If you want to learn more about flipping laptops, you’ve come to the right place. Throughout the world, many people own companies profiting from finding, buying, and reselling laptops. And, since computers are more popular than ever, laptops are in demand from all sorts of people.
But, before you get started doing all of this, it might be helpful to do a bit of research. Fortunately, we’ve done the heavy lifting for you. In this post, you’re going to find out more about:
Why it’s a good idea to think about flipping laptops
What laptops brands are the most popular
Where you can find laptops online
How to get your laptops ready for resale
Bonus tips to jumpstart your company’s laptop sales
Why Should I Think About Flipping Laptops?
It makes sense to want to learn more information before deciding if buying and selling laptops is the right path for you. As you’ll soon learn, there are many advantages to earning a full or part-time income flipping laptops. Here are several benefits that flipping laptops have to offer.
Many Ways to Make Money
One of the main reasons to flip laptops is because they’re great potential money makers for your company. As you can imagine, many people love using laptops for either business or personal reasons. Because of this, selling laptops allows your company to enter into a thriving market.
What you might not know is there are plenty of ways to earn money with computers. The first way to do this is by buying laptops and selling them, which is fairly self-explanatory. However, this isn’t the only way to make money in the electronics industry.
You can also earn profits by buying and selling laptop parts. Understandably, this aspect of the laptop industry does require a little more knowledge of computers and the parts that help power them.
Selling Products That People Want
Another major benefit of selling laptops is that you’re working with items that a lot of people want. By doing this, it’s fairly easy to sell your company’s products because people know what they’re getting. Selling products that are in-demand makes it easy for your company to start successfully flipping laptops right away.
Fewer Separate Pieces Than Desktop Computers
If you’re like most people, you probably don’t want to buy and sell something that’s made up of many different pieces. With all of these pieces, you’ll have more things to keep track of. This also means more pieces to ship out per order.
Fortunately, this situation won’t be as big of a problem when you’re buying and selling laptop computers. Instead of lots of separate pieces, laptops typically come with only a few items. Of course, you’ll need the laptop itself. It’s also common for laptops to come with a power cord. These items usually feature a built-in touchpad and keyboard, meaning there isn’t often a need for a separate mouse or keyboard to keep track of.
Better for the Environment
Another major advantage of buying and reselling laptops is that it’s potentially better for the environment than buying these items in brand-new condition. When you’re buying previously used laptops, you’re not creating any demand for the production of a new laptop. While it’s not an advantage that many people think of when selling laptops, it’s still an important advantage.
What Are the Most Popular Laptop Brands?
Before you dive too deeply into reselling laptops, it’s good to know about popular laptop brands. With this information, you can avoid the stress and time that come with trying to sell products from unpopular companies. Fortunately, there are many companies manufacturing laptops that consumers and companies want to purchase.
Apple
No matter where you look, you can find lots of popular laptops made by Apple. In the past, this company manufactured Apple desktop computers. However, as the popularity of laptops grew, Apple decided to make a smaller computer of its own. With that in mind, Apple would soon create the MacBook.
Since Apple began manufacturing MacBooks in various forms, this laptop remains one of this company’s best-selling products.
Products to Look for: When you’re looking for Apple laptops, be sure to check out MacBooks. As mentioned earlier, this is the only kind of laptop that Apple produces. You can also find popular variations of the MacBook on the market, including the MacBook Air and MacBook Pro.
HP
Another one of the world’s leading laptop manufacturers remains HP. Based out of Palo Alto, California, HP first began a long time ago in 1939. Interestingly, this company got its start by providing measurement instruments for one of Walt Disney’s most iconic films, Fantasia.
In the late 1990s into the early 2000s, HP first began manufacturing its first lines of laptops. Also, from 2007 to 2013, HP was the world’s leading manufacturer of personal computers.
Products to Look for: There is a wide range of popular laptops manufactured by HP. Here’s more information about some of these company’s most in-demand laptops.
If you’re wanting to carry something sleek and stylish, you might consider carrying the HP Envy. This computer features a metal casing. It is also 2-in-1 compatible, meaning it functions as both a laptop computer and a tablet.
Another popular laptop from this company is the HP Pavilion. One of the coolest features of this laptop is that it’s available in many different screen sizes. Like the Envy, there is also an HP Pavilion model available that functions as a tablet and laptop.
If you expect to be working with companies or business clients, consider buying the HP ProBook. One neat feature of this line of laptops is that they allow users to log in with their fingerprints instead of typing in traditional passwords or PINs. What’s also cool about these laptops is that HP had them tested by the military, meaning these devices can withstand lots of extreme conditions.
Acer
If you’re looking for other popular laptops, Acer might have what you’re looking for. Starting in 1976, Acer is a company that manufactures tablets, laptops, desktop computers, smartphones, and other types of electronics.
