How To Sell Your Used iPhone
With the long-awaited release of the Verizon iPhone, many AT&T customers might be thinking about selling their iPhones and switching service providers. But before putting your phone on the market here are some things you can do to help ensure you get the best price for your phone.
First, shop around to see where you can get the best price. Places to consider for selling your used iPhone include: ebay, craigslist, exchange companies such as NextWorth, FlipSwap and Gazelle, and companies such as Apple that also sell refurbished iPhones.
On Apple’s BuyBackMac online store you can enter the basic information about the phone you want to sell and it will give you a price quote. For example, an iPhone 4, 16GB, with normal wear, and including the original accessories (original box, USB cable, wall charger and Apple headphones) comes in at $367. A phone with the same stats but with heavy wear can be sold to Apple for $287. (The prices go down for the older 3GS and 3G models.)
If your phone has a cracked screen or other damage, you might want to first bring it to a repair shop before selling it. If the phone is still under warranty, visit Apple’s online service assistant.
For phones not under warranty but in need of some care, search the Internet for repair shops. For example, Brendan McElroy, who is located in New York City, repairs iPhones in his East Village apartment for prices much lower than those found through Apple’s official channels. According to an article in the New York Times, McElroy will replace a battery on the 3G and 3GS iPhones for about $50, and fix touch screens for $70 (for the 3G) and $85 (for the 3GS).
If you’re selling your phone on eBay or craigslist, making your phone stand out from others is important. One way to do this is to include the original accessories, such as the box it came in. You can also throw in a phone case or an extra battery pack (you can get these from places like Newtrent.com, Mophie and Kensington).
One small but possibly valuable thing to do when selling your used iPhone is to offer to meet the buyer in person so he or she can check out the phone. Additionally, if you trust the buyer, offer that person a 30-day return policy.
In terms of what you’re willing to sell your phone for, that will depend on how much you paid for your phone and how much you’re planning to spend on a new phone. Shop around and compare prices. When it comes down to it, it might be worth it to sell your used phone at any price in order to change service providers or to get the new iPhone 4 (which has several extra features not offered on the 3G or 3GS phones, such as FaceTime).
