain fully the condition of your ipod and can result in an unsatisfied customer that wishes to return the item after sale. eBay does allow you to post pictures of your ipod and to write a description of your item, but it can never match the face-to-face exchange that can be achieved through a local Craigslist listing.
Photo source: scottwills