Products to Look for: Like many companies on this list, Acer has a lot of popular laptops available for sale. One of this company’s most popular laptops is the Acer Swift 3x. This laptop features a long battery life, something almost any laptop user will value. This laptop is also lightweight.
Another popular line of laptops from this business is the Acer Spin. This product is a 2-in-1 laptop that also features a long-lasting battery life. The Acer Spin also comes with a stylus that’s great for helping users avoid smudging their screens.
If your company’s customers are creative types, you might consider carrying the Acer ConceptD. While this laptop has a strange-sounding name, it is a computing device that many creative people love using. It’s also well-known as a cheaper alternative to Apple’s line of MacBook laptops.
Microsoft
Chances are, you’re at least somewhat familiar with Microsoft. You might know about this company for its history of manufacturing popular desktop and laptop computers. However, this business is also well-known for its entry into the gaming industry with the Microsoft Xbox line of video game consoles.
Founded by Bill Gates and Paul Allen, this company remains one of the world’s largest technology companies. Microsoft’s laptops are powered by the Windows operating system, something that many people prefer using. In 2020, Microsoft was ranked the third most valuable brand in the world.
Products to Look for: Some of the most popular laptops from Microsoft are under the Surface line of computers. If you want to offer something relatively inexpensive to your customers, you can start carrying the Microsoft Surface Go. This laptop is smaller than many others offered by Microsoft. While it’s smaller in size than many of Microsoft’s other laptops, it still has plenty of features for your customers to enjoy.
Another popular laptop from this company is the Surface Pro. With a detachable keyboard and 2-in-1 functionality, this laptop has almost everything a person or company could want. These laptops are also capable of running for about 10 hours on a full battery.
It’s also worth considering carrying the Surface Book. This laptop features a large screen, detachable keyboard, and a lot of processing power. These laptops are great computers for people, whether they’re playing games, working, or trying to create something new.
Dell
As you continue researching popular computer brands, you’re likely to come across lots of computers made by Dell. Officially formed in 1984, Dell continues manufacturing some extremely popular desktop and laptop computers. This company also sells data storage devices, software, televisions, printers, and cameras.
Dell continues to produce some of the most in-demand laptops. People like Dell’s laptops because many of its laptops are affordable, intuitive, and full of cool features.
Products to Look for: One of this company’s most popular laptops is the Dell Latitude. While this laptop isn’t the least expensive computer on the market, it performs well, has a long battery life, and quite a bit of storage space.
For customers who are on a budget, you might consider offering them the Dell G5. This line of laptop computers is all about providing value. The G5 laptops are great for students or professional electronics flippers that need to complete a lot of work. However, they’re also great for people that want an inexpensive laptop computer for gaming purposes.
If you want to provide your customer with top-of-the-line laptops, it’s worth trying to acquire the Dell XPS 15. This high-quality laptop features a stunning picture and amazing sound. Another feature of this laptop is that it features an internal keyboard built with comfort in mind. This feature is perfect for anyone who spends a lot of their time on the computer.
Lenovo
Lastly, we also wanted to mention some of the laptops available from Lenovo. This company is another one of the electronic industry’s largest corporations, manufacturing computers, tablets, smartphones, storage devices, televisions, and much more.
Products to Look for: Lenovo has many popular laptops for sale, including the ThinkPad. The Lenovo ThinkPad is a lightweight laptop that features a crystal-clear display. It also includes a wide range of ports, which is great for people that need to keep other devices connected to their laptops.
Another one of this company’s laptops that is gaining a lot of momentum is the Lenovo Chromebook Duet. This laptop sells at an extremely low price and is perfect for someone on a tight budget. While this laptop is popular among students, almost anyone can get a lot of use from this computer.
If you can find them, it’s also good to keep an eye out for the Lenovo IdeaPad. While this computer doesn’t have quite as much processing power as some of Lenovo’s other laptops, the IdeaPad is inexpensive and has a long battery life.
Where Can I Find Laptops Online?
With a deeper understanding of the world’s most popular laptops, it’s now time to find out where you can find these devices. Instead of spending hundreds or thousands of dollars on retail prices, check out the following sources to find lots of high-quality laptops at low prices.
Trade-In Tech
An important part of finding laptops for sale online involves finding the right platform. Unfortunately, it’s becoming increasingly hard to find a platform that specializes in electronics. You don’t need to spend a long time looking for this kind of platform. Instead, you can find it becoming a member of Trade-In Tech.
Trade-In Tech is a company that began in 2012, aiming to help everyone work together in the electronics industry. Each day, our members buy and sell a wide range of electronics. Some of the most popular electronics on Trade-In Tech include, but isn’t limited to:
Laptops
PCs
Smartphones (iPhone, Samsung Galaxy, etc)
Tablets
Smartwatches
Home tech
And much more!
