How to Sell a Broken TV

A broken TV is still worth selling — typically £15 to £100 at For Parts, against £60 to £400 in working order.

Can you sell a TV 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 TVs

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

Burn-in on OLED panels from static logos
Dead backlight zones showing as dark patches
Missing or replaced remote, often proprietary
Older smart platforms where apps no longer install

Before you list it

Flat panels are mostly glass and delaminate when they crack. Move it flat, never by the screen, and photograph the crack rather than leaving a buyer to discover it.

Grading it honestly

Fair covers something heavily used, or with a described fault or missing part: around £27 to £180. For Parts covers something not working or incomplete, sold as seen: roughly £15 to £100. 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:

Display a plain white and a plain grey full-screen image to reveal panel faults
Confirm the remote, stand and power lead are all present
Note the exact model number from the rear panel

Photographing the fault

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

Screen on, displaying a normal image, photographed straight on with the room lights off
The rear sticker showing the model number
The full television including stand or feet as it will be handed over
The remote and any cables included, plus any scratch or mark on the bezel or screen

What to state in the listing

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

Screen size in inches and resolution, and the exact model number
Whether it is a smart TV, and whether the apps still receive updates
Whether the stand, feet, screws and remote are all included
Any dead pixels, backlight bleed, screen scratches or bezel damage

Size, resolution and model: “Samsung 55-inch 4K Smart TV UE55TU7100”. Screen size in inches is the primary search term, so it must be there. If it is not a smart TV, or the smart apps no longer update, say so — buyers assume smart features work and are annoyed to find otherwise.

What buyers will ask

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

“Are there any marks on the screen?”

Photograph the screen displaying white and black images. That is the only proof a buyer trusts, and offering it unprompted sets your listing apart.

“Is the stand included?”

Check you have the feet and the correct screws. Say plainly if it is wall-mount only, because that changes what the buyer needs to arrange.

“Do the smart apps still work?”

Test the ones people actually use. Older smart televisions often lose app support, and it is far better disclosed than discovered.

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:

OLED and higher-end panels, which hold value best
A screen with no burn-in, dead pixels or backlight banding
Original stand, remote and power lead
A smart platform still receiving app updates

If the work would cost more than the gap between £100 and what a sound one fetches, sell it as is broken and let the buyer decide.

When to list it

Sells year round with a clear peak before Christmas and around major sporting tournaments. Large screens move faster than small ones because the saving against new is bigger.

Getting it to the buyer

Effectively a collection-only item: televisions are fragile, awkward and expensive to post, and courier damage claims on screens rarely succeed. Let the buyer see it powered on before they take it, which suits both of you.

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 TV selling guide if yours turns out to be sound.

Frequently asked questions

Is a broken TV worth anything?

Yes — typically £15 to £100 at For Parts against £60 to £400 working. Repairers and people harvesting one component buy deliberately at this end. Burn-in on OLED panels from static logos

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 oLED and higher-end panels, which hold value best and a repair rarely restores those.

What do buyers ask about a faulty TV?

The fault itself, in detail. Photograph the screen displaying white and black images. That is the only proof a buyer trusts, and offering it unprompted sets your listing apart. The listing that answers it before being asked is the one that sells.