Old iPods don’t die, they’re harvested. A growing mini-economy around scavenging parts is giving old and busted iPods second lives. With discarded electronics accounting for 70 percent of the heavy metals and 40 percent of the lead found in U.S. landfills, it helps to keep even a small percentage of Apple’s 100 million iPods out of the e-waste stream helps.
Faced with an out-of-warranty and broken iPod, owners have few choices: Toss it in the junk drawer, make it a high-tech paperweight, pitch it into the trash, sell it, or repair it. Selling it back to Apple nets 10 percent off your purchase, or about a $40 savings on the top-of-the-line iPod. On the other hand, fixing an out-of warranty iPod might bleed a lot of green from your billfold. Just buying a replacement screen typically runs $60 and up, depending on the model.
Googling broken iPods turns up a host of sites that fix them, but most want you to send yours in for an estimate. Should the repairs dig into your wallet too deeply, some will offer to buy the old iPod. At that point, you’re stuck, and any offer that lets you break even on the shipping probably sounds good. Green-minded and nimble-fingered do-it-yourselfers can find parts and make repairs. But if you’re ham-handed, forget it.
But is there a way to combine moola with good enviro-karma? Since April, BuyMyBrokeniPod.com founder and president Brett Mosley has offered both. He started the site after his $300 iPod broke and he found no easy way to dispose of it. The venture combines his entrepreneurial interests with green business. “Most people don’t know they can sell a bad iPod, so it’s a win-win business,” he says.
BuyMyTronics.com tells you exactly what your iPod is worth before you mail it. You specify your iPod model and specs and the website calculates its value. You agree to sell and then follow the directions for sending it in. Once it’s received and its condition is approved, BuyMyTronics.com deposits the agreed-upon amount into your PayPal account. “We usually give sellers better prices for their iPods than Apple or others,” says Mosley.
Broken iPods? More like broken cha-chingPods. (So clever!)
A 2005 graduate from the University of San Diego, Mosley has a good background for a business that runs on slim margins. By day, the 25-year-old entrepreneur is a Denver-based credit-risk analyst in mortgage-backed securities.
Mosley started the iPod business with a partner, Jeremy Cohen, although he has since bought Cohen out. Mosley credits Cohen’s eye for knowing a used iPod’s worth and says Cohen learned how to price pre-owned products while working in his family’s used bookstore in Chicago. Currently the site is buying everything but iPod shuffles. “There’s no real aftermarket for them,” Mosley says.
Mosley salvages parts from some iPods purchased and resells the ones that are in good shape. In other cases, he packages and sells the iPods in bulk to others who resell or rebuild iPods. Bulk sales bring them anywhere from $30 to $130 a unit.
In time, Mosley wants to move beyond dealing in broken iPods and into repair and resale. If this works, he plans to expand into buying and selling parts for Mac laptops. For now, he’s willing to take that broken iPod in your junk drawer and make it sprout more green than Apple, Craigslist, or eBay can.
RECYCLE IT
Reusing before recycling is a step toward reducing e-waste, or at least slowing it down. If not disposed of properly, e-waste can contaminate landfills and cause health problems. Check with your state’s Department of Environmental Quality to find out about rules regarding the disposal of consumer electronics, or to get advice about disposing of electronic devices like iPods. Here are a few places that can repair, provide parts for, or offer advice about your broken iPod.
iFixit offers a free do-it-yourself guide to fixing several iPod models. Another site, ifixipodsfast.com, offers free step-by-step videos on how to fix an iPod.
iPod Repair Guide sells e-books on the topic of repairing your iPod starting at $3.99 each.
iPod Repair Squad promises a free diagnosis within 24 hours after your iPod arrives, while RapidRepair specializes in iPod repairs andgives a quote in 24 to 48 hours.
iPod Mechanic sends you a prepaid UPS mailing label you use to send in your iPod for repair, and the online store also sells iPod parts.
mggthree
April 27, 2012 at 12:16pm
Anyone buying a broken ipod touch?. Ipod touch 1g..i think the problem is the mother board of the ipod..plss tell me if anyone buying a broken ipod..thanks you!
the247news
February 15, 2011 at 3:35pm
:D i wished to sell my iPod on eBay, in working condition, but highest bid was 20 :s doesit really worth it..
the247news.info
Bloopsie15
November 29, 2010 at 7:15pm
Although there are a ton of advertisements for different sites of "who is the best," I'm going to vouch for Take My Mac (http://takemymac.com). I traded in my iPod Touch with them and they have been excellent. The process was smooth, I got a reasonable quote, and the people are just the friendliest bunch I've dealt with!
I'll be selling my MacBook with them so I can upgrade to the new MacBook Air.
ipodguy
November 27, 2010 at 7:11pm
Actually www.podrecycling.com pays the most for broken ipods. When I sent in my ipod I got paid for shipping and got paid the same day that it was delivered.
capssupplier
November 14, 2010 at 8:25pm
sound good, we can reuse the broken ipod, this is quite good,save money, i try to buy one for myself,thank you.
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markan
October 29, 2010 at 9:07am
www.wornoutwidgets.com pays the most out of all those sites for broken ipods
benet
November 10, 2009 at 11:28pm
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laurainamer15
July 05, 2009 at 7:18pm
i am looking to sell my brother's 3rd generation ipod it doesn't work,
i think is the battery , let me know if anyone is interested.
Rannl22
July 20, 2010 at 7:55am
Hi, My name is Courtney and I am looking to get rid of my broken Ipod for some cash. Are you still looking to buy broken ipods? If so, please let me know.Thanks
laurainamer15
July 05, 2009 at 7:19pm
i am tryint to see my bro's 3rd generation ipod, i dont know if your still interested but hmm let me know
iPod User
March 13, 2008 at 9:18am
iPod Mechanic is a company that repairs broken/non-working iPods. Their service claims that you send in your broken iPod to them to be diagnosed. After they diagnose the problem, they will email you with a quote of the repair service. Their website also claims that if you do not wish to pay for the repairs you have other choices: 1) have the iPod shipped back to you, 2) have the iPod recycled at their expense, or 3) they will buy your broken iPod from you.
My iPod is worth approx. $80-100 in a working condition and in its current condition, it is worth $28. The repairs were quoted to me at $139.97, so naturally, I decided not to repair it. I did decide to sell my iPod to iPod Mechanic as per the company's claims on its website.
However, when I informed them of my decision, they told me that they were not buying that model right now, so my only choice was to pay a ridiculous $25 to have it shipped back to me or have it recycled. Nowhere on their website does it say that they will only buy your iPod if they are in need of that current model. It presents the option as a firm option in every single case. Now, iPod Mechanic has my iPod, wants the full value of the iPod to ship it back to me, and will end up with my iPod without paying me a dime for it.
This was nowhere listed as an option on their website, nor does their website inform the consumer of the abnormally high return shipping and handling fees that the company charges if you opt not to pay them to repair your iPod. Their website gives quotes on how much they will give you should you choose to sell them your iPod, and a broken/non-working iPod is quoted for less than $25. I believe the company knowingly charges more for shipping to return an iPod than it is worth in order to cheat the consumer and obtain their iPods for free.
Anonymous
November 15, 2007 at 4:28am
It means if my ipod get stuck even than i can sell it on the internet. That is really great. Whenevr i will get bored by making the Mp4 movies and ipod movies through my PC than i will sell it on the eBay.
Anonymous
October 15, 2007 at 12:45pm
I sold my 4th generation iPod with a worn-down battery for 80 on EBay- the key is just to actually be honest about what you're selling. I disclosed the battery problem, and got a fair price.
