Broken electronics can still be worth selling.
I sell a lot of used electronics, and not everything I buy ends up being fully functional.
Sometimes a phone turns on but the screen doesn’t work.
Sometimes a CD player powers on but the disc won’t spin.
Sometimes an iPod works except for the battery.
Sometimes I buy an entire lot of phones and only test enough to know that some of them have problems.
When that happens, I usually don’t spend hours trying to repair everything.
I list it honestly, price it based on the actual condition, and move on.
Here’s how I handle broken electronics on eBay.
If It Isn’t Fully Working, I Usually Go With “For Parts or Not Working”
My basic rule is simple:
If the item is not fully operational, I usually list it as For parts or not working.
That’s not me being overly cautious.
That’s basically what the condition means.
eBay currently defines Used in electronics categories as an item that is fully operational and functions as intended. For parts or not working covers items that don’t function as intended, aren’t fully operational, require repair, or are missing essential components. eBay
So if:
- the screen doesn’t work;
- a major button doesn’t respond;
- the CD mechanism doesn’t spin;
- the battery is completely dead and the device only works plugged in;
- there’s a passcode or lock I can’t remove;
- or some other important function is broken;
I’m usually putting it under For parts or not working.
I’d rather be conservative than make a buyer think something is more functional than it really is.
I Don’t Hide the Problem
Once I know what’s wrong with something, I say what’s wrong.
I don’t test an item, discover a problem, and then call it untested.
At that point it isn’t untested anymore.
I learned something.
If a CD player powers on but the disc doesn’t spin, I’ll say exactly that.
If a phone turns on but the screen stays black, I’ll say exactly that.
If a button doesn’t work, I’ll say which button.
That’s one of the main differences between a legitimately untested item and a known broken item.
I wrote more about that distinction in What Does “Tested” Mean on eBay? What Buyers and Sellers Should Know.
I Put the Problem Near the Top of the Listing
If something is broken, I don’t want the buyer discovering that halfway down the description.
The problem goes near the top.
If it’s important enough, I’ll also put it directly in the title.
I might use wording like:
FOR PARTS
READ
TURNS ON – READ
SCREEN NOT WORKING
CD DOES NOT SPIN
It depends on the item and how much space I have.
eBay currently allows up to 80 characters in the listing title, so I try to use that space efficiently. eBay
That’s why I might write “turns on” instead of “powers on.”
Same meaning.
Fewer characters.
“READ” Is Useful — Even Though Some People Still Won’t Read
I use READ pretty often when something has an important issue.
It’s only four characters, and it gives the buyer another signal that this isn’t a normal working item.
Does everybody actually read the description after seeing READ?
No.
Some buyers still don’t.
But I want to make the problem as hard to miss as possible.
The title, condition, photos, and description should all tell the same story.
In the Description, I Get Very Specific
If I tested the item, I explain what happened.
For example:
Turns on. Radio works. CD does not spin. No further functions tested. Sold for parts or repair.
That is much more useful than writing:
Broken.
I want the buyer to know what I know.
If I stopped testing after finding the main failure, I’ll say that too.
If the CD mechanism doesn’t even spin, I may not spend another 20 minutes testing every secondary feature.
That’s already a major problem.
I Photograph Broken Items Just as Carefully
I don’t take worse photos just because something is being sold for parts.
I still photograph:
- front;
- back;
- sides;
- screen;
- ports;
- battery compartment;
- labels;
- model numbers;
- visible cracks;
- corrosion;
- missing pieces;
- error messages;
- and the problem area if it can actually be shown.
If the device still powers on, I’ll usually show that too.
I probably take more photos than I need, but I’d rather show too much than too little.
eBay itself recommends clear photos from multiple angles and specifically showing flaws or scratches. eBay
I Don’t Usually Add Arrows or Circles
I normally don’t edit my listing photos with arrows, circles, or text.
If there’s a visible problem, I’ll take a close-up.
Then I’ll explain it clearly in the description.
That’s usually enough.
I Price Broken Items Using Broken-Item Sold Comps
I don’t take the working value and randomly knock 50% off.
