How to Sell a Broken Action Camera

A broken action camera is still worth selling — typically £12 to £50 at For Parts, against £50 to £200 in working order.

Can you sell an action camera that does not work?

Yes. Repairers, people replacing one component and buyers who want a project all shop deliberately at this end. None of them will accept a fault they discover after paying.

What actually goes wrong with action cameras

These are the faults that move an action camera down the grades, and the first things a buyer will ask about:

Discontinued brands with withdrawn apps
Scratched lens covers
Missing mounts and housings
Very cheap unbranded cameras

Grading it honestly

Fair covers something heavily used, or with a described fault or missing part: around £22 to £90. For Parts covers something not working or incomplete, sold as seen: roughly £12 to £50. Grades are seller-declared and nobody inspects them for you, so grading up does not raise what you get — it produces a buyer who arrives expecting something else. All five grades explained.

Working out what you actually have

Establish the fault properly rather than guessing at it:

Confirm the app still exists and connects
Record a test clip and check the footage
Lay out every mount and accessory

Photographing the fault

Photograph the damage directly and in focus — it is the evidence that the rest of the description is honest:

The camera with all mounts and accessories laid out together
The camera alone, front and back, screens visible
The lens cover close up, angled to show scratches
The battery compartment, ports, and any dent, crack or worn seal

What to state in the listing

Alongside the fault itself, buyers of broken action cameras want these confirmed:

Brand, model and generation
Maximum video resolution and frame rate
How many batteries, their honest runtime, and what mounts and housings are included
Lens and screen condition, and whether the waterproof seal is sound

Brand, model and what is included: “GoPro Hero 9 Black with 3 Batteries and Mounts”. The model generation is the search term and the accessory count is what lifts the price. Say how many batteries — it is the first question every time.

What buyers will ask

Answer these in the listing rather than waiting to be asked:

“How many batteries are included and do they hold charge?”

Give the count and a real runtime figure for each. Action camera batteries degrade quickly and buyers know to ask.

“Is the lens scratched?”

Angle it to the light and photograph it. Lens covers are replaceable on most models, which is worth saying, but the buyer needs to know.

“Does it come with the waterproof housing?”

Say so and confirm the seal is intact. It decides whether the camera can be used for the activity most buyers want it for.

Is it worth repairing first?

Usually not, unless it is cheap and you can evidence it. What lifts the price is condition and completeness, which a repair rarely restores:

Recognised brands with app support
Complete mount and housing sets
Batteries holding rated recording time
Undamaged lens covers

If the work would cost more than the gap between £50 and what a sound one fetches, sell it as is broken and let the buyer decide.

When to list it

Lifts before summer and winter sports seasons, and before Christmas. Current and one-generation-old models sell within days; older generations drop sharply once a new model launches.

Getting it to the buyer

Small and easy to post. Send batteries fitted or declared according to your carrier’s rules, since lithium cells are restricted on some services.

WishThrift does not process payments, arrange delivery or hold funds. Confirm the money has cleared before the item leaves your hands, and keep the conversation on the site so there is a record of what was agreed.

Ready to list it? Free to list, no commission, and neither side pays a buyer-protection fee — create a free account, or read the full action camera selling guide if yours turns out to be sound.

Frequently asked questions

Is a broken action camera worth anything?

Yes — typically £12 to £50 at For Parts against £50 to £200 working. Repairers and people harvesting one component buy deliberately at this end. Discontinued brands with withdrawn apps

Should I repair it before selling?

Usually not, unless the repair is cheap and you can evidence it. The things that genuinely lift the price are recognised brands with app support and a repair rarely restores those.

What do buyers ask about a faulty action camera?

The fault itself, in detail. Give the count and a real runtime figure for each. Action camera batteries degrade quickly and buyers know to ask. The listing that answers it before being asked is the one that sells.