Selling your Nintendo Switch should be as straightforward as buying it. All the hassle, stress, and headaches that come with selling your Nintendo Switch aren’t necessary. So in this article, I’m going to show you exactly how to sell your Nintendo Switch for top dollar quickly and easily.
Here’s what you’ll learn:
- How to properly prepare your Nintendo console for sale
- Best strategies and places to sell your Nintendo Switch fast
- How to avoid scams when selling your Nintendo Switch
How to sell Nintendo Switch quickly & easily
How to prepare your Nintendo Switch for trade-in or sale
Before you jump into selling your Nintendo Switch, you have to make sure it’s properly prepared. This is really important because how you prepare your Nintendo Switch for sale can affect how easily the sale will go and how much cash you get. So here’s how to prepare your Nintendo Switch for sale.
1. Inspect the device
The first step in preparing your Nintendo Switch for sale is to inspect the device. Thoroughly check the device for any physical damage such as scratches, dents, or cracks, especially on the screen. Check if the kickstand is loose or broken. Test all buttons and ports (game card slot, SD card slot, USB-C port) to ensure they are functioning correctly.
One big thing to check for is Joy-Con drift. Check your Nintendo Switch to find out if the Joy-Cons are still working as they should. If not, you can try and fix it. If you can’t fix it, make sure to accurately describe your Switch when selling it.
2. Gather original accessories.
Collect all the original accessories that came with the Nintendo Switch, such as the dock, charger, and HDMI cable. Original accessories make your Nintendo Switch sell for more, since these accessories can be expensive.
3. Consider including games
If you have physical copies of popular and well-regarded Nintendo Switch games, consider including them in a bundle to increase the selling price or to ensure they are reused. Even if the games you have are not all that popular, adding games can still help your console fetch more value as opposed to not adding any.
Remember that digital games are tied to your Nintendo account and cannot be transferred with the console to a new owner.
4. Unlink and factory reset the device
The next step in preparing your Nintendo Switch for sale is to sign out of all accounts and perform a factory reset on the device, especially if you don’t want the console to be linked to any account going forward.
Important: To truly remove a Nintendo Account from a Switch console, you need to delete the entire user profile linked to that account. Be cautious, as this will erase all saved data associated with that user stored on the console. However, if you have Nintendo Switch Online, some data may be recoverable through cloud saves after linking the account to a new user.
Steps to take to deregister your Nintendo account:
- From the HOME Menu, select System Settings.
- Scroll down to Users and select the user profile you want to remove.
- Scroll down to Delete User and select it.
- Follow the on-screen prompts to confirm the deletion. You may need to enter your Parental Controls PIN if one is set.
If the console is set as your primary console, here’s how to deregister it:
- Open the Nintendo eShop.
- Select your user icon in the top-right corner.
- Scroll down to the Primary Console section.
- Select Deregister twice to confirm. You may need to enter your Nintendo Account password.
Alternatively:
- Remotely deregister it via the Nintendo Account website (once per year):
- Go to https://accounts.nintendo.com/ and sign in to your Nintendo Account.
- Select Shop Menu.
- Select Nintendo eShop Settings.
- Under Primary Console, select Deregister.
How to factory reset Nintendo Switch
From the HOME Menu, select Settings > Formatting Options > Restore Factory Settings. If you have parental controls set up, you’ll be prompted to enter the PIN. Then, confirm.
5. Clean the Nintendo console
The final step in preparing your Nintendo Switch for sale is to clean the console thoroughly. If possible, make the console look as though you just unboxed it. Doing this will make the console more appealing and can help it fetch a higher price.
Now that we’ve properly prepared the Nintendo Switch, let’s jump right into the best strategies for selling your Nintendo Switch quickly and easily.
Strategies to sell your Nintendo Switch quickly and easily
Sell your Nintendo Switch to SmartphonesPLUS
By far the best strategy for a quick and easy Nintendo Switch selling experience is to sell it on SmartphonesPLUS. SmartphonesPLUS offers top dollar for Nintendo Switch consoles, even the ones with issues like Joy-Con drifting, cracked screens, cosmetic damage, etc. One of the best parts about selling your Nintendo Switch on SmartphonesPLUS is how straightforward the process is: get a quote, ship it, and get paid.
Another awesome thing about selling your Nintendo Switch on SmartphonesPLUS is how you can choose from many different methods to get paid and how fast the payment comes in. Lastly, you can lock in your selling price and come back when you’re ready to go ahead.
