Apple Watch trade in values are appalling.

[BigMcGuire]

Sort of off topic but maybe not. Now when you go to actually trade in your old watch there is no Apple website checkout available option to do so in person in-store. Only mail-in trade pack. I've had a couple bad experiences with mailing in things to apple for trade and don't want to go down that path again, even with the low stakes $130 trade-in value of my watch. I just want to upgrade my series 9 silver to an 11 space gray and preferably do so in person but given that there's no online option I assume this is new policy to avoid the barrage of people coming in swapping their old watches at launch? Or do they still do this in store on the sly if you just want to buy in person?

When I chose pickup for my Ultra 3 it gave me the option to trade in my Ultra 2 at the next screen. I could also choose to ship. Chose to do in store trade in.

 

[MareLuce]

Measly $130 trade in for my AW9.

At least the positive side was that I paid almost nothing for the S9 as I used a fintech health credit card that paid for it as long as you kept in shape....

How did they define "kept in shape" ?

Was this your employer's credit card?

 

[Jeweller]

When I chose pickup for my Ultra 3 it gave me the option to trade in my Ultra 2 at the next screen. I could also choose to ship. Chose to do in store trade in.

Huh. I'm only seeing the "continue to trade in kit" option. Regardless, I'm just going to show up and do it in person. Pretty sure they'll have plenty of space gray 11's available haha.

 

[martint235]

Don’t trade in with Apple. In the UK I have a favourite reseller (doesn’t begin with M) who last Friday quoted me £355 for my AWU2.

 

[gtg465x]

$70 for my mint condition S7 Ti. 🤮

Yep, me too. I'm upgrading to the Ultra 3, but I'll just keep my S7 Ti over trading in for $70. Might look nicer than the Ultra with certain outfits, like a suit, and might be more comfortable for sleep tracking.

 

[newellj]

Bought a Series 10 Titanium Cellular 46mm last year for £799 mainly for the sapphire screen. (Ridiculous how much Apple charges just to get sapphire). It's in mint condition too.

I was curious how much Apple would offer as trade in for it now the new ones are released.

Only £160.

Less than 1yr old at this point. Not worth trading in at all.

I haven't checked closely lately, but in general AW trade-in values are often somewhere between OK and generous for the base Sport (aluminum) models. For "premium" materials such as stainless steel and titanium, they're often only slightly higher which, given the much higher original purchase price, means that trade-in values for those AWs are, as you said, appalling.

 

[BillGates1969]

Don’t trade in with Apple. In the UK I have a favourite reseller (doesn’t begin with M) who last Friday quoted me £355 for my AWU2.

That is good - I sent my U2 to Apple a couple of weeks ago and got £325 and it is now down to £275 from them if I had waited. One thing to note with Apple is they only want the watch, no charger or anything. Most resellers (MM for example) want the original Ultra charger or they mark the value as 'poor'

 

[martint235]

That is good - I sent my U2 to Apple a couple of weeks ago and got £325 and it is now down to £275 from them if I had waited. One thing to note with Apple is they only want the watch, no charger or anything. Most resellers (MM for example) want the original Ultra charger or they mark the value as 'poor'

I didn’t know that but I had the original puck anyway.

 

[andyw715]

I guess.

I traded in my launch day ultra 2 for $335. That's a 2 year old watch with 86% battery life left. New is $799.
That's 42% of its retail value. A few of the buy back sites were under $250

Sure a private sale would probably yield a better price but still.

 

[4sallypat]

How did they define "kept in shape" ?

Was this your employer's credit card?

It was a new fintech credit card called Paceline that touted a free Apple Watch for participating in the activity / exercise.

At the end of 12 months, doing all the exercises / activity, you get a full credit for the AW.

They went belly up in 18 months...

 

[profets]

I guess.

I traded in my launch day ultra 2 for $335. That's a 2 year old watch with 86% battery life left. New is $799.
That's 42% of its retail value. A few of the buy back sites were under $250

Sure a private sale would probably yield a better price but still.