I look at sold listings.
Then I filter specifically for For parts or not working when possible.
That tells me what buyers are actually paying for broken examples of that model.
Sometimes the difference between working and broken is huge.
Sometimes it isn’t.
It depends completely on the item.
A high-end phone with a bad screen can still have plenty of value.
An old camera may still be valuable for parts.
An iPod may have a desirable housing, board, screen, drive, click wheel, or other components.
There isn’t one percentage I use.
I look at the actual market.
Sometimes a Broken Item Is Still Worth Selling Individually
My rough personal threshold is around $20.
If I think I can get $20 or more for something broken, I’ll usually consider listing it individually.
Sometimes I’ll go lower if I think it’s a strong, easy sale.
But I don’t want hundreds of tiny low-value listings sitting around just for the sake of having more listings.
If I have ten $5 broken electronics that make sense together, I’d much rather create one decent lot than ten separate low-value listings.
That saves time too.
Lots Make Sense for Cheap Broken Electronics
I do this especially with phones and similar items.
If I have several lower-value devices that are untested, locked, partially working, or broken, I may put them together.
Maybe some turn on.
Maybe some don’t.
Maybe I only checked a few basic functions.
I’ll list the entire lot as For parts or not working, explain exactly what testing I did, and let the buyer decide what they’re worth.
That’s much more efficient than creating a separate listing for every cheap device.
Broken Brand-Name Electronics Can Still Be Valuable
Phones.
iPods.
Cameras.
Game systems.
Vintage audio equipment.
Portable CD players.
Cassette players.
Speakers.
All kinds of electronics still have value when they’re broken.
Brand and model matter a lot.
Apple, Sony, Canon, Nikon, Panasonic, Google, Bose, Olympus — there are buyers looking for parts and repair candidates across all of these categories.
I don’t assume something is worthless just because it doesn’t work.
I look it up.
Who Buys This Stuff?
A lot of my buyers are clearly not ordinary end users.
They’re:
- repair businesses;
- refurbishers;
- parts buyers;
- electronics hobbyists;
- resellers;
- collectors;
- or people who already know exactly what they need from the device.
I’ve had repeat buyers where I can see that they operate businesses selling refurbished electronics.
They might buy a broken camera from me for $20 or $30, repair it efficiently because that’s what they do every day, and then sell the finished product for much more.
That doesn’t bother me.
I made my money.
They made theirs.
I got the item out the door quickly.
Everybody is doing their part of the process.
A Broken Device Can Contain Plenty of Good Parts
Even if the complete device doesn’t work, individual components may still be valuable.
Depending on the item, that can include:
- housing;
- screen;
- motherboard;
- buttons;
- battery door;
- cameras;
- drives;
- ports;
- shells;
- speakers;
- internal components;
- or cosmetic pieces.
I don’t personally tear most of these devices apart.
That takes time.
I’d rather sell the whole item to somebody whose business is repairing or harvesting parts.
Accessories Can Be Worth More Than You Expect
One thing I always check is the accessories.
Sometimes an old remote, cable, headphones, charger, controller, or other accessory is worth real money by itself.
You can buy an old electronic at a garage sale thinking the main device is the valuable part, then discover the original accessory is worth just as much — or more.
So I research everything before tossing it into a lot.
Real Example: A Phone With a Dead Screen
I had a phone that was working when I originally sold it.
The buyer returned it.
When I got it back, the phone itself still appeared to power on, but the screen no longer worked.
At that point, I couldn’t sell it the same way I originally had.
I relisted it for parts.
Because it was still a desirable phone with usable components inside, somebody bought it quickly at a much lower price than a fully working one.
I didn’t need to repair the screen myself.
I just priced the phone based on what it was now.
Real Example: A PS1 That Turned On but Wouldn’t Spin Discs
I’ve also sold a PlayStation where the console powered on and I could verify some basic functions, but the disc mechanism didn’t spin correctly.
That’s an obvious parts item to me.
The main function of the console isn’t working.
