Finding a Pair of Apple AirPods Still Takes Time, Except at Amazon

I have owned two pairs of Apple AirPods. The first set arrived* shortly before the end of 2016.  I used this pair to publish my January AirPods review. The second pair arrived in mid-January. In both cases, I decided to make a profit and sell them on eBay.

* These were not review units provided by Apple or anyone else; I paid for each pair.

Seven months later, it seems that everyone is still buying and selling AirPods online. At last count, there were almost 6,500 listings for them on eBay, all offering the $159 earbuds at about a 25 percent premium.

When other technology products reach the seven-month mark, you often see steep discounts set in. Not so for AirPods, which remain in short supply.

At Apple.com, new purchases still show a six week lead time. At Apple retail locations and Best Buy stores, while you’ll occasionally find a pair in stock, you probably won’t know that when looking at inventory levels online. The same goes for Apple resellers like AT&T and Verizon.

Short of avoiding eBay (or Craiglist), your best bet at buying a pair of AirPods is to visit Amazon.com. You’ll still pay a premium (around $50 more than retail). Still, if you’re a Prime customer, you’ll get your pair in two days with free shipping.

Apple has never said why AirPods remain in short supply. One thing is clear, however; this is one of the biggest Apple products ever to launch. Just last month, for example, former Apple analyst Gene Muster said the product would eventually bring in more money than the Apple Watch. Think about that for a moment.

As for myself, I would love to buy and keep a new pair of Apple AirPods. However, I’m not willing to pay a premium. Besides, at this point, I’m okay with waiting until fall to see whether Apple announces a second generation model. Of course, if they do, I might be tempted again and sell a few pairs on eBay.

Did you buy a pair of Apple AirPods? Did you pay a premium? Let us know using the comments below.