Another major advantage of becoming a Trade-In Tech member is not getting bombarded with a bunch of fees every time you’re trying to buy or sell something. In fact, Trade-In Tech doesn’t charge our members any fees. Whether you’re buying one laptop or 1,000 of them, we don’t believe in charging fees for these transactions. Keep your money for the purpose of growing your business!
We have several great ways for you to find the laptops you need. The most popular way to do this is by using Trade-In Tech’s marketplace. We make our marketplace easy for both buyers and sellers. If you’re a seller, simply list what you’re selling and post it to our marketplace. Then, buyers can browse our listings to find your products.
You can also source laptops by checking out our member directory and chat rooms. Using either of these options will help ensure you find many reliable companies to purchase laptops from. Since we have a massive network of members throughout the world, there’s never a shortage of laptops available for sale on Trade-In Tech.
Being one of the most popular websites, it makes sense that Facebook would launch a marketplace. Depending on your location, Facebook Marketplace could be a decent source to help you find laptops for sale.
One of the main drawbacks of using Facebook Marketplace to buy laptops is that you’re going to be meeting people in person to get your items. While this isn’t necessarily a bad thing, in-person meetings with strangers aren’t something everyone is comfortable with.
Since there are many kinds of items for sale on Facebook Marketplace, it can also be time-consuming to find the electronics listings.
eBay
Another potentially popular way to find laptops is by checking out eBay. Being one of the world’s largest auction websites, it’s definitely possible to find laptops for sale on this website. On this website, you can buy laptops by either choosing to bid on auctions or buy them at a price that the seller sets.
Regardless of how you purchase laptops on eBay, always look at seller ratings for who you’re working with. Since eBay welcomes almost anyone on their platform, it’s possible for scammers to make new accounts and wreak havoc on this website.
If you’re planning on checking out eBay’s auctions, make sure to set alerts. These alerts can notify you when an auction is about to end, potentially allowing you to grab something great at the last minute.
How to Get Laptops Ready to Resell
Before you can start selling your recently purchased laptops, you might need to take care of a few things. Completing the steps below helps to ensure that your customers receive quality laptops that are in great condition and ready to start using.
Erase All Personal Data
Unless you’re selling brand-new laptops or ones that have never been used, the devices you’re getting ready to resell might have data that needs to get erased. We don’t recommend trying to do this manually for a few reasons.
Trying to delete what looks like personal data doesn’t mean that you’ll get rid of all of it. Since these computers likely aren’t ones you personally use, there could be data in all sorts of places in these laptops. Another reason to avoid deleting everything manually is that you could end up getting rid of essential files or folders.
With that in mind, the best way to safely and effectively get rid of data on a laptop is to perform a factory reset. Don’t worry; you don’t need a lot of technical knowledge to complete this process.
How to Perform a Factory Reset for Windows Users
The steps needed to factory reset a laptop running on Windows are fairly simple to complete. Follow the steps below to reset Windows laptops:
Tap or click on the Windows icon on the bottom left corner of your screen (formerly known as the Start Menu).
Find and click on the Settings option.
After a new window pops up, find and click the Update and Recovery option.
Select the Recovery option.
On the right, you should see a Reset This PC screen appear.
On the right side of your screen, click the Get Started option.
Follow the instructions that will appear on-screen to reset your laptop.
How to Factory Reset a Mac
As we’ve mentioned, there are also many people that prefer to use Mac computers. If you need to reset a Mac, here is what you’ll need to do:
Turn on your Mac.
Press and hold the Command + R keys.
When the Apple logo shows up on your screen, let go of these two keys.
A new menu should appear. Select Disk Utility from this menu.
Select the Erase option.
Quit the Disk Utility program.
Select Install macOS from the new menu that appears.
Understandably, trying to remove all of the data on a laptop can be time-consuming. This task can take even more of your time if you’re an electronics wholesaler and need to clean many laptops daily. But, ensuring that personal data is off of a laptop can save you a lot of potential headaches in the future.
Physically Clean Them (If Necessary)
We’ve spent a lot of time discussing what is inside of a laptop. However, it’s also important to focus on how your laptops look before they’re shipped out. We don’t want to sound gross, but, over time, laptops accumulate a lot of dirt, dust, food, and other things.
Fortunately, you don’t have to stress out about physically cleaning a laptop. You only need a few things to complete this task, including compressed air, cotton swabs, and a microfiber cloth. You can also use light amounts of rubbing alcohol to clean a laptop. However, it’s only advisable to work with isopropyl alcohol that is rated 90% or higher. A concentrated amount of isopropyl alcohol is actually less likely to damage any of your laptop’s components.
