Apple's Limited-Time Mac Trade-In Offer Has a Disappointing Catch

[MacRumors]

On February 9, Apple started offering "extra credit" for Mac trade-ins in the U.S. and select other countries, but the offer is quite misleading.

Apple's website says the extra trade-in credit for Macs is available with the purchase of an eligible new Apple device through April 2, yet the values listed have already decreased before that date, which is something the average customer likely wouldn't realize.

As of February 9, the listed trade-in values had increased by between $10 and $50 in the U.S., but some of the values have already decreased since then.

Apple could choose to argue that the trade-in values would have dropped even lower had the "extra credit" boost not been in effect, but to us it still feels disappointing, if not disingenuous, for the company to have lowered some of the values prior to April 2.

The chart below provides an overview of the situation.

Model	Values as of Today	Values as of February 9	Values as of February 8
MacBook Pro​	Up to $860​	Up to $925​	Up to $915​
MacBook Air​	Up to $410​	Up to $435​	Up to $425​
MacBook​	Up to $120​	Up to $140​	Up to $90​
iMac​	Up to $315​	Up to $315​	Up to $305​
iMac Pro​	Up to $435​	Up to $455​	Up to $405​
Mac mini​	Up to $325​	Up to $375​	Up to $365​
Mac Studio​	Up to $1,150​	Up to $1,150​	Up to $1,140​
Mac Pro​	Up to $710​	Up to $720​	Up to $670​

So, if you are planning to trade in your Mac, know that the "extra" credit might actually mean even less credit than you would have received last month.

Trade-ins can be completed on Apple's website or at an Apple Store, and the credit can be applied towards the purchase of a new Apple product, or placed on an Apple gift card for later use. Visit the trade-in page on Apple's website for more details.

Article Link: Apple's Limited-Time Mac Trade-In Offer Has a Disappointing Catch

 

[noanker]

"but the offer is quite misleading."

Misleading? Apple would never do that! /S

 

[AllenHenry]

It’s almost like they announced brand-new Macs this month and kept prices relatively similar. The products most impacted are the MacBook and Mac Pro, which says a lot.

 

[Smartuser]

For some reason, the values are always total BS. I recently traded in a MacBook Air to Apple for $920. The "up to" values have ALWAYS been wrong like that.

 

[Sixteengigabytes]

Another day, more gaslighting. What will it be tomorrow?

 

[Valen1]

The "offers" are insulting. Purchased a new Mac Studio in May of last year with a retail price of $1,800 (I paid less on sale). There offer less than a year later is $910.

 

[TruthAboveAllElse]

Anyone following closely won’t trade in anyway. Trade ins are for low effort.

 

[ImAlwaysRight]

It's just like Prime Days. They raise prices by 20% then give you a 20% discount!

 

[GuyDouche]

Purchasing a new Apple product these days is like purchasing a new car from the lot. Soon as you open it, it massively depreciates. Props to Apple for controlling the market, but theres zero need to procure the latest and greatest, let you require it for productivity or bragging rights. Either way. It’s stupid to purchase something new and sell it back to the supplier. Might as well purchase it and run it to the ground or provide your used tech to someone who genuinely needs it.

 

[Bodycalming]

The BACK DOOR they said they would never have

 

[vegetassj4]

What is everyone complaining about? Apple makes the most cost effective products in the world. Almost every single product Apple sells has the pocketbook of the consumer in mind. Just the other day, I said thank you Tim Apple for leaving some extra money in my pocket. I would have easily traded my right pinky toe for my MacBook Pro with the Kung Fu Grip.

Come to think of it, just look at how generous they are with their RAM pricing - their ram is easily worth 10x more than Crucial or Samsung.

 

[latweek]

This is soo much better than AI, right?

Best,

TIm.

 

[coasterider]

Up to means nothing to them at this point - always document your device's ability to turn on and, if applicable, have a fully working screen. They tried to say my screen had burn-in on my original iPad Pro trade in (for M4 pro) and reversed course when I provided them my video of it working in the return packaging.

 

[Westside guy]

Come on, MacRumors - cut Apple some slack. Everyone knows they're hurting for cash! Tim Cook's been seen digging through the headquarter's couches looking for loose change, for Pete's sake!

 

[facedmurkroots]

Is the catch the value they offer to give you?

 

[joshwithachance]

Still happy with the $860 I got for my M1 Pro 16" base model. Especially considering Best Buy was only offering $650.