So the title and description made that clear:
It turns on.
The disc doesn’t spin.
Sold for parts or repair.
Somebody who fixes consoles can decide whether it’s worth repairing.
Real Example: Microcassette Recorders
Microcassette recorders are another good example because I sell quite a few older audio devices.
One recorder might turn on but not play.
That’s a parts item.
Another might actually play and function but have a smaller issue.
The important part is being honest about exactly what I found.
If the defect affects normal operation enough that the device is no longer fully operational, I now lean toward For parts or not working, even if part of the device still works.
That matches eBay’s current condition definition more closely. eBay
Sometimes I Don’t Repair Because Time Is Worth More
Could I learn to repair more electronics?
Sure.
Sometimes I actually want to.
I’ve played around with soldering and battery replacement because I wanted to learn.
But most of the time, repairs just aren’t the best use of my time.
Someone who repairs the same model every day can probably diagnose it, open it, fix it, and close it much faster than I can.
Meanwhile I could be photographing, listing, sourcing, packing, or selling something else.
I go deeper into that decision in Why I Don’t Repair Electronics Before Selling.
A phrase I use a lot is:
A fast nickel is better than a slow dime.
I don’t always follow that perfectly myself, but it’s something I try to remember.
I Still Accept Returns on For-Parts Listings
Listing something For parts or not working does not make it magically immune from returns.
I accept returns anyway.
If the buyer simply changes their mind, my normal return policy applies.
If they claim the item materially doesn’t match the listing, eBay’s Money Back Guarantee can still come into play even when a seller otherwise doesn’t accept returns. eBay
That’s another reason I document the condition carefully.
If I say the screen doesn’t work, I want that written clearly and shown where possible.
Yes, Buyers Occasionally Complain That a Broken Item Is Broken
It doesn’t happen often, but it happens.
Someone buys something clearly listed for parts and then messages me because it doesn’t work.
I stay professional.
I’ll explain that the listing stated the problem and that the item was sold for parts or repair.
If they’re unhappy, I’ll tell them they can open a return according to the listing’s return policy.
There’s no benefit to getting into an argument.
“Untested” Is Not a Substitute for “Broken”
This is one of my biggest rules.
If you genuinely did not test an item, saying untested is fine.
I do that myself.
I still get electronics that use cables or equipment I don’t have.
But if you already tested the item and discovered that it’s broken, calling it “untested” is misleading.
I’ve bought lots before that were described as untested, only to discover that nearly everything was severely broken.
Sometimes I can’t prove what the seller knew, but it definitely makes me suspicious.
Once you know the problem, say the problem.
That’s how you build repeat buyers instead of creating distrust.
Repeat Buyers Matter
I have buyers who come back.
Maybe they repair electronics.
Maybe they know I describe things accurately.
Maybe they bought something at a good price and want to see what else I have.
Whatever the reason, repeat buyers are valuable.
You don’t build that by hiding defects.
You build it by making the transaction predictable.
The buyer should receive exactly what the listing made them expect.
When Is Something Too Broken to Sell?
Honestly, I’ll sell almost anything if there’s enough value left.
If it’s completely destroyed — smashed beyond recognition, run over, or clearly useless — then yes, eventually it becomes e-waste.
But most of the time, electronics have more residual value than people think.
If it isn’t worth selling individually, I can often lot it with similar items.
That’s why I research first.
Final Thoughts
Selling broken electronics on eBay isn’t complicated.
My process is basically:
- test what I can;
- identify the problem;
- choose the correct condition;
- put the important issue in the title;
- explain it clearly in the description;
- photograph everything;
- check sold comps for broken examples;
- price it realistically;
- and sell it to someone who knows what to do with it.
I don’t try to make a broken item sound better than it is.
And I don’t automatically assume broken means worthless.
There’s a large market of repairers, refurbishers, parts buyers, and hobbyists who are perfectly happy buying electronics that don’t work — as long as they know exactly what they’re getting.
New to Reselling on eBay? Start Here
If you’re newer to selling electronics, these guides cover the rest of my process: