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SS - Better resale?

J

JayHova

macrumors member
Original poster
Feb 15, 2015
62
7
New York, NY
considering a pre-order for SS 42mm...

I'm thinking SS will have a better resale value when generation 2 comes around. I usually resale my iPhone and use the money to upgrade. This has proven to be very effective since I always use a screen protector and case, therefore maximizing my resale value since the phone looks brand new.

A case and/or screen protector isn't something i want to do with the Apple watch. I'm thinking a SS might be a better option. The sapphire is pretty much scratch resistant and although stainless scratches, could easily be buffed out by someone at a watch repair shop.

Contrary, the sport model would require a little more attention and care to maintain that "brand new" look.

Your thoughts and opinions?
 
disagree, you will not be able to recoup the entire 200 dollars extra you get if you had gone for the Sport model
 
JayHova said:
considering a pre-order for SS 42mm...

I'm thinking SS will have a better resale value when generation 2 comes around. I usually resale my iPhone and use the money to upgrade. This has proven to be very effective since I always use a screen protector and case, therefore maximizing my resale value since the phone looks brand new.

A case and/or screen protector isn't something i want to do with the Apple watch. I'm thinking a SS might be a better option. The sapphire is pretty much scratch resistant and although stainless scratches, could easily be buffed out by someone at a watch repair shop.

Contrary, the sport model would require a little more attention and care to maintain that "brand new" look.

Your thoughts and opinions?
Click to expand...

I hope so.
 
I'm in dis-agreeance too. I don't think you'll get a higher resale value in terms of the relevant cost. In other words, I don't think you'll exceed a $200 price increase over the average going rate for the Sport models. That's not to say that the SS won't be a nice upgrade....it will be! I just don't think the resale value will be higher percentage wise.
 
I disagree as well. Higher end doesn't mean better resale value.
 
Nope. History tells us, that in percentage terms, the cheapest versions of Apple products always have the highest resale value. 16GB iPhones and iPads always recoup a larger percentage of RRP second hand than larger capacities, and it's the same with higher specced computers.
 
no sport will be the highest resale since more room for profit. its not like someone gonna pay you 50k for 17k edition verison.
 
sahilpatel12 said:
no sport will be the highest resale since more room for profit. its not like someone gonna pay you 50k for 17k edition verison.
Click to expand...

I think you missed the point of the OP. He's talking about selling a used watch when the next gen is released.
 
cambookpro said:
Nope. History tells us, that in percentage terms, the cheapest versions of Apple products always have the highest resale value. 16GB iPhones and iPads always recoup a larger percentage of RRP second hand than larger capacities, and it's the same with higher specced computers.
Click to expand...

I agree with this person. History says that when a new Apple product comes out, the lowest end model previous product will lose the least amount of value.

i.e. 16gb iPad Air selling for $399 on craigslist when iPad Air 2 came out versus 32gb iPad Air selling for $450 when iPad Air 2 came out.

This is true with all merchandise and especially true with cars. Look at BMW, Mercedes, Land Rover. A $60,000 BMW will depreciate to $40,000 trade-in during the first year, while a $20,000 Toyota will depreciate to $15,000 trade-in during the first year.

However, if you are able to get a nice watch band that you can use for the 2nd generation watch and Apple starts selling 2nd generation watches without bands, then you may at least not lose as much value.
 
I agree with the posters above who say that the SS won't have as high a resale value as the Sport. Meaning, while you'll technically get more back when selling the SS, the "What I Paid" to "What I Sell it for" ratio will be worse than the Sport.

Not to mention that it will probably be harder to sell. When people buy used tech, it's usually because they're on a budget, and they want to go with the cheapest option possible.
 
Nope I also don't see the higher resale value.
Well you get a higher price maybe but it was higher new.

And the second hand buyer can be a cheap ****. So only time will tell if that buyer will buy a SS second hand version or a new sports 2 model. Or maybe an even cheaper second hand Sport one.
 
Too early to say... will come down to how everything plays out as well as supply and demand.