 

[seabee3]

It's actually not bad - giving me a quote of $1,050 for my 2021 MB Pro with M1Max 24c, 32GB, and 2TB (14"). The prices on eBay are around $1300 so after deducting the fees, it makes for a very compelling case to do the trade-in.
But, I have the AppleCare subscription so I'll just keep paying the $99 per year and have Apple replace it when it dies!

 

[ignatius345]

I just got like $425 or so for my M1 Air when trading it to buy an M4 Air. I looked at eBay and saw I maybe could have gotten another $150 by selling it there. Some of that gets eaten up by eBay fees, and then there's always the question of whether someone is gonna try to scam you. In the end, I made the sacrifice of a bit of $ for the sheer convenience of bringing it to the Apple Store and handing it over directly on the spot.

For my M1 iMac, though, I chose to sell it because the trade-in was somehow FAR lower than for the MacBook Air -- even though it was a nearly maxed-out iMac they were offering like $300 for it 😱. I was able to get $700 on eBay.

Not sure why the trade-in values are so ****ty for desktops.

 

[nordic_forest]

What is this news lmao? It is an OFFER. Take it or leave it. "Disappointing catch" my ass...

 

[joshwithachance]

I just got like $425 or so for my M1 Air when trading it to buy an M4 Air. I looked at eBay and saw I maybe could have gotten another $150 by selling it there. Some of that gets eaten up by eBay fees, and then there's always the question of whether someone is gonna try to scam you. In the end, I made the sacrifice of a bit of $ for the sheer convenience of bringing it to the Apple Store and handing it over directly on the spot.

For my M1 iMac, though, I chose to sell it because the trade-in was somehow FAR lower than for the MacBook Air -- even though it was a nearly maxed-out iMac they were offering like $300 for it 😱. I was able to get $700 on eBay.

Not sure why the trade-in values are so ****ty for desktops.

Probably because they're the least sold Mac category.

 

[Nekronos]

I'd argue your article is actually what's misleading here. The "extra credit" offered through April 2 goes beyond the "values as of today" which you based on the "estimated trade-in value" - that extra credit goes up to 1,150 depending on the specs.

Furthermore, prices are normally in a state of flux based on supply & demand, not some linear regression (as well as the value directly to Apple which will depend on what they plan to do with it not just what the secondhand market might support).

edit: i realize the 1,150 is for the mac studio but i tested this out by valuing a 2023 macbook pro and it came out to 950, which is above the stated 860 max as well as being higher than the Feb 9th value.

 

[GMShadow]

I just got like $425 or so for my M1 Air when trading it to buy an M4 Air. I looked at eBay and saw I maybe could have gotten another $150 by selling it there. Some of that gets eaten up by eBay fees, and then there's always the question of whether someone is gonna try to scam you. In the end, I made the sacrifice of a bit of $ for the sheer convenience of bringing it to the Apple Store and handing it over directly on the spot.

For my M1 iMac, though, I chose to sell it because the trade-in was somehow FAR lower than for the MacBook Air -- even though it was a nearly maxed-out iMac they were offering like $300 for it 😱. I was able to get $700 on eBay.

Not sure why the trade-in values are so ****ty for desktops.

Desktops are a pain in the butt for them I suspect - they take some back to have warranty replacements, but given the space they take up in stores, the additional effort to ship them back, etc, they really don’t want too many of them coming in.

 

[Timpetus]

Trading in a device to Apple is always the worst deal you can get. It's only convenient if you are also buying directly from them, which coincidentally is also the worst deal you can get, most of the time. I sold our old iMac on Craigslist for $1000, when Apple might have given me $350 if I was really lucky...

 

[Parowdy]

The BACK DOOR they said they would never have

wat

 

[Saturn007]

Another day, more gaslighting. What will it be tomorrow?

✅

It's just like Prime Days. They raise prices by 20% then give you a 20% discount!

A classic math class example. The “average” person even thinks that means you end up where you started — but, no!

Suppose the item costs $500. They raise the price 20%. It now costs $600. (20% of $500 = $100)

But get 20% discount off that $600, which is $120 —and your final price is now $480!

Some of that gets eaten up by eBay fees, and then there's always the question of whether someone is gonna try to scam you.

For sure, but trading into Apple, unless you go in person to an Apple Store, also puts you as risk for being scammed as your trade-in is devalued with all sorts of damage and issues falsely asserted! 🙈 ❌ 👎🏽