Used & Refurbished MP3 Players Tips
Read these 7 Used & Refurbished MP3 Players Tips tips to make your life smarter, better, faster and wiser. Each tip is approved by our Editors and created by expert writers so great we call them Gurus. LifeTips is the place to go when you need to know about MP3 Players tips and hundreds of other topics.
How Do You Sell Your Used MP3 Player?
If you have decided to upgrade and want to sell your used MP3 player, there are a lot of places to choose from.
eBay is the most popular, but also has the most competition. If you choose to sell on eBay, first carefully review the offerings that are currently up for your type player before setting your selling price. If you don't want to hassle with an auction, you can set a Buy It Now price that is fair, and reflects what you want to get. You can also set a lower start price with a reserve price, but be aware that eBay charges more for reserve priced auctions!
Take good digital photos of your player from all angles, and pull the specifications off the web and place them prominently in your listing. Listings without details get lost, easily. Also, make sure you pay for the picture that shows in the list that comes up in the initial search.
Other markets to sell your used MP3 player include Amazon.com - which is less crowded, and Craigslist. Craigslist does limit you to only the local market, but then you don't have to worry about shipping.
What to Consider if You Must Buy a Discontinued Product
The best bargains can be found on discontinued products, but this is also not without considerable risk.
If you must go for these tremendous bargains, there are some critical factors to consider.
First and second generation iPods require additional, third party software to work with a Windows system. Make sure that you can obtain this software, and don't have a problem installing it before you buy an older generation iPod.
Battery life is an issue with all older MP3 players. If you must buy a discontinued model, it is best to buy one that has an easily replaceable, standard type battery. There are many kits available for iPod replacement batteries, but they run for about $100 so be sure to factor that into your overall cost.
Make sure that your player comes with all required cables and software, as these may be very difficult to obtain for older models.
Earlier model iPods also have only a Firewire connection for your PC. Be sure that you have a firewire connection on your PC, as many PCs only have USB connections.
What to Watch for When Buying a Used MP3 Player
When buying a used MP3 player, it is best to stick with models that are no more than two or three years old to make sure they are compatible with the latest software, and that accessories are still available for them.
The biggest consideration when buying a used iPod is the battery. iPod batteries can only be charged between 300 and 450 times and then they are gone forever. There are many kits available to replace the batteries, but they run around $100 and should be factored into your total costs if battery life is low.
Be sure to ask the seller about the battery - has it recently been replaced? How long does it hold charge before needing recharged? Many iPod users just don't want the hassle of replacing the battery, so they sell their player when it gets to that point.
Another thing to check is the reviews for the player you are considering. Are there any "gotchas" with this player? Did the manufacturer have some that had to be completely reformatted? If there are known quality issues with that player, best to steer clear of it.
Make sure that you are receiving a complete package including all power and interface cords for your player.
Also, some sellers leave their music intact on their players as an added bonus. This can be great - if you share the same taste in music!
Which are the Best Used MP3 Players to Buy?
When buying an MP3 player, look for top reviewed players that are not discontinued by their manufacturers, as discontinued products may not have many accessories available for them should you need them.
Some of the better used MP3 players include the iPod Nanos, as they are most likely just being traded up for an iPod with more memory, the iPod 30G videos for the same reason and the iRiver Clix.
Be sure to get at least a third generation iPod, which is compatible with the current version of iTunes and easier to use than earlier generations.
The Toshiba Gigabeat is also a durable player, so a used version should be a great bargain.
The biggest issue with the discontinued iPod Minis was battery life, although there are many used Minis available, it is best to avoid them for this reason.
Buying a Used iPod on eBay
One of the best places to find bargains on used iPods is eBay - however, there is a fine art to getting the very best deal.
First of all, make sure that you know the exact model and type of iPod that you are looking for. Next, do a search on that specific model. On the top, sort your results by price, with lowest first. Scroll down, and eliminate the auctions that are ending in more than five days as they are usually just not bid up to market price yet.
Look for auctions ending in twelve hours to the next day, which gives you enough time to receive responses back from the sellers.
Next, review the amount of detail each listing has. If a listing only shows a stock photo but has a good price, you can email the seller and ask for an actual photo. This is a good idea, as some iPods can get very scratched and beat up if they were used without a case.
Be sure to ask the seller if the battery has been replaced, and how long it holds a charge before needing recharged. If it needs a new battery, your bargain may not be such a great deal!
Make sure the listing includes the accessories that will be shipped with your iPod, and check on shipping prices. A trick that many sellers are using is to list their iPod at a low price, with a very high shipping and "handling" charge to make up the difference.
When bidding, set a price in your mind that is your "walk-away" price. Otherwise, it is very easy to get caught up in "auction fever" and pay more than you should.
Where Can You Get a Refurbished Apple iPod?
Factory refurbished products are products that have been returned for some defect, and fixed by the manufacturer. Because they have been reworked, they cannot be sold as new, but are in most cases as good as the new product.
By buying a refurbished iPod, you can easily realize savings of up to 75 percent over a factory new product!
The Apple store carries refurbished models, and many factory refurbished outlets can be found on the web.
One such store is the RefurbDepot.com which has a variety of deals on refurbished iPods.
Amazon.com also carries refurbished products, as does Tech Bargains and Small Dog Electronics. Many eBay sellers also offer refurbished products.
Where Do You Buy a Used MP3 Player?
With all the advances in MP3 player technology, many are swapping out barely-used players just to have the latest and greatest. This means that the used market is full of great players that have seen little use, and are ready and waiting for new owners.
Used players are available by the thousands from both Ebay and Amazon.com. Craigslist usually has local used MP3 players that you can actually test first, and comparison shopping sites, such as Nextag.com, also show listings for used players and prices.
| Guru Spotlight |
| Candi Wingate |
