MacBook/MacBook Pro selling advice...?

[lukem24]

Hi, please forgive me if this is the wrong forum to post this question, but I couldn't find one related to 'selling advice'.

Anyways, I was hoping to get some opinions on selling MacBooks/MacBook Pros online. I have a late-2008 aluminum-unibody MacBook (2.4ghz, 4gb RAM) that I want to sell but I'm not sure on which sites are the best for exposure and profitability (ebay vs. Craigslist). I have posted an ad on CraigsList but it seems to be taking a lonnnnng time and as everyone knows the postings on there can blend together and it's hard to make things stand out amongst all the trash. I'm holding off on putting it up on eBay because there's no turning back if I do that. In addition, the eBay fees and PayPal fees + shipping will either force me to sell it for more OR cut into my profits.

I've created a pretty good ad (in my opinion) but still no bites on CraigsList... Only a few people have emailed me in almost two weeks time. I did have one person who offered $900 for it but I felt that was too low considering my MacBook is in perfect condition, literally, and I have all original materials/software & free case.

So again, advice on the best venues for selling Macs without ripping myself off? Any special tips for making ads "pop"? I did my research for price ranges for a similar MacBook and I feel a bottom-line price of 1,100 for what I'm offering is reasonable... but if no one 'bites' does that mean I have to lower my price or simply give up on CraigsList and try eBay?

Cheers!


PS, if you know of a better forum for this question, let me know and I'll move it.

 

[flopticalcube]

The problem with Craigslist is that if there are no local buyers, you can wait a loooong time before you can sell it and the price just keeps dropping as you wait. eBay will give you the most for your money, just set a reasonable reserve. We aren't allowed to discuss pricing outside of the MacRumors Marketplace forum, for which, unfortunately, you do not yet qualify.

 

[firewater]

Why are you selling it? I will take the $900 dollers and put towards a refurbished mac. I will never buy new again when they have great deals online @ apple store

 

[lukem24]

The problem with Craigslist is that if there are no local buyers, you can wait a loooong time before you can sell it and the price just keeps dropping as you wait. eBay will give you the most for your money, just set a reasonable reserve. We aren't allowed to discuss pricing outside of the MacRumors Marketplace forum, for which, unfortunately, you do not yet qualify.

That's true, time is money. Especially so when I'm trying to sell this before the MacBook Pro refresh. So I figured that if another MacBook/MacBook Pro refresh comes out, this will make my MacBook +1 generation older...something I suppose that will force my price even lower, right?

I of course wish I could succeed using CraigsList and I can be impatient at times...but still, is 2 weeks too long to wait on CraigsList? Should I try for one more week before resorting to eBay (and hope for my benefit that the refresh won't come until the following week)?

I knew about the Marketplace forum that is for 'experienced' posters, but I thought that was for actual SELLING, and I would be allowed to post legitimate selling-advice posts outside it..?

 

[lukem24]

Why are you selling it? I will take the $900 dollers and put towards a refurbished mac. I will never buy new again when they have great deals online @ apple store

I'm selling it because I'm a tech-nerd and crave newer computers. I did quite a bit of research online and it's clear that if I wait past 3 generations before selling, my price and chances significantly drop. Plus, the new MacBook Pro refresh is coming soon in a matter of week(s) or month(s) so I would want the new CPU and graphics upgrade while getting the most money for my 1st gen alum. unibody MacBook.

 

[lukem24]

Anyone else care to share their POV?

 

[DannySmurf]

Anyone else care to share their POV?

How many "bites" you get on the online classifieds are usually a good indicator of whether your price is good or not. You will occasionally find someone stupid who doesn't do their research who buys something for a ridiculous price, but people WILL do their research before dropping $1000 or more on a used machine from a stranger. If the only offer you've got for your machine in 2 weeks is $900, it's not Craigslist that is the issue. Your price is too high.

