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Apple Called Out for 'Brutal' Mac Trade-In Values Following Launch of New Models

Well it sucks but to be honest nobody in their right mind would just trade in their $6K machine in just a year?

Apple could’ve done something about it but you could always sell the machine yourself and get 50-75% of its original value.
 
adrianlondon said:
"I want the new M2! My M1 is old and rubbish and slow".
"Hey, why doesn't someone give me lots of money for my old, rubbish and slow laptop????"

I can understand why people like to buy a new iPhone every year (I'm not one of them, but I get it), but a new laptop? Why?
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You're unloading a lot of garbage here. Counterpoint:

I want the M2 for my own esoteric reasons even though the M1 is still perfectly great for most needs. If I try to be as objective as possible, the M1 model is about 70-80% as fast and good. I realize that I probably won't be able to sell it to Apple for that price, but after little more than a year, they should maybe offer more than 15%, particularly in light of constantly advertising trade-ins as a great way of financing their products.
 
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I wonder if this will affect second hand Mac prices. Of course Apple will take those computers and devices off you for peanuts, then it’ll resell them for thousands more. It’s a blatant rip off. But new Timmy has to announce those record earnings every quarter.
I‘m extremely glad to see the better known tech people call Apple out on their shenanigans now.
 
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grundgedanke said:
Sucks. Yes. But. There wasn't a time when Apple Trade In was good. Just ignore it as done in the years before.
And other companies are not necessarily better here.
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In 2021 when the M1 Pros/Max went up for pre-order, I’d argue the value was there. They offered me $920 for a base model 2018 15” MBP. At that time I could have maybe gotten $1000 for it on EBay or Craigslist and the values were dropping fast because of the impending demise of Intel based Macs.

Craigwilliam said:
So what, it's probably an arbitrary number based on a number of set factors. Apple is expecting people to trade in their old iPhones, not their 3-year-old Macs Pro. If the number is too low, nothing and no one is forcing anyone to accept it.
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They are promoting it all over as a way to save on your new Mac. Offering less than 10-25% without at least disclosing that that the offer is not representative of the item’s actual value is a touch on the shady side.
 
Two problems:

1. Intel macs are entirely obsolete now basically.
2. You never get the best deal on a trade-in, only the best convenience.

If it's a mac or an iPad, use it until it's dead. Only phones and watches are worth upgrading every 2Y. Did a TCO analysis of most Apple hardware to come to that conclusion.
 
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Smartuser said:
You're unloading a lot of garbage here. Counterpoint:

I want the M2 for my own esoteric reasons even though the M1 is still perfectly great for most needs. If I try to be as objective as possible, the M1 model is about 70-80% as fast and good. I realize that I probably won't be able to sell it to Apple for that price, but after little more than a year, they should maybe offer more than 15%, particularly in light of constantly advertising trade-ins as a great way of financing their products.
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What will they do with them? Assuming they're going to resell them they have to refurbish them, reinstall the OS, and then still make a profit when they sell them on.

Much better to sell it privately. My comment was trying to say that the M1 is not slow or old or rubbish, so it should get a decent price when selling directly to someone who wants one.

As for the advert about financing ... I haven't seen that. Then yes, that's pretty bad!
 
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People that talk about selling local or 3rd party like it’s so easy are laughable. First, you need to be an in area big enough or you’ll have to travel. Secondly, trying to sell electronics for thousands of dollars let alone tens of thousands of dollars is a huge ask on the buyer especially if there’s no warranty. Lastly, there’s safety concerns and scammers.

Apple trade in was never good except for phones back in the day but Apple won’t get people to upgrade this way and will hold onto hardware longer.
 
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oh no! manufacturers whose business is selling new products, offer lower value for trade-in than private transactions!!!

more breaking news at 9!
 
Let’s be honest. 5 years ago the idea of trade in was a pipe dream. My current policy is that my new device means my wife has a ‘slightly new’ device and my son has a ‘little bit obsolete’ device. By this point his trade in device is essentially worthless. Let’s be honest, if you buy a device you don’t expect the manufacturer to give you a percentage back, when you are tired of it. Suck it up.
 
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You never get increased trade-in values for the premium models. Yes, the trade-in values are low but they are based off the base models. It has always been that way.
 
Why is Apple being criticized? Aren’t trade-in values determined and handled by the third party processor? I checked on Costco and the trade in value for my M1 Pro 16 is the same as from Apple (about $1000). Not thrilled with the trade in value, but I was never given or expected any guarantee when I purchased.

That being said, at these trade in values, I would prefer to give to a friend or family member. Maybe even to an indie developer or someone studying coding.
 
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Trade in values, by its very concept, would be much lower than finding someone to buy it from you directly online.

Say someone is willing to buy a used M1 MBA for $600 (example). Logic dictates that apple (or whichever company they are using) would offer a far lower price. They still need to take it in, find a buyer (which could be right away or months from now), and it’s incurring storage costs all this while. And of course they should still earn a profit for their troubles.

And the more expensive an item is, the harder it will be to move it, which would ironically depress the resale value even more.

You use Apple’s service for the convenience so you can get it over and done with. Never to get the best price.
 
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MacRumors said:
That's a slap in the face," said one user. "Apple trade-ins have always been boo boo. I'm surprised you thought you would get even 1/5 of the price," another one said.
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I’m going to quote Steve Jobs here when he dropped the price of iPhone back in 2007, 3 months after it went on sale:

“Technology moves fast”

With that said,

STOP WHINING!!!!!!!!​


You know Apple products depreciate fast. Stop complaining. Don’t like the trade in value? Sell it on eBay.
 
Here's an example from the UK.


I am trading in / selling this Mac Mini to buy one of the newly released Minis.

Mac.jpg


Apple's offer:
Apple.jpg


MacBack's offer:
MacBack.jpg


On eBay I could get in excess of £300.

Why on earth would anyone choose Apple's paltry offer?
 
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Falhófnir said:
Has it ever been remotely cost effective to do a trade in? I've always seen more value in handing down the device to someone I know who can make use of it, or even just keeping it as a spare.
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Yes, just not with Apple.

I’ve had some bad experiences with MacBack (they claimed a screen was delaminated so dropped the cash price by around £300 - it just was a speck of dirt. When they sent the box back to me they had stuck a load of stickers over the previously pristine packaging and not sent any of the internal packaging back)

I highly recommend www.sellusyourapple.co.uk
 
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