During the pandemic, more people found themselves confined to their homes, where many turned to home exercise equipment to stay fit. Among the sought-after items were the best ellipticals, exercise bikes, and treadmills. These pieces of cardio gear became hot commodities, reflecting the shift towards at-home fitness solutions. Despite the initial excitement towards this fitness equipment, you might want to sell a used treadmill.  

[Related: Best Treadmills for Home] 

As a personal trainer, I rely on my home treadmill for both personal workouts and client training sessions. However, if you find yourself not using your treadmill often, it may be beneficial to consider selling it. This decision can help you regain space and generate extra income, particularly if you initially invested in a high-quality treadmill and wish to recover some of that expense. Before parting ways with your second hand exercise equipment, here are some essential tips on how to sell a used treadmill for the right price. 

Preparing a Used Treadmill for Sale

Now that you’ve decided to part ways with your treadmill, a few steps need to be taken to ensure you’re getting the best price  — and to ensure you’re selling a safe treadmill in good working condition.

Tip 1: Clean 

Maintaining and cleaning your treadmill may not have been your favorite part about ownership but you’ll want to give it one more go before you say goodbye. 

Remove dirt, dust, sweat, and debris from the treadmill for visual appeal and smooth operation. Potential buyers won’t want to see sweat stains so take a wet cloth and wipe down the components of the treadmill, keeping moisture away from the electronics and screens.

[Related: How to Clean Treadmill Belts]

Tip 2: Perform Maintenance

If it’s been a while since you and your treadmill spent some quality time together, you may want to check if a treadmill belt adjustment is needed. Potential buyers may ask to take your treadmill for a spin before they buy it, so you’ll want it running smoothly and in good working condition.

If you encounter an issue with your used treadmill’s operation, decide to repair it or disclose it to potential buyers.

Tip 3: Take Photos

Once your used treadmill is cleaned up, it’s time for a quick photo shoot. If your fitness equipment is kept in a dark or cluttered area, you may want to consider moving it or brightening up the surrounding scenery. 

[Related: How to Clean Gym Equipment]

Quality pictures can be a huge advantage in selling your fitness equipment as research shows that buyers in online marketplaces are more likely to trust sellers that use high-quality photos in their listings. (1) Some platforms even allow you to upload videos which can be a great tool if you have a model with bells and whistles like the NordicTrack Commercial 1250.

Setting a Fair Price For a Used Treadmill

Doing a little research will go a long way in determining a fair price for your exercise equipment. Setting a competitive price that’s in line with the current market in your area and the condition of your treadmill will help you get the best price and the right buyer quickly. 

Tip 1: Research Your Model

Find out the nitty gritty on your treadmill’s brand — such as NordicTrack, Life Fitness, Proform, Bowflex, etc. — and the specific model, age, condition, features, dimensions, weight capacity, and any accessories it comes with. 

Collect additional information that could add value, such as warranty info (if applicable), maintenance logs, and the original receipt if you bought it brand new. Once you’ve collected this information, you can write your listing highlighting its selling points and features.

Tip 2: Research Your Market

There can be a significant range of pricing for used gym equipment depending on what area you live in. Look around at local and nationwide listings for equipment similar to yours to get an idea of pricing. 

[Related: Buying a Used vs. New Treadmill]

It can also be helpful to look at recently sold exercise equipment, as well as listings that have been for sale for a long time, as these will be good indicators of what’s selling and at what price point. Also, take into account what these trade-ins asked for in regard to shipping costs. 

Tip 3: Consider Depreciation

Like most equipment or machinery, treadmills will lose value over time due to wear and tear, technological advancements, changes in the market, and consumers’ needs. If you’re unsure of how to deduct depreciation for your used gym equipment, you can use a depreciation calculator to help you come up with a reasonable price.

In some cases, especially if your treadmill has major operation issues or needs expensive parts, you may have better luck selling individual parts rather than a broken treadmill. 

Josh Wilson, owner of The Vault Strength and Fitness in Sarasota, Florida, can attest that while his members’ needs are top priority, finding perfectly good used parts instead of buying new or replacing machines altogether allows him to allocate those funds to other important member benefits.

Recently, after one of his treadmill motors died, he took to Facebook Marketplace to see what he could find.

“I found the same model treadmill on Marketplace and bought the treadmill just for the motor. It was cheaper than a new motor would have been and it works perfectly again,” Josh shared with me. “I love to spoil my loyal gym members but in some cases, I’d rather let someone else pay full price!”

If your treadmill seems like it isn’t worth much, don’t fret —one man’s junk is another man’s treasure.

Where to Sell a Used Treadmill 

The avenues where you choose to market your treadmill will make a big difference in getting the best price and selling it quickly. There are also options for selling it offline but if you invested in a good quality treadmill and it’s still in good condition, you’ll want to get it in front of as many eyes as possible.

[Related: The Best Cardio Workouts at Home]

Here are some of the most popular online platforms for selling used items:

Online

Due to their convenience, variety, and accessibility, online marketplaces continue to be extremely popular with both buyers and sellers. A U.S. study from 2022 found that of the consumers surveyed, eBay was the most used online site for second-hand goods in North America, with Facebook Marketplace coming in second. (2)

Keep in mind that if you decide to sell your item to someone out of your local area, there will be additional shipping fees to consider. If you don’t want the hassle and the additional costs of shipping, you’ll want to keep it local.

Retailers

If convenience is your main priority for selling your used fitness equipment, there are a variety of retailers that buy used exercise equipment like exercise bikes, ellipticals, treadmills, and even smaller items like dumbbells — but this usually isn’t the most profitable option.  

Sporting goods stores like Play it Again Sports will offer you on-the-spot payment if your treadmill is in good condition, but they will likely offer you a lower price than what you can get directly from a consumer.

If you have a sports consignment store in your area, check to see if they’ll sell your equipment in their store and what their consignment fee is. Again, retailers can make the process of selling the equipment easier or more convenient but you’ll have to sacrifice getting a higher price for your fitness equipment.

Garage Sale

If online selling isn’t your thing, there’s nothing wrong with trying to sell your used treadmill 1980s style at a garage sale. If getting rid of your treadmill is part of a decluttering project, it can be a convenient way to get rid of items.

While it may seem like a convenient way to purge unwanted items, keep in mind that garage sales can be effective for selling general household items, but they may not be the best option for selling specialized items like treadmills. For those, maybe consider placing an ad in your local newspaper. 

Final Thoughts

Whether you’re selling your treadmill for space, extra cash, exploring a cardio alternative to running, or ending a potential love/hate relationship with it, the demand for used treadmills remains consistently strong in most areas of the U.S.

Cleaning, performing maintenance, taking quality photos, and researching your specific treadmill and the local market will make your selling process more efficient and help you set it at the right price.

If you determine that your treadmill isn’t worth much, you can consider selling the parts (if you’re willing to do the work of disassembling) or look into companies that will buy it for the parts. 

Whatever you decide to do with it, give it more thought than throwing a listing up on Craiglist and hoping for the best. Having a little market insight and a couple of tips on selling your second-hand equipment will make the process easier — hopefully, get you top dollar for your exercise equipment.

How to Sell a Used Treadmill FAQs 

References

1. Cornell Research Shows Poor Image Quality Can Affect Online Sales – The Cornell Daily Sun. (2023, January 24).
2. Most Popular Online Platforms for Second-Hand Purchases in the United States in 2022. (2023, May 30).