The Apple Trade-In program lets you trade in your old device and get a gift card for your next Apple purchase.
The program launched back in the summer of 2017 in Canada for Mac and PC, but soon expanded to other products for trade-in, such as iPhone, iPad and Apple Watch. Apple launched the program with third-party provider Phobio from Georgia, but recently, the program switched to another provider, Florida-based Likewize.
“It‘s easy to trade in your eligible device for credit toward your next purchase, or get an Apple Store Gift Card you can use anytime. If your device isn’t eligible for credit, we’ll recycle it for free. No matter the model or condition, we can turn it into something good for you and good for the planet,” explains Apple.
According to an iPhone in Canada reader, in late June, Apple was still using Phobio as its trade-in partner, according to their web browser history. But that changed at some point leading up to yesterday.
As for Apple Trade-In program values, they appear to have dropped compared to one month ago. Checking out iPhone, iPad, Mac and Apple Watch values, they are down across the board.
You can see how an iPhone 12 Pro Max was worth $810 in June, but is now worth $705. Yes, we are close to an expected iPhone launch this fall, so values do fluctuate over time. But a $105 drop in less than a month–that seems larger than usual.
After Apple changed to Likewize, the value of our tipster’s MacBook Pro lowered from $310 (with Phobio) to $220.
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Apple had already lowered its trade-in values to ridiculously low levels.
The trade-in value for my current, very recent machine (I did a test for the fun of it) was offensively low.
It’s always been the case that you could get more money selling the product yourself, but the hit for choosing to trade in wasn’t nearly as big.
Honestly, the differential is now so large that it’s actually a disincentive to upgrade as I now have to try to sell the stuff myself in order to upgrade.
But Apple will make out like a bandit in some cases since so many will take the easier route (absolutely no judgment on my part for that).
If Apple gives you the same amount that you are getting if you sell it yourself. Tell me how they will do money by reselling it at the same price they gave you?
The point was that Apple is giving markedly lower values than if you were to sell it yourself, thus it being a disincentive to turn to Apple for a trade-in and making you think twice about upgrading if you have to do the footwork to recoup some money on your existing machine.
Based on information from Apple employees and tech news articles, Apple only keeps a small number of traded in items to factory refurbish for warranty and repair replacements. Rest of the items are recycled (destroyed) and never resold.
The intention of the trade in program is to sell new devices by taking out the old devices from second hand buying/selling market.
Apple does not need to make money on the traded in items.
I don’t bother selling, all of it that gets replaced with a new one goes to my sister. She is my recycler :-] While I have only one of each with an exception of two iPads, she has like 3 or 4 older iPads and at least 3 older iPhones. In my mind, I’d rather give them away to someone I care for than trade them in for peanuts and help Apple profits, however small. They don’t need it, they are doing OK.
I think it also depends on how old your product is. I have been able sell alot of Apple products. But these were either 4 years old products or less. I tried to sell an IPad mini 4 last year and it didn’t get any interest. So I used it in a trade in.