There will be less SS models floating around. Based on these forums, there will be a ton of black on black sport models available. If people "see the light" and realize that SS seems more like jewelry, it will have better resale value. I predict about $350-400 for a good condition 42mm SS.
 
Just buy what you like and can afford. Don't count on the resale value. Anything can happen.
 
People who are buying second hand are mostly looking for "CHEAP".

Most likely, you will "lose/depreciate" more $$$ getting more expensive model.

For example, if you bought $349, you may be selling for $200 and losing $149.

If you bought $599, do you think people would pay you $450 (and you lose $149) when they can buy a 2nd generation Sport for $349? Probably not likely.
I would guess you may be able to sell it for $399 tops (so you lose $200 instead of $149)
 
I was banking on the sapphire crystal & SS holding up better over time. If true, I would thinking the SS would be more valuable. I guess we'll find out.

My current watch has sapphire crystal because I find it holds up better for me without scratches.
 
I don't think you can compare the watches resale values directly to iPhones or iPads. The difference with iPhones and iPads models is simply a difference in storage and color, not the physical material or durability of them. The watch differences will possibly be more one of durability so I would think an SS model would hold more value than a Sport model (all other things being equal). Just my 2 cents, time will tell.
 
SS models will look much better after 1-2 years of wear compared to the Sport models. The 42mm watch for example: a Sport model is $400 right now and by the time 2nd Gen gets here, resale will be around $200-$250 and this is in a "worn" condition with scratches in both the display and the aluminum body. "Mint" will probably be $300 at best for the Sport. Now with the SS, we will all see tiny scratches on the watch which I don't think will cause any decrease in value and lets all agree that the sapphire display isn't getting scratched by 99% of users. Today with a sport band it'll cost $600 and will probably sell for somewhere around $400-$500. With the higher bands it will probably be a slightly larger loss. I think the sapphire will be the true factor for the SS because I don't care what kind of watch it is, if the sport models have scratched up displays I couldn't imagine anyone paying much more than half price especially with a new model on the way.

Just my .02
 
Most people that are buying used Apple equipment aren't doing it because they want to purchase the top-of-the-line model with all of the bells and whistles. They're buying used because they didn't want to pay even the entry price for the lowest spec'd model in the first place. As others have pointed out, base models always retain the highest resale value as a matter of percentage.
 
Best resale will be on the $349 model. Anything more expensive and you'll be losing proportionally more on resale
 
Downs2011 said:
SS models will look much better after 1-2 years of wear compared to the Sport models. The 42mm watch for example: a Sport model is $400 right now and by the time 2nd Gen gets here, resale will be around $200-$250 and this is in a "worn" condition with scratches in both the display and the aluminum body. "Mint" will probably be $300 at best for the Sport. Now with the SS, we will all see tiny scratches on the watch which I don't think will cause any decrease in value and lets all agree that the sapphire display isn't getting scratched by 99% of users. Today with a sport band it'll cost $600 and will probably sell for somewhere around $400-$500. With the higher bands it will probably be a slightly larger loss. I think the sapphire will be the true factor for the SS because I don't care what kind of watch it is, if the sport models have scratched up displays I couldn't imagine anyone paying much more than half price especially with a new model on the way.

Just my .02
Click to expand...

Doubt that very much. The lower end models always retain the best value. Me personally I wouldn't pay 400-500 for a used SS when a flawless is going to be 600. I would think it be more like 300-400. Sport would end up being around the 200-250.
 
mac.cali said:
Doubt that very much. The lower end models always retain the best value. Me personally I wouldn't pay 400-500 for a used SS when a flawless is going to be 600. I would think it be more like 300-400. Sport would end up being around the 200-250.
Click to expand...

I agree with this. Especially since someone who wants to protect their investment will pay $49-$69 for Applecare+. That person may have an "accident" right before they go to sell their watch so they just happen to have a mint condition watch to sell.
 
ITT:

Sport purchasers trying to make themselves feel better for deciding to buy the sport.
 
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