There are laptop and desktop computer cleaning kits on the market. However, most of them are nothing more than an overpriced package that consists of everything mentioned in the previous paragraph.
Use Compressed Air to Blow Out Dust From the Keyboard
While laptops are small, you’ll likely need to clean several areas of these computers. Some people think that wiping down screens and the outside of a laptop is the best thing to do first. However, depending on how much use your laptops receive, you could wind up clearing out a bunch of particles from your keyboard that ends up covering your screen.
So, the first step to do is to start with your laptop’s keyboard. All you need to do to get started is use your compressed air where it can start putting pressure under your keyboard’s keys. Once this happens, you should start seeing small particles and dust make their way from under the keyboard.
Since you are doing this step first, you won’t have to worry about having to reclean your laptop’s screen. After you finish this step, use your microfiber cloth to gently wipe away any remaining dirt or grime.
Wiping Down the Inside and Outside of a Laptop
With the dust and dirt removed from your laptops, you’ve completed what’s likely the most labor-intensive step. It’s now time for you to use your microfiber cloth and gently wipe down your laptop.
If you plan on using alcohol, make sure to never pour isopropyl alcohol on your laptops. This is way too much liquid on a laptop and will likely cause damage to your computers. With a small amount of alcohol on your cloth, gently wipe down your laptop.
When you’re ready to wipe down the screen, you probably won’t need any alcohol. Instead, use a small amount of water to clean your laptop’s screens.
Removing Smells From a Laptop
The problem of a smelly laptop might seem strange to some people. However, depending on where these laptops were stored, it’s possible for them to have unpleasant smells. And one of the best ways to neutralize smells is by using charcoal.
As odd as it sounds, charcoal is one of the world’s best natural deodorizers. So much so that charcoal is often used in kitty litter and diaper deodorizers. All you need to remove odors from a laptop is a cup that’s full of kitty litter and a bin with a lid.
Simply place the laptop near the full cup of kitty litter, and any lingering smells should soon get removed from your computers. Just make sure to avoid pouring kitty litter directly on your laptops.
Gather Everything That Comes With Your Company’s Laptop
One of the last steps to complete before shipping out your laptop is to gather everything that comes with it. In some cases, you might only need to ship out a laptop and power cord. However, if you bundle your laptops, there might need to be a lot more items you need to prepare.
Plus, double-checking exactly what you’re shipping out can help you avoid potentially costly mistakes that could lead to unhappy customers.
Tips to Help You Flip Laptops for Lots of Money
Whether you’re new to selling electronics or already running a company that needs a sales boost, there are several ways to achieve this goal. If you’re ready to kickstart your company’s laptop sales, follow these steps.
Determine Your Target Audience
An important step to help boost your sales is to consider who you’re selling laptops to. Understandably, your business likely wants to sell laptops to anyone. While this is great, it’s also a good idea to narrow down the kinds of people or companies your business works with.
By doing this, it’s easier to begin tailoring your marketing strategy to a highly targeted audience. When this happens, it’s much easier to create strong connections. Oftentimes, these connections can lead to a lot of long-term customers for your business.
Post What You’re Selling on Your Company’s Website
The next tip is to list your electronics for sale in as many places as possible. In addition to listing your laptops on the previously mentioned websites and platforms, it’s also a good idea for your business to have its own website.
With a website, your business has a way to connect with people throughout the internet. It’s also likely where many people and companies will visit to learn more about your business. Plus, you can use your website as an e-commerce hub to start selling your company’s products.
Find a Professional Refurbisher for More Complicated Problems
There are many great things about selling laptops. With that said, unless you’re a professional refurbisher, you’re going to encounter laptops that are damaged or broken. Some buyers will avoid these products, which is fine. However, there can be a lot of profits hidden in broken or otherwise damaged laptops.
By partnering with a professional electronics repair person, your company can start profiting from damaged laptops. If you’re looking to find reliable electronic repair professionals, think about joining Trade-In Tech. Our platform is home to all sorts of electronics refurbishers that can help you sell more laptop computers.
Bundle Your Laptops With Popular Accessories
One of our last tips is a proven business sales strategy that companies have been using for decades. To increase the amount of money customers spend, consider bundling accessories with your laptops.
A few popular types of laptop accessories include cases, keyboards, a mouse, or external storage devices. Pairing these items with your laptops is also something that many customers will appreciate. After all, this helps save them time from having to track down the accessories they want or need.
Whether done as a side-hustle or a new career, flipping laptops is a great way to make money. Once you know which laptops are popular, you can start buying these products. After doing this, market your business properly, and you should soon start watching the sales rolling in. For more tips to help you succeed in the electronics industry, visit Trade-In Tech’s electronics blog.