According to Caijing News on April 28th, Apple's consumer electronics products typically hold their value relatively well in the second-hand market. However, the label of "holding value" seems to have little to do with the Vision Pro.
Despite being announced at last year's June WWDC, the Vision Pro was only first released in the U.S. market on February 2nd this year and is currently only available for sale in the U.S. market.
(Photos from the Vision Pro launch event at Apple's Fifth Avenue flagship store in February, source: Cook's X account)
Contrary to the frenzy at Apple stores in early February, where crowds gathered for the Vision Pro, many Apple retail stores are now struggling to sell more than a few units per week.
The first-hand market has quickly cooled off, reflected in the prices on the second-hand market.
Users express disappointment at the second-hand market prices.
According to tech media outlet The Verge's report on Saturday, comparing prices on the US second-hand platform eBay this week, Vision Pro devices are now heavily discounted.
For instance, a 1TB version of the Vision Pro (officially priced at $3899), including $500 for Apple Care+ and a $200 original travel case, was sold on eBay this Wednesday for $3200, a discount of $1400. The seller mentioned that the product was "probably used for about an hour" and frankly stated, "Honestly, this thing is not worth that price."
(Source: eBay)
Meanwhile, more early adopters are opting for the 256GB version (officially priced at $3499), with current selling prices on eBay hovering around $2600.
(From: eBay)
On another popular second-hand trading platform beloved by American Apple users, Swappa, one can clearly feel the extent of the discount on this product. It seems that to sell off a Vision Pro that's gathering dust, one must endure a discount ranging from $700 to $1000. Keep in mind that even the earliest batch of users who cheered with Cook in Apple stores have had the product for no more than 3 months.
Tech journalist Wes Davis bluntly stated that he purchased the 256GB version of the Vision Pro, spending a total of $3900 including lenses and installment interest. However, when he made the mistake of checking the second-hand prices on eBay, he found out that he could only sell it for $2600 now, which made him "feel sad."
Davis also mentioned that although the target audience of the Meta Quest 3 from competitors ("only" $500) is different and not even comparable, the significant price difference clearly puts pressure on the prices on second-hand platforms.
What's even more heartbreaking for early users is that the money they spent on the entry-level product in February can now buy the top-of-the-line product, along with Apple's additional warranty and travel protection case. Davis said he really likes the Vision Pro, but if he were still within the 14-day return window, he would immediately return the item to the Apple store and place an order on the second-hand platform. He also humorously remarked: thankfully, when he wears this headset, no one can see his tears.
Sharp Decline in Shipment Expectations
The cooling demand for Vision Pro in the U.S. market has quickly spread throughout the supply chain.
Renowned tech industry analyst Ming-Chi Kuo stated on Tuesday that Apple has now reduced the shipment forecast for the Vision Pro in 2024 to 400,000-450,000 units, significantly lower than the current market consensus of 700,000-800,000 units.
The significant reduction in orders before the product is launched in overseas markets also indicates that the sharp decline in U.S. market demand has exceeded expectations, leading Apple to take a more conservative view of overseas market demand.
Kuo also believes that the situation with the first-generation Vision Pro has prompted Apple to reassess its product roadmap. While the market had previously expected a new Apple headset in the second half of 2025, this now seems uncertain.