Mac2Sell quotes your machine at $810:

http://www.mac2sell.net/permalink/?id=d3e4b2215b4a867bd5f01a24a7965a05

While Mac2Sell is not the be-all, end-all, it's a useful guideline. I think you should have taken the $900. That's closer to what that machine is actually worth. Someone else can go buy a brand new MBP for $1200, plus $40 for a memory upgrade and have something that's very close to what you're trying to sell for just $140 less.

I realize it's worth $1100 to you. But you say that only because it's yours. If you were looking to buy this same machine, you'd laugh if someone asked you to pay that.

 

[bumzo1]

I agree with the last guy, you should have taken $900. For only $100 more you can get a refurb MBP with a 1 year warranty. my 2 cents

 

[ZazenZach]

i also agree with the previous posters.

$900 for your machine was very generous, it was a mistake on your part for not accepting it. I doubt you'll get an offer like that again.

 

[lukem24]

How many "bites" you get on the online classifieds are usually a good indicator of whether your price is good or not. You will occasionally find someone stupid who doesn't do their research who buys something for a ridiculous price, but people WILL do their research before dropping $1000 or more on a used machine from a stranger. If the only offer you've got for your machine in 2 weeks is $900, it's not Craigslist that is the issue. Your price is too high.

Mac2Sell quotes your machine at $810:

http://www.mac2sell.net/permalink/?id=d3e4b2215b4a867bd5f01a24a7965a05

While Mac2Sell is not the be-all, end-all, it's a useful guideline. I think you should have taken the $900. That's closer to what that machine is actually worth. Someone else can go buy a brand new MBP for $1200, plus $40 for a memory upgrade and have something that's very close to what you're trying to sell for just $140 less.

I realize it's worth $1100 to you. But you say that only because it's yours. If you were looking to buy this same machine, you'd laugh if someone asked you to pay that.

I've used Mac2Sell before but I feel it does not take into account other factors such as condition of the machine and extras that come with it.

I know what you mean about people overpricing their goods because when they bought it X years ago, they payed lots for it. I thought considering there is not a single flaw, not even a hairline scratch on mine, MIGHT enable me to fetch more for it, but based off of everyone's opinions so far, the price still is too high.

I still feel I could get more than 900 for it though...don't you think? A new MacBook Pro 2.53ghz, 4gb RAM, 250gb HD will cost about 1,600 (incl taxes). This would have only a slight speed advantage and, of course, its brand new.
And so I came up with 1,100... Is my reasoning way off (asking honestly)?
Perhaps I should hope for 1,000 instead from CraigsList?


PS, THANKS everyone so far for providing feedback

 

[DannySmurf]

I still feel I could get more than 900 for it though...don't you think?

If your buyer doesn't visit Macrumors.

There's no harm in trying for $1000. I probably would too. But the clock is working against you if there is a refresh coming in the near future. You may find your machine only worth $800 in a couple of weeks if the new ones come out right away.

I've used Mac2Sell before but I feel it does not take into account other factors such as condition of the machine and extras that come with it.

No, that stuff is too subjective. Like I said, it's a guideline. But it prices my new MBP at about 85% of what I paid for it, which is probably about what I could sell it for in my market now if I cared to.

And so I came up with 1,100... Is my reasoning way off (asking honestly)?

I think it is. I've been in a similar situation in the past. I had a MacBook I sold last year which, I thought, was worth $1000. Turns out no one would actually pay that. I let it ride for a while, as it was the middle of one of Apple's cycles and there was no danger it was going to depreciate much more, but eventually sold it for $800 because I was tired of keeping the machine around waiting for someone to meet my price.

Point is... your objects are always going to be worth more to you than they are to other people. Take anything in your house and decide (being honest with yourself) what you would sell it for, if you had to. Doesn't matter what it is, or what price you picked, even if you think you're lowballing yourself; it is not worth that price to someone else.

 

[lukem24]

If your buyer doesn't visit Macrumors.

There's no harm in trying for $1000. I probably would too. But the clock is working against you if there is a refresh coming in the near future. You may find your machine only worth $800 in a couple of weeks if the new ones come out right away.



No, that stuff is too subjective. Like I said, it's a guideline. But it prices my new MBP at about 85% of what I paid for it, which is probably about what I could sell it for in my market now if I cared to.



