7 Factors That Affect Your Mac’s Resale Value
Reading Time: 4 minutesWondering how much money you could get for selling your Mac? Here are all the factors that affect the price.
Every year, Apple releases a new model of at least one of the Macs in its product line. When this happens, a lot of Mac users will opt for an upgrade. Reselling older models or trading-in with Apple and other third-party companies is a popular way for many people to cut upgrade costs.
People are willing to pay big bucks for a used Mac if you can tick certain boxes with it. The exact value of your used Mac will vary though, so here are some factors can reduce the resale value of your Mac, alongside the age.
1. The Condition of Your Mac
When you are reselling your Mac, the physical condition of it plays a vital role. The newer your Mac looks, the higher price you can demand it. Even a single scratch can knock some value off your Mac.
You can sell your Mac at a higher price if it hasn’t suffered any physical damage, like a broken screen, dented body, or scratches to the external hardware.
To keep your Mac in the best condition while you use it, make use of protective gear like a plastic case, keyboard covers, and screen protectors. When you’re ready to let go, clean your Mac with any of the methods we’ve discussed in our Mac cleaning guide.
2. The Demand for Your Mac Model
The demand for Macs has remained high because they are top-quality computers. This should give you some hope when you plan to resell your Mac, but remember to check if there is a demand for the particular model you’re offering.
Older Mac models are more likely to have lower demand than newer models. For example, a MacBook Pro from 2017 is likely to have lower demand than a MacBook Pro 2020 even if the older machine has better specs.
Macs that are no longer supported by Apple are classed as Obsolete. Apple products that were released more than 7 years ago are no longer distributed for sale. Apple categorizes these products as Vintage products. An Obsolete or Vintage Mac will go for much less money.
3. The Initial Cost of Your Mac
Macs are expensive. Some of them cost about $5,000—even new entry-level Macs will cost at least a thousand dollars. This cost factor comes into play when reselling your Mac.
The initial cost of your Mac signals where and how it was purchased. If you bought it new, the resale price is likely to be higher than if you bought a refurbished or second-hand Mac. Keeping receipts will prove your ownership and that your Mac was bought new.
If you spent more for your Mac initially, chances are it’s got better specs, which will work to increase the resale value now.
4. Where and How You Sell Your Mac
To get the best value when reselling your Mac, you need to consider where you are going to sell it. If you are planning to do a trade-in with Apple or other third-party companies, you will get less for your Mac. These companies will buy it at a lower price because they are also going to resell it and need to make a profit.
You can check the value of your Mac on the Apple Trade In page. Select the Apple product you want to trade in and follow the prompts to check the value.
You will get a higher value for your Mac if you sell it directly to another user. Some of the best places to sell a Mac directly are eBay, Craigslist, and Facebook Marketplace. Wherever you choose to list the device, make sure you follow tips to get the best price when selling your Mac.
5. The Economy and Inflation
It’s not surprising, but the state of the economy will also affect the price you can get for your Mac. Inflation following the COVID-19 pandemic means that the price of goods and services has been on a steady rise.
When inflation causes prices goes up, so does the price of your Mac, so you can sell it for more money. But this might not mean you’re getting equivalent value for your money.
Different locations have different economies. While you might see really bad offers for a Mac in a busy city like New York, you might get a better deal in a place with fewer Macs in circulation.
6. Mac Upgrades
Stock Macs are awesome as they come, but you could get more money from your Mac if you upgraded some of its features. Depending on your computer’s age, you may be able to upgrade the RAM in your Mac. You can also upgrade the hard disk from an HDD to an SSD for better speed and reliability.
However, if your machine is old enough to have user-upgradeable parts, it’s probably not one that people have much interest in buying. Most MacBooks launched after 2012 are not user-serviceable, and few people are looking to buy a decade-old computer.
If you have any of these upgrades on your Mac, it increases the resale value. However, it doesn’t mean you can make a net profit from them.
7. The Price of Other Used PCs With Similar Specs
Generally, Macs cost significantly more than Windows PCs with similar specifications. A prospective buyer might offer a lower price for your Mac if they compare it to similar Windows PCs, but don’t let that devalue your Mac.
At the point of resale, the availability of these other computers will affect the value of your Mac. This is a difficult hurdle to jump since you can’t control the prices of other machines. However, if you are selling to an informed Apple user, they are more likely to understand the value of your Mac.
Sell Your Mac for the Best Value
If you plan to resell your Mac then do it right. Find out all the possible factors that can affect the value of your Mac from this list. You should also consider other factors like how long you’ve used your Mac and in what condition you bought your Mac.
The factors we’ve listed above will all play a role in determining how much money you could get for selling your Mac.
Reference: https://www.makeuseof.com/factors-that-affect-mac-resale-value/