Sell Used Items in Boston
Sell used books, CDs, vinyl, phones and games in Boston. Compare local buyback shops with online prices - Brattle Book Shop, Newbury Comics and more.
Boston is a college town at scale - with 35+ universities in the metro area, there’s no shortage of used books, textbooks, and media changing hands. From the historic Brattle Book Shop to Harvard Square’s bookstores, the options are real. But can you get better prices locally or online?
We compared Boston’s local buyers with online platforms. For textbooks and academic books, it’s close. For everything else, online usually wins.
What do you want to sell?
Books
Local options in Boston:
- Brattle Book Shop (Downtown Crossing) - one of America’s oldest antiquarian bookstores, established 1825; buys quality used and rare books
- Harvard Book Store (Harvard Square, Cambridge) - buys used books, strong on academic and literary titles
- Brookline Booksmith (Coolidge Corner) - has a used book cellar, buys select titles
- Commonwealth Books (Downtown Crossing) - antiquarian and rare books specialist
The reality: Boston’s bookstores are strong on academic and rare titles. Brattle Book Shop is legendary and pays well for quality. But for your stack of beach reads and old paperbacks, they’re not interested.
| Local | Online | |
|---|---|---|
| What they buy | Academic & rare | Mainstream too |
| Average price | $0-4 (if accepted) | $0.50-5 per book |
| Textbooks | Good during buyback | Year-round demand |
Academic/rare books: try Brattle first. Everything else: online. Compare book prices →
CDs & Vinyl Records
Local options in Boston:
- Newbury Comics (multiple locations including Newbury St) - New England institution, buys CDs and vinyl
- In Your Ear Records (Harvard Square, Cambridge) - curated vinyl and CD shop, buys for cash or credit
- Armageddon Shop (Harvard Square) - punk, metal, and indie specialist
- Cheapo Records (Central Square, Cambridge) - huge selection, buys used CDs and vinyl
Harvard Square is the hub for record shopping and selling. In Your Ear and Cheapo are particularly good for selling collections.
| Local | Online | |
|---|---|---|
| What they buy | Most genres | Everything |
| Average price | $0.25-2 per CD | $0.15-3 per CD |
| Vinyl records | Decent local market | Standard prices |
CDs: compare online. Compare CD prices →
Vinyl: try Harvard Square shops. Compare vinyl prices →
Phones & Electronics
Local options in Boston:
- Best Buy (multiple locations: Fenway, Cambridge, Braintree) - trade-in for phones, tablets, laptops
- ecoATM kiosks - South Shore Plaza, Natick Mall, and other locations; instant cash
- GameStop (multiple locations) - trades phones and gaming hardware
| Local | Online | |
|---|---|---|
| iPhone 13 | $170-210 (trade-in) | $200-260 (cash) |
| Payout | Instant | 1-3 business days |
Best price? Compare online. Compare phone prices →
Video Games
Local options in Boston:
- GameStop (multiple Boston-area locations)
- Newbury Comics - also buys used games at some locations
- The Compleat Strategist (Back Bay) - board games and tabletop specialist
| Local | Online | |
|---|---|---|
| PS5 game | $15-25 | $20-35 |
| Retro games | Limited options | Standard prices |
Games: online usually pays more. Compare game prices →
Nobody Buying? Donate
- More Than Words (Waltham) - employs at-risk youth through bookselling
- Goodwill - multiple greater Boston locations
- Boston Public Library - accepts donations for annual book sale
- Little Free Libraries - throughout Boston and Cambridge neighborhoods
How Online Selling Works in Boston
- Enter your item - ISBN, EAN or select your model
- Compare prices - All buyers at a glance
- Pack your box - From your apartment
- Drop it off - USPS, UPS, or FedEx on your T commute
Boston perk: The city is compact and the T connects all major neighborhoods. Combine your package drop-off with your commute.
Semester Ending?
With Harvard, MIT, BU, BC, Northeastern, Tufts, Emerson, Berklee, and 30+ other schools, Boston is textbook central. End-of-semester demand is massive - sell your textbooks before everyone else floods the market.
Compare Prices Now
Frequently asked questions
For books, Brattle Book Shop in Downtown Crossing is one of America's oldest antiquarian bookstores and buys quality titles. Harvard Book Store in Cambridge buys used books too. For CDs and vinyl, Newbury Comics and In Your Ear Records are solid. For the best overall price, online buyback usually wins for everyday items.
Usually online for mainstream items. Boston's bookstores are academic-focused and selective. Online buyers take mainstream paperbacks and pay fixed prices. Exception: academic textbooks can sometimes fetch more locally near universities, and rare books do well at Brattle Book Shop.
College bookstores offer convenience but typically pay 25-50% of the new price, and only during buyback periods. Online comparison tools often find better prices because you're competing nationally, not just selling to one bookstore. Always compare before accepting the campus offer.
Boston is compact and well-connected by the T. USPS post offices, UPS Stores, and FedEx locations are in every neighborhood. Many CVS locations accept UPS packages too. The T makes it easy to combine a drop-off with your commute.
Donate! More Than Words in Waltham employs at-risk youth and accepts book donations. Goodwill has locations across greater Boston. The Boston Public Library accepts donations for their annual book sale. Brookline Booksmith also accepts donations.