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Lush1954
User level: Level 1 (4 points)

Online Trade In SNAFU

A couple of years ago I wanted to trade my iPad, which I had only had and used sparingly, for about a year. It was in pristine condition. But, Like most, I wanted the new upgrade so I attempted to trade instore and was advised I had to do it online. So I followed the steps, accepted the offer, received the mail in box and did so. Some time after I had purchased the new iPad, the latest air pods and the new Ultra 3 watch, I received a notice that my offer was reduced due to the iPad being damaged. Upon inquiry, they advised and sent me a photo of a dent in a strategic place on the back that allowed the machine to still run perfectly. Of course I protested and advised that there was no damage upon my sending and advised them to check their receiving department, especially the cameras if the unboxing was filmed. Because I trusted the process, I had not taken photos prior to shipping. Instead, I received the damaged iPad back with the dent which was never there before. Furious, I vowed to never use the send in process again. I though “what does the 3rd party company do with traded in items if the ridiculous claim of damage was accepted”? Apple should too. So my vent, and question, is; does apple still require online trade in or have they again allowed in store trade in?

Posted on Sep 18, 2026 10:13 PM

2 replies

Mac Jim ID
User level: Level 10 (105,996 points)

Sep 18, 2026 10:19 PM in response to Lush1954

Apple has always allowed in-store trade ins for iPhone/iPad since the service launched in 2013, so not sure why you were steered to use the online trade in. In fact, the in-store trade in is what I recommend as you will get an instant valuation without any surprises.


For verification of Apple In-Store trade in policy, you can look at their page here:

Apple Trade In - Apple



LotusPilot
User level: Level 10 (334,506 points)

Sep 19, 2026 3:12 AM in response to Lush1954

You can verify eligibility for trade-in and obtain an estimate of the potential trade-in value here:

Apple Trade In - Apple


You should always be able to trade-in at a physical Apple Store - many choosing this option by preference (especially for larger items such as iPad) as the device can be checked, the trade-in value finalised and the process completed while in-store - this being much more straightforward than challenging a mail-in assessment after the fact. When using the in-store process, be aware that trade-in values may differ slightly from an on-line estimated value.


Any item sent via a postal service can suffer damage in transit. Anecdotal evidence suggests that unlike most iPhone trade-in transactions, iPad's appear to have a greater incidence of damage reports during inspection by Apple's trade-in partner.


Originally posted at discussions.apple.com/thread/256360224