We have all been there, where a phone that we bought after a lot of savings and planning has grown old. there are patches of paints coming off, there are scratches on the body and let’s be fair, you are bored and have your heart set on the new piece of hardware that is too good to resist now. But for a new one to come in, the old must go out. While it is a given that you would never get the value you think your old love deserves, sometimes it is better to look around a little before you decide to dispose your old phone at the first sign of moolah.
Here are some tips that we have for you to consider before you decide to sell your phone off.
Check on sites that sell old phones, how much your phone would fetch
There are sites out there, the likes of eBay, Quikr, and OLX that sell second hand or used goods. Type in your device model umber and look for a listing similar to yours. This will give you a fair idea of how much will your phone fetch. Most likely the seller has put the phone on sale with a view to making some profit, so if you are being quoted by someone a price in the close vicinity of the price you should go ahead with it.
Look for an Exchange offline
A lot of offline retailers are okay with buying your old phone for the new one. This also builds a good relationship and enables them to perhaps give you a good discount on the newer phone you are looking to buy. We have noticed that usually, the big retail chains like Croma and the likes do not give the best exchange price, so look for a smaller retail store to sell off your old phone and buy the new one. Just be a little careful of the new product from a lesser known shop and make sure he is giving you an appropriate bill and an original device.
Exchange really old phones online
If you have a phone that is good 2-3 years old, chances are offline you will get a scrap for it. There is little point in doing that. The likes of Flipkart and sometimes Snapdeal too have these exchange offers, where they just require the phone to be in working condition. This is a great chance to get the old device away and also at the same time earn some discount on the incoming devices. Flipkart at least, in general, is very flexible with the exchange and if you have even a lot of scratches on the phone with perhaps an issue with the SIM tray or anything but the screen is working, you still get a full value for the phone than if the device was in pristine condition. Just that very new phones or high-end phones are not valued very well, for the low end we really advice you to keep an eye on Flipkart exchange program.
Sell in your friend circle
Your friends know how you use your device. If you use it well, chances are you will be better off selling t to your friends or someone in the circle than to an outside person. Sometimes friends can maybe pay you back in a couple of installments and you can trust them, whereas for a shopkeeper or an online store there is only so much negotiating power you will have when dealing with someone you basically have no relationship with.
Always ask the price without accessories
Especially in the case of iPhone or high-end devices, the cost that someone is willing to pay is almost the same with or without accessories. If you plan to buy an iPhone after selling an iPhone or a phone with USB Type-C after selling one with Type-C, you would be better off with keeping those accessories, including the charger and headphones with you. These accessories are expensive in the market and you could do with a spare cable or two as we all eventually do need them.
If you list the phone, list it with cases and covers and mention the protection
If you have invested in a nice expensive case or a high quality tempered glass, list that if you plan to sell the phone online. If the person is not ready to take the covers, sell them off separately. Just keeping things like covers that are exclusive to your phone would make very little sense. Usually, the likes of eBay or even some of the other second hand selling sites are good destinations for you to get rid of your phone.
We are sure you already know that before you hand over the phone to anyone, you must make sure that all your data is clean and you take a written note from the buyer with his ID proof. You just do not know where the phone will be used tomorrow so it is always a good idea to have it in written that you would not be the owner of the phone anymore.