Selling Your Dusty Old Children - How Do You Do It?

[Jon Westfall]

Awhile back, I asked everyone what they <a href="http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=39717&highlight=">did with their "older children"</a> (i.e. old devices they've replaced with new hotness) and the results seemed to suggest that some of us keep our old devices, while a slightly smaller number of us kick them onto the market as (most likely) a way to recoup our losses. Given that most of us also seem to have a good collection of <a href="http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=40446&highlight=">dust collectors</a> (technology we bought but rarely use), I suppose losses must be cut at some point and drawers full of junk may be good for sentimental reasons but not good for financial ones. (As for the 16% who claim they've never bought something they failed to use - you're either lying outright or you should be my role model!)<br /><br />The problem in selling your old devices has historically come down to one issue for me: I love my devices and want someone who will love them just as much to have them. This sentiment does come with a caveat though - by love, I mean "I hold them to be extremely valuable both emotionally and monetarily - and I want to get paid!". Anyone who has sold something on eBay and thought "That's all it went for!!!" knows the feeling I'm talking about - shocked thoughts of "It's worth so much more".<br /><br />Now I realize not all devices are still worth sticker price (Or even close - I don't advocate selling a <a href="http://www.usedhandhelds.com/nustore/product.asp?numPageStartPosition=1&strPageHistory=cat&strKeywords=&strSearchCriteria=&PT_ID=51&P_ID=118">iPAQ 3700</a> for $400 or anything like that), but the it is important to get a fair amount of money back if the point of selling your old devices is to help defray costs of new devices! So in that hope, I thought I'd pose the question to everyone: <b>How do you sell your old devices to maximize profits (while still being fair)? Should we stick to eBay or are their better routes?</b><br /><br />As for me, I'll be holding onto my devices a bit longer - after all, different device, different <a href="http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=48390">day</a>!

[dstrauss]

Don't know if this will help, but I always try to set a "Buy It Now" price a little below the going prices online, and almost always sell within a few days of posting. It avoids those huge discount disappointments, and people in the know will realize it is discounted and a good buy. Doesn't maximize profits, but avoids those rare occasions where you end up giving it away.

I definitely advise not to try to make up potential losses with high "Shipping and Handling" charges (you know, the $4.99 cable with $9.99 S&amp;H).

BTW - have a great little iPaq 4155 charging now for sale day. 8)

[Jerry Raia]

I'm more "In Love" with NEW technology and gadgets. I tend to turn things over between 6 months to a year. ebay is where everything I have goes eventually. Mostly by auction, I let the bidders decide what the stuff is worth. I usually recoup 1/2 to 3/4 of what I originally paid. I'm satisfied with that.

[Jason Lee]

Most of my old toys become upgrades for someone in the family...
I have yet to convince any of them to give me money though... :(

[whydidnt]

The one thing I've found out is that the longer you wait to sell your gadget the less it's worth. My advice for going the eBay route is to sell as soon as you get a replacement, it's the best way to minimize depreciation.

If you find you just can't live without the device you sold 30 days ago, you most likely will be able to pick on up on eBay for less than what you sold yours for previously. Sure it won't YOUR device, but it will do everything the same way, anyway.

BTW - This is do as I say, not as I do, I currently have 11 PDA/Smartphones in various states of charge on my desktop. :oops: Oh yeah, plus 3 Ulta portable PC's! My wife thinks I'm insane, and she may be right.

[Yorch]

one Cool idea that I had is to use your old PPCs like those new SideShow, using Innobec SideWindow (http://www.pocketgear.com/software_detail.asp?id=18675), and the Yahoo Widgets (http://widgets.yahoo.com/). Right now they are showing off those cool new Windows Vista special screen that show weather, Outlook info, pictures, etc, and I already have all that in my "poor man' Sidewindow"

[capo]

I hear ya on that. I sold an older device with a bunch of accessories a while back for quite a bit less than I thought the kit was worth, but I eased the pain a bit by telling myself:

A. I wasn't using it anymore and realistically, probably never would again.

B. Maybe my idea of current market value was unrealistic. A little coin in pocket is better than another box in the basement for all eternity.

C. It's an old toy to me but a new one to the buyer. It's nice to know somebody else will be getting some use/enjoyment from it.

