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iPad iPad 3 resell value in a year (after iPad 6 release)

If you were me, what would you do??

  • Sell ipad 3 now and upgrade

    Votes: 30 56.6%

  • Wait a year and upgrade at next ipad release

    Votes: 11 20.8%

  • This poll is horrible (other)

    Votes: 12 22.6%
  • Total voters
    53
Italianblend

Italianblend

macrumors 68000
Original poster
Mar 21, 2011
1,794
247
Fatima
I'm in somewhat of a dilemma right now. I have an ipad 3 and its really fine for me. I do some games but just stuff like pvz and stuff that isn't too demanding.

I can probably get about $300 for this ipad now. I'm wondering how much I could get for it if I wait another generation. Do you think that the value of the ipad 3 will be really bad when the next ipad comes out next year?

If you were in my situation, what would you do?

1) sell ipad 3 for $300 and upgrade to air for an extra $200
2) wait until next year
 
Although it seems weird, it's actually better to upgrade each year, that way you essentially don't lose value when trying to sell a device, so I would sell it
 
Grolubao said:
Although it seems weird, it's actually better to upgrade each year, that way you essentially don't lose value when trying to sell a device, so I would sell it
Click to expand...

That makes 0 sense. Of course you lose value and money, the item depreciates.

Unlike some other things like cars, electronics lose value every year until they become either worthless or vintage (and worth a lot).

Sell today or sell tomorrow, you lose a money either way.
 
It does make sense.

Imagine a $499 iPad

on the first year you can sell it for 399

Second year you can sell it for 299

Might as well sell it after the first year because it's the same 100$ you are going to lose anyway
 
Also keep in mind that it's probably better to sell earlier not only for the resale value, but the fact that the battery degrades every day you use it.

I would rather sell after having used a product with a great battery for 1 year, and pocket the great resale value, than keep a product for 2-3 years and lose not only resale value, but battery life/performance.

You also risk something becoming defective out of warranty (home button, sleep button, etc.)
 
I am trying to sell my IPad 3 32 GB WiFI and I am struggling to get $300. The market is flooded with IPads now. Listed on eBay/CL
 
Jinzen said:
That makes 0 sense. Of course you lose value and money, the item depreciates.

Unlike some other things like cars, electronics lose value every year until they become either worthless or vintage (and worth a lot).

Sell today or sell tomorrow, you lose a money either way.
Click to expand...

They usually hold most of their value for the first year and then they just start depreciating like crazy.

Just as an example I looked at prices that were going for my iPad 2 when the iPad 3 came out and the model I have (32GB 3G) was going for between $500 and $600. Now it is going for let's say $200.

So right now if I sell my iPad 2 I will be down $530. (paid $730 for it new). If I had sold it and picked up a 3, I would have paid $730, got back $600, paid $730 for another new one. The iPad 3 model I could probably sell for $300. So if I sold this, I would be down $560. So I am only down $30 more but got to use a brand new iPad for an extra year.

It definitely makes sense I think to upgrade every year using this method however, it isn't for everyone. Personally I don't like dealing with the hassle of trying to sell things and most of the sites that offer trades don't offer nearly enough to make it worth while. Also currently I hand down all of my old gadgets to family members and they would be mad if I started selling them off LOL.
 
Grolubao said:
http://www.gumtree.com/search?q=ipad+3+16&category=all&search_location=London&current-distance=10.0
Click to expand...

Sorry I must not have been clear. I asked where they're SELLING for $299.

Your link is just a bunch of unsold units, one's even been sitting there for nearly four weeks.

Easy to find plenty of overpriced unsold ipads on Craigslist as well. You simply don't know the sale price via those services since the buyer/seller often negotiate a price lower than the listing price and once sold the seller deletes the advert. All you get to see is the overpriced unsold listings.

----------
nixiemaiden said:
So right now if I sell my iPad 2 I will be down $530. (paid $730 for it new). If I had sold it and picked up a 3, I would have paid $730, got back $600, paid $730 for another new one. The iPad 3 model I could probably sell for $300. So if I sold this, I would be down $560. So I am only down $30 more but got to use a brand new iPad for an extra year.
Click to expand...

Plus sales tax (~$44 at 6%)
Plus cost of new accessories if there's a form change
Plus cost of new screen protector if you use one
Plus time and effort selling, or reduced return using gazelle or similar.

As you say at the end, it really depends on the person and the situation. There's no clear universal "best way" that applies to everyone -- and anyone claiming "their way" is best for all is viewing the situation myopically.
 
Bengy66 said:
I am trying to sell my IPad 3 32 GB WiFI and I am struggling to get $300. The market is flooded with IPads now. Listed on eBay/CL
Click to expand...

I had the same model (in Mint condition w/ original box and Smart Cover). I listed it on Craigslist last week and asked for $350 knowing that I would allow myself to be talked down and barely got a nibble.

And then like 3 or 4 days later, after I had given up hope and was getting ready to relist at $250, I got a response and sold it an hour later for the $350 I never thought I would get.

After I sold it I got several offers for $300 (which I totally would have done if I got them first).

I guess my point is, stick with it you never know. Take good photos, google "today's date" and take a photo of the screen, that helps people believe you are legit for some reason. And I pointed out in my ad that I'm selling the 3rd Gen for cheaper than Apple is currently selling the 2nd gen.

Good luck.

(This was in Brooklyn FYI)
 
Grolubao said:
It does make sense.

