
Have an old smartphone in the house, and don’t know how to go about selling it? Worry not, we have just the perfect guide for you. This Techspirited article gives you some simple tips to get the best value for your used smartphone.
Apples are always welcome!
Compared to other smartphones, iPhones have some of the lowest depreciation rates.
Smartphone trends seem to have taken the fashion route, changing every other season. Phone manufacturers too are fighting to muscle out the competition by trying to offer something different from the rest. As a result, the markets are flooded with smartphones available a dime a dozen in every imaginable size, right from ones that are just about the size of your index finger to others that are as broad as your shoulders! Leaving the exaggeration part aside, today, the smartphone consumer is faced with a problem of plenty. With phones getting outdated within a year of their launch, the market for used phones is teeming with activity.
If you too have your eyes set on that latest model of a phone, and don’t know what to do with your old phone, or you simply want to get rid of your old smartphone, finding the right buyer and the best price for your device can be quite a task. Thankfully though, help is at hand. Here’s a handy guide that will help you sell your used phone for a great price.
What should I consider before selling my phone?
You might have paid quite a premium to buy your phone, but that doesn’t mean you will get back a proportionate amount when you plan to sell it. Before you go about selling your phone, you might want to check its current market price. Also, remember that, unlike other products, the rate of depreciation of mobile phones is rather high. Simply put, the resale value of phones drops rather sharply over time. This, of course, is market and brand dependent. A simple way to get a good estimate for your phone is to look up the ratings on shopping websites for used phones (the same make and model as yours).
This is probably, one of the most important factors that decides just how good a deal you get for your phone. If you are looking to sell your smartphone, you might want to start off by looking for it documents and the purchase receipt. This is extremely important to validate the fact that your phone was not procured by any unlawful means. Also, if your phone is still covered under the manufacturer’s warranty, you could have a higher asking price for it. If your phone’s warranty is about to expire, check with the company if they provide an extended warranty. This might cost you some money, but will increase the value of your phone by a lot more.
A potential buyer would half make up his mind about buying a phone, simply by looking at it. You can make a good sale of your phone if it is maintained in pristine condition. People often tend to overlook how old the phone is if it is in good condition. Small scratches and scuffs along the sides or on the back might get ignored, but there’s no saving you from nasty scratches on the front. It would be a great idea to get a new screen guard on your phone, as it makes the phone look less worn out. Getting your phone serviced could also make it seem as good as new. If your phone has taken quite a few cosmetic hits, consider getting a new panel for it. Of course, this only makes sense if the investment seems worthwhile, and if your phone’s battle scars could turn away a potential buyer.
Make sure that you have all the basic accessories like the phone’s charger, memory card, USB cable, and earphones that came along with your phone. If any of the basic accessories that came with your phone are missing or damaged, consider buying a replacement for it. You could also throw in any other accessories that you have, to make the deal seem more alluring to the buyer.
Ensure that your phone is formatted before you put it up for sale. It would be a great idea to upgrade the phone to the latest firmware available for it. You can leave in useful software that you may have installed on the phone, but get rid of any other bloatware that may be around. Although this might seem too trivial, restoring the phone’s default theme and wallpaper would be a good idea as it tends to look more ‘just out of the oven’. Ensure that all personal data is wiped off the phone, and all your synched accounts on the phone are deleted. It is advisable to restore the phone to factory settings as this would help the device function at its best.
Where do I sell my phone?
The Internet is, by far, one of the best places to sell your phone. eBay,Craigslist, Amazon, OLX, etc., are amongst the best websites that let users sell their used smartphones on their sites. The different modes of online payment are by check, online money transfer, PayPal, etc., so be sure to mention your preferred mode of payment. And then, there is the wonder of social networking! You can post a personal ad on your friends’ walls or tweet about the phone you want to sell. These, usually, get a very good response. If you aren’t very fond of selling stuff online, you can even look for buy-back programs by major retailers like Best Buy, GameStop, Amazon,RadioShack, etc. The major service providers too have these schemes from time to time. Apart from this, you also have ecoATMs―physical kiosks set up in malls across America―where you can sell your old smartphones. You can even get a good price for your old and damaged phones here.
These tips should be able to get your old smartphone at a good price. Remember to word your advert right, focus on the good things about your phone and use strong positive terms to grab the attention of the buyer. Time to set ‘sale’ then. Cheers.