[jimfee]

I have recently thought about staring a charitable organization that would accept your old technology and place it in the hands of disabled children and adults that can use some of these devices as aids. My son is Autistic and my previous device, a Handspring Prism was used as a picture viewer for things like, "time to eat" or "go for a ride" this was a great help. I see organizations that accept old cars for the tax write off and this idea would work the same. You could claim more of the cost as residual value and list it as a charitable donation.

Would you donate your old gear for the tax benefit??

EDIT- There are places out there already

http://tac.ataccess.org/donate.shtml

http://www.independencefirst.org/get_involved/Donate/computer_recycling.asp

http://www.katsnet.org/atex.html

[Damion Chaplin]

I am frequently buying and selling on eBay, to various degrees of success...

Two weeks ago I sold my K-JAM (with cradle &amp; 1GB card) for $200! Boy was it worth more than that.

Then I tried selling my old Archos Gmini 402 Camcorder. Starting bid $169. It ended three times without a single bid. Now I'm not sure what to do with it. I just can't get myself to part with it for $150. I'd rather give it away to a friend or family member before selling it for too little... :(

[T-Will]

I've been thinking a lot about this same subject lately. I'm going to be buying a place within the next few months and am thinking about selling some old electronics and things I don't use to add to the down payment. I'm debating on selling my Pocket PC, but I'm torn cause I have a Smartphone now, but keep thinking of how much I've spent on software (can software licenses be transferred?) for the Pocket PC and whether I'd have a need for it in the future. But then I think, I really need as much money I can get for a down payment. :?

[ctmagnus]

I sold one on usedhandhelds.com and one to a coworker. I still have an SMT5600 sitting beside me that I have to do something with, though.

[encece]

I always sell and buy at the same time. MANY times, especially in the Smartphone's early years, before they became popular here in the US, I was buying Orange phones, using them for a few months and selling them here for close to what I paid for them and a few times, made a profit.

That's not as easy to do these days, but since I only keep them a short time, around 3 months, I usually follow this rule: Sell for $100 less than I paid for it (unless it's almost new) drop an additional $50 if I know the person (family and friends discount). I make most of my money back and use that money for the new phone.

My transition between phones usually only costs me around $100 loss.

I just sold my Blackjack for $30 more than I paid for it...but I threw in my 1GB Mini SD as well...so it's almost a wash. Even if I did lose a bit, it's not a bad rental fee for me.

When I sold my SP5m to a coworker, I had them throw in their SMT5600 as well to make up the $50 discount. So now I have a phone to use in-between phones.

Currently, I dont know what I am getting next. I'd like a Trinity or a Herald...leaning toward the Trinity...but looking for a good price to save some bucks...even if it is slightly used, I dont care.

In the end...I dont invest tooo much switching phones using this method, which makes it easier to explain to those who believe I have a sickness.

Anyway, because of my frequent switching, I am less inclined to pay top dollar as those losses add up quickly when I dont hold on to phones for that long of a time.

6 months will be my new use period as I'm tired of minor upgrades. From now on, if I'm going to take a loss...I would like it to be for considerably more of a phone than my previous "greatest phone ever".

[pocketpcfox]

I've got an ancient HP Jornada 540 which form factor-wise I still marvel at. It's useless for software (SH3 anyone?) but it's not collecting dust. And anyway, I'd never, ever be able to get even $5 for it, I think.

Slow as the dickens, it still functions as a surrogate notebook (yes, I'm without a notebook computer -- long story) with a folding Stowaway keyboard. In fact, the keyboard also helps since the power input on the PDA is somewhat worn out, but the keyboard holds the Jornada snuggly for a charge.

The native PocketWord and Excel are useable over all other Pocket PCs and even uploadable to Google Docs&amp;Spreadsheets and the like.

It's a new lease on life.

[juni]

I bet my Ipaq 3600 would turn on and work just fine :). Also, I bet my old Palm Pilot (was it IIe or IIIe - the see-through one?) would start just like that if I put batteries in it. :D

When it comes to stylish devices the Jornada was really nice, except for the dust under the screen. Also, the Ipaq h2210 has an excellent form factor (minus the rubber grips that came off and was changed for the PPC Tech side grips).

