Guide
How to buy a used robot dog without getting burned
RoboResale
Used robot dogs sell for thousands, often from sellers with patchy feedback. Here's what to ask, what to test and when to walk away.
Robot dogs are among the few robots people actually own, and there's now a real second-hand market for them. A Unitree Go2 Pro costs about US$3,790 new and sells used for €2,999–3,300. A Sony aibo ERS-1000 costs US$2,899.99 new and €800–1,800 used in Germany.
Buyers want them, but trust is thin. On eBay, most used Go2s come from one reseller with 83% positive feedback, and a used Go2 Air still drew 116 watchers.
Before you pay
- Ask for a video of the robot standing up and walking, with today's date and the listing in the shot.
- Ask how many charge cycles the battery has done, and how long it runs on a charge now.
- Make sure the seller removes it from their app account, so you can add it to yours.
- Check that it still gets software updates. A robot that depends on its maker's cloud can stop working when the service ends.
- List what's included: charger, batteries, remote and any developer extras.
- Pay in a way that protects you if it doesn't arrive as described.
If a seller won't show the robot working on video, don't buy it.
Robots you can only buy used
Some robot pets are no longer sold new. Sony stopped selling aibo in Japan in June 2026, Moxie's cloud went down in January 2025, and Anki's Vector now runs on community servers. For these, the used market is the only market, so check what still works without the maker.
