Where Can You Sell Used Printers?

Computer users upgrade their printers for a variety of reasons, even though many times their old printers are still working and useful. Add to this the fact that most electronics contain harmful chemicals and parts that should not be disposed of improperly, and you have a reason not to throw away your old printer, but to find it a new home.

With millions of products for sale on any given day and millions of users waiting to buy those products, sites such as eBay and eBid are a good place to start trying to sell your printer. Before listing it, do a search for the model number to see what others are selling the printer for, then put up your own listing that either matches or beats that price. Listing on some auction sites does cost money, and you also must pay any associated fees, such as a closing value fee.

Classified ads offer exposure to potentially thousands of buyers your area. Start with sites such as Craigslist.org or your local newspaper, and search for your printer model. If you find similar printers for sale, run an ad of your own and beat the price by a few dollars to get a quick sale, or if you don't find anything similar, set your own price just to see whether the printer will sell. If you get no offers within a few days, relist with a lower price. With Craigslist, it is free to post items for sale so you can keep experimenting with the price without spending any money. Newspaper sites likely will charge a fee.

If your used printer doesn't work or has consistent problems, you probably won't be able to earn much money by selling it. But you can still keep it from occupying a landfill by recycling it locally. The Telecommunications Industry Association (link in Resources) offers a comprehensive list of places that recycle old electronics in every U.S. state, along with contact information and what types of electronics each will accept.

If you aren't concerned with cash and just want to find a new home for that old printer, the Freecycle network (link in Resources) offers a large community of users who offer items free of charge, who are looking for free items or who are interested in trading items with no cash involved. With more than 8 million members worldwide, you're likely to find a large enough local group to discover someone else willing to trade for a printer or acquire a used printer free of charge.

Before trying to sell your used printer, test it to make sure it powers on and prints pages correctly. Gather everything the printer needs to operate, including the power adapter, any cables, the original driver CD (although most printer drivers can be downloaded for free on the Internet) and ink cartridges if applicable.Also, notify potential buyers of any quirks the printer may have, whether ink is included, and what condition they can expect to receive the printer in. If you must ship the printer, encase it in adequate packaging materials (such as foam and bubble wrap) to ensure that the buyer receives it in working condition.