I did sell my old FS Loox, and a number of Nokia phones (the small 8310s were really popular). :)

[Rod3]

I still have my old Jornada, too, and still play with it from time to time. I never had dust under my screen, so that wasn't a problem for me. There are games I bought back in the old days that don't run on anything else, and I still enjoy them on that thing. I'll never sell it. But I have too many other PPCs, too, and although I've sold a couple to folks on various forums, I think ebay is going to get some soon. The problem is, I'm scared of ebay, and have to use iSoldit, and you lose a lot that way. They get a third. Of course, they do the shipping, the photos, etc., and they take the worry out of it.

[The Yaz]

I have never disposed of my first PocketPC, a Casio E-125. In fact I powered it up this weekend because my Daughter was asking for an electronic date planner and I figured it wouldn't hurt to see if it would work for her.

While its big compared to today's models, it does the job and I was able to reload most of the programs I had for it (Its a MIPS processor, so prgrams are limited). The neat part is that it can still play .wmv files cut down to the minimum fps, so now she can load movies to watch during afterschool or long drives.

Pretty cool 8)

Steve

[Janak Parekh]

(can software licenses be transferred?)
A few vendors will let you transfer the license if they also sell a Smartphone version. Best thing to do is to email and ask them.

--janak

[Damion Chaplin]

Astraware is great at transferring licenses. I transferred my Bejeweled license from a PPC to a Palm, back to a PPC then to a Smartphone license, and they never said anything other than 'Sure!'.

[TOCA]

one Cool idea that I had is to use your old PPCs like those new SideShow, using Innobec SideWindow (http://www.pocketgear.com/software_detail.asp?id=18675), and the Yahoo Widgets (http://widgets.yahoo.com/). Right now they are showing off those cool new Windows Vista special screen that show weather, Outlook info, pictures, etc, and I already have all that in my "poor man' Sidewindow"

Thought of that, but I now have 3 PPC's laying around on my table, and Active Sync can only handle one at a time :(

I was thinking of having one keeping track of time and appointments, running Spb Time (no need for AS here), one running as a RSS reader, and the third one as a mail reader, so I was allways updated without interfering with my PC workspace 8)

But since I haven't found a way to work around the AS inabillity to multitask, I'll just have to live with 2 out of 3 :?

My geeking corner:
http://www.putfile.com/pic.php?img=4645593

[LegacyHH]

I've been watching items on Ebay trying to decide if I want to let some of my stuff go. I usually get disappointed by the going price and just stuff the equipment in this one room I keep all of my old electronics in. I hate to feel like I'm giving stuff away, but you hit a point of time where it really is worthless. Case in point, I have a Commodore Vic 20 and 64 still with their original boxes. Work fine, but they just don't go for anything at this point. :)

For those of you that are trying to squeeze a little more life out of older handheld and pocket PCs, swing by my site. I've got software for older devices. I've been testing stuff on my HP Jornada 680 and 540. They work well, and I can't get rid of anything.

I currently have an IPAQ 3850 as well, but I have so many parts and pieces for the Jornadas, I just can't seem to let them go.

Take care,

Chris - Legacy Handhelds (http://www.legacyhandhelds.com)

[TOCA]

Sob....Sob.....C-64 now that name brings back memorys :D

Sold my C-128DT only 3 years ago, for about $100,- to a computer student, who needed it for some tests, since it ran both Basic and Comal 80 8) I belived it would be the best price I would ever get for it, eaven if it came with a big box stuffed with programes, and a eaven bigger one with accessories, like joysticks, memory boosters, and eaven a mouse, and 2 printers 8O

Do you know, that you can run your old C-64 games on PPC, using a emulator, it eaven works on Win2000 for PPC 8)

If you have a WM2003 device there's eaven a Atari sim out there, and I've also seen a PS One emulator for WM2003 once 8)

Nice site you've got there, to keep the oldtimers running :D

[LegacyHH]

Not to go to far off subject, but yes, I have seen the C-64 emulator, and I have also seen a C-16 emulator. I have the MAME emulator on my site as well, if your into that.

Take care,

Chris

Legacy Handhelds (http://www.legacyhandhelds.com)