I'm sure it's location dependent as well, but I was just looking at private sale for my 3 year old Ultra 1 (I'm in Canada FWIW). $270 CAD trade in, $400-450 listed for private sale. I'm sure after many get listed and you negotiate a bit I'd end up with less than $400. Not to mention to get the most out of a private sale I'd need to package it with the original band (which would cost me $129 CAD to re-purchase). Quite a bit of hassle for an extra $100.

 

[jz0309]

I guess.

I traded in my launch day ultra 2 for $335. That's a 2 year old watch with 86% battery life left. New is $799.
That's 42% of its retail value. A few of the buy back sites were under $250

Sure a private sale would probably yield a better price but still.

Ultra trade-in is far more reasonable than the regular watch (the ones with sapphire for sure). I traded in my U1 for an original launch U2 and got like $370 or so if memory serves right.
I would have traded my U2 in for the $335 had I decided to upgrade, but I just don't see a reason for me.

 

[andyw715]

Ultra trade-in is far more reasonable than the regular watch (the ones with sapphire for sure). I traded in my U1 for an original launch U2 and got like $370 or so if memory serves right.
I would have traded my U2 in for the $335 had I decided to upgrade, but I just don't see a reason for me.

True, any special editions ie like the old "Edition" models or even newer Ti cases won't recoup that initial cost. That's like buying a GT version of Grand Am and expecting to get more for it 5 years later, its still a Grand Am.

Although to buy any consumer electronic device with plans on maximizing resell value is a losing proposition to begin with.

 

[jz0309]

True, any special editions ie like the old "Edition" models or even newer Ti cases won't recoup that initial cost. That's like buying a GT version of Grand Am and expecting to get more for it 5 years later, its still a Grand Am.

Although to buy any consumer electronic device with plans on maximizing resell value is a losing proposition to begin with.

when I got the U1 I checked the trade-in price of my then 10 months old S7 Ti Edition, $170 or $180, can't remember. I still have that watch, serves as a sleep tracker watch every other night while my U2 is being charged during that night

 

[BillGates1969]

I didn’t know that but I had the original puck anyway.

Yep I have mine, but I still do lol - that is another place I can have a charger ready to charge and worth about £20?

 

[profets]

when I got the U1 I checked the trade-in price of my then 10 months old S7 Ti Edition, $170 or $180, can't remember. I still have that watch, serves as a sleep tracker watch every other night while my U2 is being charged during that night

I had that S7 Titanium. Man that was a nice watch at the time. Sold it privately for 80% of what it cost brand new when I got the Ultra. I think it was a bit easier as introduction of the Ultra meant the end of the Edition.

But that's a nice move - having a smaller / lighter watch for sleep tracking. I started doing that with an older Series 6 40mm and let my Ultra charge during the night.

 

[A1000]

That is good - I sent my U2 to Apple a couple of weeks ago and got £325 and it is now down to £275 from them if I had waited. One thing to note with Apple is they only want the watch, no charger or anything. Most resellers (MM for example) want the original Ultra charger or they mark the value as 'poor'

Apple were offering above the 3rd party options for an AWU and the swing was that I keep the strap and charger which is worth having for utility value rather than price. I agree with other that the Apple send in approach has been less than tolerant of known design defects for me in the past so will be using in store this time even though not offered when ordered. And if there are any problems then I'll look to cover it through Apple Care!

 

[jz0309]

I had that S7 Titanium. Man that was a nice watch at the time. Sold it privately for 80% of what it cost brand new when I got the Ultra. I think it was a bit easier as introduction of the Ultra meant the end of the Edition.

But that's a nice move - having a smaller / lighter watch for sleep tracking. I started doing that with an older Series 6 40mm and let my Ultra charge during the night.

I alternate between the U2 and the S7 for sleep tracking, the size of the U2 doesn't bother me but I can understand that not everyone feels the same.
Good for you for selling your S7 Ti at the price you mention!