US man buys 31 untested Apple iPods and a Mac Mini for $355 to see if he can flip them for a profit
After spotting what looked like a bargain late one night on eBay, a YouTuber decided that he was going to buy 31 untested Apple iPods and a Mac Mini for $355 and see if there was any potential for a flip.
The huge bundle contained 31 iPod Touch models alongside an old Mac Mini and an Apple keyboard.
While the listing suggested everything had been tested, the reality turned out to be far more complicated.
Buying this much vintage Apple tech can only be described in one word: a gamble.
Can he flip 31 untested Apple iPods?
Vintage Apple gadgets continue to attract collectors, and it seems like old-school is back, but buying dozens of them in one go is a gamble.
YouTuber jOhnZoid decided to take that risk after finding an eBay listing offering 31 Apple iPods, a Mac Mini, and an Apple keyboard for less than $400 and after negotiating with the seller, he secured the entire lot for just $355.
His goal wasn’t simply to add to a collection, instead, he wanted to see whether the bundle could be flipped for a profit.
Before he could even think about selling anything, though, every single iPod had to be tested.
Charging the devices alone took about a week, as many of the batteries had been sitting unused for years.
Most of the bundle consisted of fifth and sixth-generation iPod Touch models, but despite their age, many still powered on and remained surprisingly usable.
Unfortunately, that’s where the good news started to end.
Almost every iPod suffered from a weak battery, with several displaying wildly inaccurate battery percentages due to worn-out cells.
Others had swollen batteries pushing against the screens, while a handful had more serious faults, including water damage, missing home buttons, and even iCloud activation locks that hadn’t been disclosed in the original listing.
Several devices also refused to activate normally until they were reflashed using specialist software.
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A profit despite everything
After sorting everything, the YouTuber divided the collection into two piles.
The better devices were listed individually with full disclosure that they had weak batteries, while the damaged units were bundled together and sold for parts or repair.
Despite the long testing process, the old Apple hardware still had some life left in it.
The working iPods could still browse the web, use FaceTime and iMessage over Wi-Fi, and even download previously purchased apps and games from the App Store.
Once all the auctions had finished, all the iPods had sold, and, combined with the sale of the Mac Mini, the entire haul generated $471 in revenue.
After marketplace fees, the YouTuber took home around $433.
That left him with a profit of approximately $48 over his original purchase price.
It wasn’t exactly the kind of flip that would fund an early retirement, especially after spending countless hours charging, testing, and cataloging more than 30 devices.
Still, the experiment proved that even outdated Apple gadgets can retain surprising value, particularly when buyers know exactly what they’re getting.