Use influencers or your network
This is my second-best strategy, and it works very well. Most times I’m able to sell game consoles within a day using this strategy. And no, I don’t mean the big social media influencers; by influencers, I mean people around you who have some level of influence or reach, especially online. For example, last year in August, I had a PS4 Slim I wanted to sell, and I found a buyer in less than 24 hours using this method. Here’s exactly what I did: I got high-quality pictures of the PS4 and sent them to my friend who regularly gets over 1k views on his WhatsApp Status (basically like Instagram stories for WhatsApp) and sent them to another who gets around 500 views. Both posted it and in a matter of hours, the PlayStation was sold. You can also ask friends to help post it, even if they don’t have much social influence.
You might ask what the difference is between this and posting somewhere like eBay, but it’s essentially influencer marketing on a smaller scale. People prefer to buy from people with actual lives and faces they can see and interact with, not semi-nameless eBay accounts. To spice things up, you can add a commission for whoever ends up making the sale.
Multiple listings
We all know about posting a listing on platforms like eBay, Swappa, and Facebook Marketplace. What you can do is post on all platforms simultaneously and set up buyer alerts. So you don’t have to list your Nintendo Switch on one platform and wait for whenever something pops up from there. This will allow you to cast a wide sales net.
How to avoid scammers when selling your Nintendo Switch
Beware of extremely high offers; if it sounds too good to be true, it likely is a scam.
Use reputable platforms with secure payment; stick to known sites with buyer and seller protection.
Document the Switch’s condition before selling: Photos and videos provide proof that protects you from false claims.
For local sales, meet in safe, public places; prioritize your safety during in-person transactions.
Inspect cash payments carefully. Counterfeit money is a common scam.
Don’t share excessive personal information; protect your privacy from potential fraudsters.
Trust your gut feeling and decline suspicious offers. It’s better to miss out on a potential buyer than to lose your Nintendo Switch.
Stay informed about common online selling scams; knowledge is your best defense.
Keep communication within the selling platform; official records help resolve disputes.
The bottom line
Selling your Nintendo Switch doesn’t have to be a stressful or complicated experience. With the right preparation, a smart strategy, and a little awareness to avoid scams, you can get top dollar for your console in no time. Whether you choose a trusted platform like SmartphonesPLUS, tap into your personal network, or list it across multiple marketplaces, the key is to stay organized and intentional. Now you know the best strategies, all that’s left is to take action.
Frequently asked questions about trading in or selling a Nintendo Switch
Where can I trade in my Nintendo Switch for the most money?
Sell your Nintendo Switch to SmartphonesPLUS to get the most money plus a smooth and easy selling experience. You can get an instant trade-in estimate online, ship it for free using their prepaid shipping label, and get paid the way you want. They offer many payment options like ACH bank transfer, Venmo, and more.
How to sell Nintendo Switch for cash?
To sell a Nintendo Switch for cash, you can sell on SmartphonesPLUS, Swappa or even Facebook Marketplace. They offer fast, direct payments when selling a Nintendo Switch. SmartphonesPLUS is the most recommended as they have a reputation for high payouts and quick, hassle-free process.
How to sell Nintendo Switch online?
Simple, sell it to SmartphonesPLUS online. It doesn’t have to be more complicated than that. Here’s how to sell your Nintendo Switch to SmartphonesPLUS:
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Go to SmartphonesPLUS.com
- Navigate to Sell Game Console
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Choose Sell Nintendo
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Pick your specific Nintendo Switch model
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Select your device details to get an instant quote
- Follow the onscreen instructions, then ship your device using the free shipping label.
On SmartphonesPLUS, you can also sell other game consoles like PlayStation, Xbox, Steam Deck, and more.
How much can I sell a used Nintendo Switch for?
How much you can sell your Nintendo Switch for depends on different factors like current market value, condition, usage, games available, etc. The better the condition of your Nintendo Switch, the more money you can get for it. Also, you can check eBay to get an idea of how much a used Nintendo switch is worth.
What is the best way to sell a Switch console?
Selling Nintendo Switches to SmartphonesPLUS is the best way to sell a Nintendo Switch quickly and conveniently.
How to prep your Nintendo Switch for trade-in or sale?
Inspect and clean the console, factory reset it, unlink accounts, and include accessories. These steps help you sell your Nintendo Switch more quickly and for a higher price.