Looking to Upgrade Your Apple Device? It Pays to Do It at Costco

Some people swear by Apple products and can't imagine using any other brand. If you're someone who owns an Apple device, your phone or iPad may no longer suit your needs the way it did when you first bought it. Maybe you need a phone with more memory. Or maybe your iPad is missing some key features that could otherwise enhance your user experience.

If you've been itching to upgrade your Apple device, you could always try to sell it on your own and use your proceeds to buy something new. But if you want an easy way to go about the process, then you may want to turn to Costco.

A seamless way to trade up

Costco's Apple trade-up program is designed to make the process of upgrading your device as smooth as possible. The way it works is simple: First, you go online and enter your device's serial number. You'll be asked some questions about your device's condition that you'll need to answer honestly.

From there, you'll get a quote on its trade-in value. If you don't like the number you see, you can opt to just sell your device on your own. But if you think the offer is fair, all you'll then need to do is send your device in and get paid via a Costco Shop Card -- the store's version of a gift card. You also won't have to spend money to ship your Apple device -- you'll be sent pre-paid shipping supplies and packing instructions to your address.

Just as importantly, once your Apple device is received, all of your stored data will be wiped. That way, you won't have to worry about private information, like a stored credit card number, getting into a new user's hands.

Once your device's condition is confirmed, you'll get your Costco Shop Card in two business days if you sign up to have it emailed. Otherwise, you'll generally wait seven to 10 business days to get it by mail.

Completing your upgrade

Once you have your Costco Shop Card, you have choices for completing your upgrade. You could use that card to help pay for a new Apple product at Costco. Costco carries a host of iPad options, for example, whose prices vary depending on the features at hand.

But what if you find a better price elsewhere? If you do your research, you might.

In that case, what you can do is use your Costco Shop Card for purchases like groceries and household items, and then take the money you would've spent on those essentials and apply it toward a new Apple purchase instead. It's especially worth shopping around for deals on Apple products in December if you're looking to trade up soon, since different retailers have different sales going on around the holidays.

Apple products don't last forever, and you may be at a point where you want to trade yours in before it starts to show its age. If that's the case, consider going through Costco for the ease and convenience involved.