If you’re thinking about buying a used Nintendo Switch to save money or because you’ve found a deal, it’s important to make sure you’re not wasting your money.
The Nintendo Switch is currently one of the most popular consoles on the market. Despite the fact that it was first launched in 2017, it continues to sell well, and the games that are released for it are often bestsellers. Because of that, the Switch itself as well as its games are still pretty expensive. If you want to save some money, buying a used Nintendo Switch might be an option, but you need to be careful before you go through with the transaction.
The Switch launched on March 3, 2017, with a launch price of $299.99. The OLED model followed later, priced at $349.99 from the get-go. Various shortages made the Switch difficult to come by in the height of the pandemic, but the console is usually in stock these days — at the exact same price as years ago. You can find the base model for $299.99 and the OLED version for $347, so not much has changed since the release date.
This may drive some people to buy a used console instead. Shopping on sites like eBay or Craigslist can net you some decent deals, but buying a console that has been used comes with some risks involved. Here’s what you need to always watch out for.
One word of warning (that doesn’t concern the console itself as much as the entire process of shopping) is that it’s much better if you buy your console in person. Of course, if you’re buying from the previous owner, make sure to meet at a public place and do not pay them before receiving and inspecting the product.
Buying the console in a face-to-face trade gives you an edge — you can make sure that it has no visible faults and that it runs well.