Imagine a $499 iPad

on the first year you can sell it for 399

Second year you can sell it for 299

Might as well sell it after the first year because it's the same 100$ you are going to lose anyway
Click to expand...

Not true. Electronics, like almost every other product, see most of their depreciation very quickly. Your $500 iPad is worth maybe $450 the second you put a knife to the plastic covering the box. $400 once you've taken it out and used it.

The other thing you haven't included is tax and (probably) a case or whatnot. That means your $500 iPad probably actually cost you ~$580, yet it's still only worth ~$400 after the first year. By far the most expensive way to own one is to upgrade it every revision.
 
zhenya said:
Not true. Electronics, like almost every other product, see most of their depreciation very quickly. Your $500 iPad is worth maybe $450 the second you put a knife to the plastic covering the box. $400 once you've taken it out and used it.

The other thing you haven't included is tax and (probably) a case or whatnot. That means your $500 iPad probably actually cost you ~$580, yet it's still only worth ~$400 after the first year. By far the most expensive way to own one is to upgrade it every revision.
Click to expand...

Doesn't apply to European countries
 
Value will keep going down. It's not about $ at this point, it's about what you want to do -- maybe you posted looking for justification to upgrade, I don't know. The $ savings keeping your iPad is about $150 over two years.

Example on a base iPad 3:

Sold now: $500 cost - $275 (realistic price, assumes sold not on eBay, and bought at release). Cost of iPad 3 ownership per month: $11.85.

Sold this time next year: $500 cost - $200. Cost per month: $9.67

Sold this time 2015: $500 cost - $125. Cost per month: $8.72


Going forward the best $ will be on upgrading annually BUT the trick is, if practical, to sell just before the next version is announced to maximize sell value.
As you can see the cost of ownership for 1 year is about the same as the 19 month span between the iPad 3 and the Air. But while the cost is the same you don't get any benefit of newer tech.

A used 16GB iPad Air will probably go for about $375 next Sep. $500-375= $125 cost of ownership/11 months = $11.36
 
Grolubao said:
Doesn't apply to European countries
Click to expand...

Europeans pay taxes too. Don't think that just because it's rolled into the price that people don't use that in their value calculations. A new used iPad is worth $400 in part because people know that the true price isn't $499!
 
Grolubao said:
It does make sense.

Imagine a $499 iPad

on the first year you can sell it for 399

Second year you can sell it for 299

Might as well sell it after the first year because it's the same 100$ you are going to lose anyway
Click to expand...

I don't think you can sell a used Ipad4 for $399 when they are selling them new for $399.
 
Can't buy iPad 4 new from Apple

senseless said:
I don't think you can sell a used Ipad4 for $399 when they are selling them new for $399.
Click to expand...

You might be able to.Mostly you could because Apple isn't selling them new anymore (at least in the US not sure about other countries).
 
Chupa Chupa said:
the trick is, if practical, to sell just before the next version is announced to maximize sell value.
Click to expand...

Did that once. It really svcked going without my ipad for a month.

Speaking just for myself, it was not worth the additional money in my pocket. I understand that equation is different for others.

----------
litmag01 said:
You might be able to.Mostly you could because Apple isn't selling them new anymore (at least in the US not sure about other countries).
Click to expand...

$379 ipad4 Apple Refurbs: http://store.apple.com/us/browse/home/specialdeals/ipad/ipad4gen/wi_fi

Not a lot of people know about the refurb store, but savvy buyers do. Full 1-year warranty and new battery/case so essentially like new but for the box.
 
iCarabma said:
I had the same model (in Mint condition w/ original box and Smart Cover). I listed it on Craigslist last week and asked for $350 knowing that I would allow myself to be talked down and barely got a nibble.

And then like 3 or 4 days later, after I had given up hope and was getting ready to relist at $250, I got a response and sold it an hour later for the $350 I never thought I would get.

After I sold it I got several offers for $300 (which I totally would have done if I got them first).

I guess my point is, stick with it you never know. Take good photos, google "today's date" and take a photo of the screen, that helps people believe you are legit for some reason. And I pointed out in my ad that I'm selling the 3rd Gen for cheaper than Apple is currently selling the 2nd gen.

Good luck.

(This was in Brooklyn FYI)
Click to expand...

Thank you for the advice. This will be helpful.
 
Some guys tried to rob my mate for his iPad 3 yesterday via Gumtree add. Scary using those things
 
Italianblend said:
I do some games but just stuff like pvz and stuff that isn't too demanding.
Click to expand...

Funny you should mention PvZ (Plants vs. Zombies). Here is the start up time for PvZ on my iPad3 and on my new iPad Air. By start up time, I mean the number of seconds from clicking the icon (with PvZ not in memory) until it finishes initialization and displays the "tap to start" message:

iPad3...... 38 seconds
iPad Air... 93 seconds!!

Tried this several times, cleared all apps and rebooted, deleted and reloaded PvZ on both, same results.

Can't figure out why the Air is so slow here! It is much faster at most things, but PvZ is apparently doing something during its startup in a manner that just doesn't work well on the Air.
 
Grolubao said:
It does make sense.

Imagine a $499 iPad

on the first year you can sell it for 399

Second year you can sell it for 299

Might as well sell it after the first year because it's the same 100$ you are going to lose anyway
Click to expand...

That makes no sense. You're comparing spending an extra $100 vs. losing $100 in value which isn't the same. Also, you're using the ipad for another year, so you're not losing $100 in value for nothing.
 
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