Anyone who has sold iPhones knows that you recoup more of the initial cost selling the base models. The Watch is no exception, and the base models happen to be the Sport.
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SS - Better resale?
- Thread starter JayHova
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Except Apple usually only discounts the lowest end model and carries it on, so that would be the Watch Sport. A new 1st gen Watch Sport would then continue to sell for $249, which leaves only crumbs for 2nd hand sellers.
I really think all bets are off in terms of how Apple will handle the next gen. It's such a different product in many ways. I have my doubts about them carrying on the current sport as a "budget" watch in the way they have with phones in the past.
I understand what you're all saying about the sport having higher resale proportionately speaking. Howerver, I think a lot of you are making assumptions about who will be buying a used watch. Someone buying used isn't necessarily looking for the cheapest option, maybe just a cheaper option on the stainless version. I could see myself buying an older generation SS over a sport solely for the upgraded materials.
You can argue statistics all day, but the reality is, everytime I've sold my top tier iPhone, I've had 0 problems getting a sale for a reasonable price. I expect the same thing with the watch.
You can argue statistics all day, but the reality is, everytime I've sold my top tier iPhone, I've had 0 problems getting a sale for a reasonable price. I expect the same thing with the watch.
I think regardless, people should just buy the watch they want or that's best for them and not base their purchase on the resale value.
Yeah my decision was the apple watch as soon as I saw the sport doesn't have a sapphire crystal. Watches take way too much of beating from me for anything else. Resale never figured into it. I plan on keeping it the full two years my AppleCare is active then sell/give it away and get the new model if there is one.
Indeed. Most people assume this is just an aesthetic coating, tungsten DLC will dramatically increase the hardness and scratch resistance of the already hardened steel on the Black SS version. Well worth the price and will be an easy resell.
Just highlighted two points from your post.
While someone buying used isn't necessarily looking for the cheaper option, they are highly likely to be. That's why they are looking second hand - it's unlikely to be someone who could easily afford the watch new, so while people will buy SS models second hand, I think the prices will take a larger hit in percentage terms.
Also, while you've sold iPhones with higher storage capacities for reasonable prices doesn't mean the resale value is better than the lower ones - I doubt you'd have recouped the extra you paid for the storage in the first place.
I'm not trying to criticise people buying the SS model - it's a fantastic watch, and I wish I was in the financial position to buy something like the link bracelet, as I think it looks superb - but it's naïve to think you're going to get better resale value in percentage terms. I, in all likelihood, won't be reselling my watch as I usually pass things down to family. However, it's just simple arithmetic that the lowest end watch will retain the highest resale value in percentage terms.
Not true at all. The secondary market is all about buying the higher end models at cheaper prices. While there may be those that are waiting for a used watch because they cannot afford the sport model, most are looking for a premium model at a low end price.
Do you have the data to back this up?
It doesn't make any sense. The secondary market is about people on a budget, not about people wanting higher end models for slightly less.
Cars, iPhones, white goods, TVs all have worse resale value in percentage terms the higher up the model you go. It's just common sense that people won't pay the original markup on higher priced items second hand, and therefore higher end items sell for less in percentage terms.
Resale value alone isn't a good reason not to but the SS models, but as I've said, it's naïve to pretend that the SS models will have a higher proportional resale value.
Take a look at the iPhone 6 plus 128 GB . I feel like the 16 GB has better resell value . Not just on the iPhone 6 plus but all lower GB in all models . Take a quick look on Craigslist : )
The sport isn't going to be worth much is the screen is scratched.
It will be interesting to see how it holds up. I'll have to read about it though, because I went stainless mainly because of the screen.
It will be interesting to see how it holds up. I'll have to read about it though, because I went stainless mainly because of the screen.
No necessarily. Low-end models run the risk of falling off the usability cliff. Imagine that in two or three years iOS may have become so bloated that 16GB will simply not cut it anymore. The larger storage models will then become much more sought after and be a much easier sell, resulting in a higher selling price. The low-end models may be stuck on some older, not-so-bloated iOS version making them far less desirable.
That is obviously not a concern with the Watch, which is why comparisons with the resale value of gadgets like phones are not helpful.