Anticipating iPhone 5, Consumers Look to Sell Old Phones
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CREDIT: Gazelle |
As with other Apple products, the arrival of the iPhone 5 is the worst-kept secret in consumer tech. So much so that one company, Gazelle, announced today (Aug. 20) an offer to help consumers sell their old iPhones without having to ship them in until after they get the new iPhone set up.
Gazelle and another company, uSell, match sellers of older electronics with companies willing to buy (who then resell them to other customers, often overseas). In response to questions from TechNewsDaily, both companies reported big spikes in customers checking the price they can get for their current smartphones — both recent iPhones as well as Android and Blackberry models.
[SEE ALSO: What's Your Old Cellphone Worth?]
At uSell, searches for the price of older iPhones are up about 27 percent, said Todd Ingenito of uSell. People are especially checking out prices for newer models, such as the iPhone 4S. Because the phone has only been out for about year, and most wireless contracts are for two years, people may be considering buying the iPhone 5 at its full, unsubsidized price. Since the phone doesn't officially exist yet, the price isn't known. But Apple's current entry-level model sells for a hefty $649.
[[Insert Smartphone Quiz Here]]
Over at Gazelle, consumers may also be considering unloading Android and Blackberry phones. In the past month, searches for Blackberry resell prices are up 22 percent, with the Bold 9650 model being most popular. HTC searches are up 34 percent, with the Inspire 4G leading the way. And searches for Samsung trades are up 20 percent, with the Epic Touch 4G from Sprint and the Galaxy S II from AT&T most popular.
[SEE ALSO: Can I Get a Smartphone Without a Contract?]
"This data could signify that Android and BlackBerry users are indeed ready to jump ship for the new iPhone 5," said Gazelle's Anthony Scarsella in an email. "As we get closer to the launch we can expect these figures to drastically increase."
According to Gazelle, prices for iPhone trade-ins drop once new iPhones are officially announced. So it introduced today a handy tool, for iPhone owners only. People who chose to sell their iPhone between August 20 and August 31, locking in the current resell price, but won't have to ship it to Gazelle until October 1. That allows them to set up service on their iPhone 5 before they have to turn in their current model (assuming the new model does in fact com out in September). Gazelle also sends sellers a free shipping kit for sending in their older iPhones.
