Getting the new 2020 iPad Pro? Trade or sell your existing Apple device

Apple unveiled the brand-new 12.9-inch and 11-inch iPad Pro’s recently, and it made me giddy with joy for a new iPad. But what was even more exciting was the new Magic Keyboard for iPad that will be coming this May. With these new products in mind, it was time to sell my 2018 iPad Pro to start the fund for the new iPad Pro.

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• 7 creative ways to repurpose and reuse your old iPhones and iPads
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• How to clean and disinfect your Apple Watch

You may think that selling your old iPhone, iPad, or Mac is a strenuous project, but in reality, you can go from 0-100 in just a few minutes. However, before you just sell it, you’ll need to take a few steps and you’ll need to know actually where to sell your Apple products.

Get your Apple product ready to go

Before selling my iPad, the first thing to do is to clean it. Each product is different, but the premise is still the same as you’ll need to wipe down every nook and cranny. And if there are any accessories included in the sale, you’ll want to make sure you wipe those down really well before listing it.

Before getting started with the cleaning process, you’ll need to power off your device. This is to help make sure that there is no electricity going through it, so there’s a smaller chance of shorting something out during the cleaning process. Then, you’ll want to check out exactly how you should clean the specific device that is being sold.

For example, it’s recommended to use a “soft, lint-free cloth” to do the basic wipe-down, the best solution is usually a microfiber cloth. In some instances, you’ll want to lightly dampen the cloth with just a bit of water to actually do some “cleaning.” Then, use another microfiber cloth to make sure the product is dry.

A recent revelation from Cupertino is that Apple finally stated that it’s okay to use a disinfectant to clean. If wiping lightly, Apple says  the following:

“Using a 70 percent isopropyl alcohol wipe or Clorox Disinfecting Wipes, you may gently wipe the hard, nonporous surfaces of your Apple product, such as the display, keyboard, or other exterior surfaces.”

Now that your device is clean, you’re ready to show it off to the world.

Out with the old, in with the new

There are the usual suspects for listing your Apple products for re-sale. These include the likes of eBay and Facebook Marketplace. However, there are a few other popular “communities” where you can put your products out there for sale.

If I’m just selling an Apple device, and not just an accessory to that device, I use Swappa. This company has been around for quite some time now, and has many different measures in place to protect both the buyer and seller. So you will need to create a new account, find the product that you are trying to list, and then create the listing.

Another fantastic resource for selling both Apple devices and accessories is the “Front page of the Web” — Reddit. Two subreddits (communities) serve for the primary focus for selling products — r/HardwareSwap and r/AppleSwap.

Regardless of what option you choose, it’s important to take as many clear pictures as possible. This gives the potential buyer a way to look at what you’re selling, without actually being able to see it in person. So make sure you have good lighting, a good camera, and a place to take those pictures. Otherwise, you may end up with folks asking for more and possibly wandering away because there’s just not enough.

One more important note to make is that you will need to follow the instructions for posting to both Swappa and Reddit. If you don’t, your listing may be removed, which can end up being a bit problematic if you’re looking to sell something quickly.

Conclusion

Once your listing has sold, make sure you package it up nice and tight, then drop it off at the Post Office, UPS, or FedEx. Make sure you update the buyer with tracking information and if you are delayed in shipping it, definitely be open and communicative.

Let us know if you have any other tips for selling your products, or if there’s something we’re missing. In the meantime, let us know whether you’ll be upgrading from an old iPad to the new 2020 iPad Pro.

Andrew Myrick

Andrew is a freelance writer based on the East Coast of the US.

He has written for a variety of sites over the years, including iMore, Android Central, Phandroid, and a few others. Now, he spends his days working for an HVAC company, while moonlighting as a freelance writer at night.