3 Places To Sell Your Second-Hand AirPods

Since its launch in 2016, Apple has quickly dominated the wireless earbud market. While Apple doesn't outright disclose the sales of its AirPods, ZipDo estimates that Apple sold around 110 million pairs worldwide in 2020. By 2023, per MarketSplash, Apple's wearable sales totaled $13.5 billion with an impressive 98% satisfaction rating.

Although massive, these numbers aren't at all surprising, especially given that there are plenty of secrets that AirPods users can benefit from, such as its custom touch controls and personalized spatial audio preferences. Similar to other Apple products, AirPods also offer a seamless integration for the rest of its existing ecosystem. For example, AirPods can seamlessly transfer between Apple devices and work with its incredibly useful FindMy app.

Among the many hacks to improve the sound quality, AirPods Pro even comes with different sizes of ear tips, wherein you can customize the fit for comfort and optimal listening experience. Not to mention, it has plenty of accessories like its wireless and MagSafe chargers that make it painless to charge.

Because of its great product design, strong brand, and devoted customer base, Apple products are always in demand, even second-hand. So, if you take good care of your AirPods, they can still retain a lot of their value years after their initial launch. If you're trying to find a new home for your AirPods, here are some places you can try selling it.

One of the most straightforward ways you can sell your AirPods is through online marketplaces. Some marketplaces even let you filter based on location, so the buyer will not have to spend so much money on shipping costs. For some platforms, you can also check their profile and see if you have any existing connections who can confirm that they're real people. Here are some of the most commonly used online marketplaces for selling electronics:

• eBay
• Facebook Marketplace
• Swappa

One of the main disadvantages of selling your AirPods on online marketplaces is the risks involved when meeting a stranger in person. To protect yourself from possible stalkers or bad actors, only meet up in a public place and avoid disclosing unnecessary personal details, such as your full name or complete home address. To minimize issues, you should also ask them to test the product in front of you before accepting their payment.

If you and the buyer agree to do a completely online transaction, confirm the receipt of the payment or request a deposit before shipping your used AirPods. If possible, you can ask the buyer to take a video while opening the package to ensure it was not damaged during shipping. Scammers may pretend the item was faulty upon arrival to avoid paying for it.

While Apple does not accept AirPods for its trade-in program, it does let you recycle it for free, which is great if your AirPods are ready to kick the bucket. But if your AirPods are still in working condition, you can still trade them in with Best Buy. To do this, go to the Best Buy trade-in website. Then, under Most Popular Trade-Ins, select "Headphones." Next, choose Apple as your brand of headphones and click "Continue."

In the succeeding screen, select what AirPods model you own. As of November 2023, Best Buy accepts the following models:

• AirPods Max
• AirPods with Charging Case (1st Gen) Model A1523 / A1722 – White
• AirPods with Charging Case (2nd Gen) Model A2032 / A2031 – White
• AirPods with Wireless Charging Case (2nd Gen) Model A1938 – White
• AirPods Pro – Model A2084 / 2083 White

Once you select your AirPods model, you'll need to fill out a form that can help establish the condition your earphones are in. In addition, it will try to validate whether some of its key features are still working, such as if it still connects to your phone and if its accompanying charging components are included or damaged.

If you're not brave enough to meet a stranger from Facebook Marketplace or find that your device isn't worth much on BestBuy, your last option would be to sell your AirPods through a resale platform like Decluttr. Decluttr lets you trade your old AirPods for quick and easy cash. 

To do so, simply go to the Decluttr website. On the top part of the screen, click Sell > Sell Tech > Sell Apple Products > Sell AirPods. Afterward, hover your mouse over your AirPods model and click Sell Now. Then, choose your AirPods condition between Excellent, Good, or Poor. If you're not sure what to select, you can click each option to see how Decluttr defines each condition. Finally, you'll be able to review your item summary in the right-hand corner of the screen. If you're happy with this price, you can proceed to click "Sell This Device."

In the checkout screen, you can select your preferred payment method and how you want to send your AirPods. Once completed, you can send it to Decluttr for a free evaluation. Once it validates the condition of your AirPods, Decluttr will send your payment by direct deposit or PayPal. 

When sending your device through Decluttr, make sure your AirPods are wrapped properly to avoid damage through transport. In addition, you should remove it from your iCloud account so their technician can properly test it.

When it comes to selling second-hand AirPods, it's important to factor in the condition of your product and its accompanying accessories. If possible, you should also note if it still has some sort of warranty that is valid. Bear in mind that you'll obviously struggle to sell your earphones if your AirPods case isn't charging or if one of your AirPods isn't working, so it's in your best interest to make sure you keep it in good shape if you plan to sell it. In addition, it's important to comply with the terms and conditions of any platform you plan to sell in.

Instead of buying fake AirPods, selling your old pair can help make up the difference in price when it's time to upgrade. After all, there are plenty of reasons why buying legitimate AirPods is better than replicas, no matter how similar they look. With new models rolling out every few years, you may even want to keep your old AirPods model longer. While you may not be a new AirPods user, there might still be some tips and tricks you might not have tried yet.