I think it is. I've been in a similar situation in the past. I had a MacBook I sold last year which, I thought, was worth $1000. Turns out no one would actually pay that. I let it ride for a while, as it was the middle of one of Apple's cycles and there was no danger it was going to depreciate much more, but eventually sold it for $800 because I was tired of keeping the machine around waiting for someone to meet my price.

Point is... your objects are always going to be worth more to you than they are to other people. Take anything in your house and decide (being honest with yourself) what you would sell it for, if you had to. Doesn't matter what it is, or what price you picked, even if you think you're lowballing yourself; it is not worth that price to someone else.

Thanks again for your insight. I will try for 1k, hope to get lucky, and if more conclusive evidence is found for the upcoming refreshes and a time line, I will adjust again in hopes of selling it before the new releases.

Do you think if you waited longer than you did selling your macbook (how long exactly?) and had more patience, you would have been able to sell it for more?

 

[Alvi]

I still feel I could get more than 900 for it though...don't you think? A new MacBook Pro 2.53ghz, 4gb RAM, 250gb HD will cost about 1,600 (incl taxes).
PS, THANKS everyone so far for providing feedback

Your laptop is used, it might be in a perfect state, but you used it, it hasn't 3 years of warranty (if you get apple care) like a new one, 900$ is very generous!, if you feel bad because the sale price is 1/3 of what you paid better don't sell it, better take those 900 because maybe in 2 days (Feb 9) a new one will come out and it will be worth 700$

 

[DannySmurf]

Do you think if you waited longer than you did selling your macbook (how long exactly?) and had more patience, you would have been able to sell it for more?

It was a couple of months. I wasn't in a terrible rush to sell, but I didn't want to wait a year either. I don't think I would have got the $1000 I originally wanted, but I probably could have held out for a bit more if I was willing to wait.

At the time, I was more worried that if I waited longer, I'd end up having to take a really low offer. I noticed that the offers declined the longer the machine was on Kijiji (probably people watching it sit there every day), and I didn't want to end up selling for even less than I was willing to settle for.

 

[lukem24]

Your laptop is used, it might be in a perfect state, but you used it, it hasn't 3 years of warranty (if you get apple care) like a new one, 900$ is very generous!, if you feel bad because the sale price is 1/3 of what you paid better don't sell it, better take those 900 because maybe in 2 days (Feb 9) a new one will come out and it will be worth 700$

Yes, the warranty is expired and I know that is not comforting to 2nd buyers. As for the 900 offer, I don't think the person is still interested. I can try another email to try to 'lure' him/her back but not sure if that would work haha.

I'm hoping on Monday (8th) more information will be available on the refreshes so I know how much more time I have. I don't want to drop to 900 now when if I had 3-7 more days I could wait and might get a buyer to pay 950-1000 if lucky.

I'm trying to practice patience (something I actually don't have when it comes to selling/buying lol) so I don't make a mistake I will regret.

 

[Kat King123]

Yes, the warranty is expired and I know that is not comforting to 2nd buyers. As for the 900 offer, I don't think the person is still interested. I can try another email to try to 'lure' him/her back but not sure if that would work haha.

I'm hoping on Monday (8th) more information will be available on the refreshes so I know how much more time I have. I don't want to drop to 900 now when if I had 3-7 more days I could wait and might get a buyer to pay 950-1000 if lucky.

I'm trying to practice patience (something I actually don't have when it comes to selling/buying lol) so I don't make a mistake I will regret.

uh good luck with that but honestly your 'buyer' is gonna look at like this,

for a 1000 dollars i can buy this macbook of a guy that i dont know without a warranty and without any chance of buying a new warranty or i can buy a newer laptop for the same price with a 1 year warranty from the company that makes it.

if you want it to sell you gotta go lower dude i mean real low im talking 800-850 that no warranty is a price killer

 

[Cottonsworth]

I would also agree that $900 is quite generous. I would figure a rough market price would be $800 to $900. eBay is just a hassle, especially with all the fees they take and Paypal.