You wish to switch from your old iPhone to Apple's new iPhone 14, which was just released. What should you do if the price is too high? In this post, NextPit outlines where and how to sell your used iPhone for the most price as well as other important considerations.
It goes without saying that Apple releases a tonne of new iPhones each year. Like every year, throngs of Apple supporters are forced to make the difficult and all-too-familiar decision: should I pay full price for the new iPhone 14 and live off of bread and water for the next three months, or do I sell my kidney on the black market as a down payment for the device?
What if, however, you could sell your kidney in exchange for your (not-so-old) iPhone 13 and iPhone 12, or even the iPhone 11? It goes without saying that you can save a few hundred dollars off the MSRP to enable you to get the most recent iPhone model, whether you do it on the used-iPhone market or through Apple's trade-in programme.
Before doing so, be sure to reset your iPhone to factory settings and learn how to sell it at the correct time and place for the right price. It could seem a little overwhelming, but we will go over everything with you and, most importantly, help you avoid being taken advantage of.
When should my old iPhone be sold?
Although there have been exceptions in the past, Apple typically holds its September kickoff event around the beginning of the month. Despite what it may seem like, this is not the best moment to sell your old iPhone. Whatever the case, it's a two-edged sword.
On the one hand, it's similar to going shopping on a Friday night in that everyone will share your sentiment. So, unless you don't mind receiving very little for it, your used iPhone won't stand out from the competition. The handset can stand out from the throng, though, provided you have the original box, all the accessories, an invoice, and it's in flawless condition. However, increasing competition may still hurt you by reducing the range of prices at which your handset can be resold.
On the other side, this is also a time when it is more likely that you may discover purchasers. A savvy consumer who waits for the optimum opportunity to purchase a smartphone is aware that the cost of old iPhones tends to decline shortly after the introduction of new models. In terms of probability, this dynamic raises your odds of finding a buyer for your old iPhone, but you'll only be able to sell it for a lower price than you would during other times of the year.
When is the greatest time to sell your old iPhone, it begs the question. Even if it follows the keynote and it is typically preferable to close a deal before it, the end of the year time is not horrible. Buyers are psychologically more inclined to shop for inexpensive iPhones between Black Friday and Christmas sales.
However, many consumers will also be searching for juicy discounts on the newest iPhone, which would mean the iPhone 14 and not earlier versions. These are the keywords they will look for, even if they are unlikely to find any. Additionally, e-commerce platforms are so powerful at this time that individual second-hand offerings hardly ever make the news.
The greatest time to sell your iPhone, though, is during the summer, just before the keynote. Depending on whether you want to spend money before or after the summer sales, I would say that early June or late July is the optimum time. Because it's still early, "vintage" models are still desirable and their prices don't fall too much. But your chances of getting a good deal will decline the closer the keynote address at the end of the summer gets.
What time of year is the greatest to sell my old iPhone?
If you make thorough preparations, before the September theme, in early June or late July.
Late November or early December, if you wing it.
How should I get ready to sell my iPhone?
This is such a crucial stage in the procedure that Apple provides a thorough tutorial on how to reset your iPhone on its official page. Although it should go without saying, I'd like to remind you that you must remove all of your personal data before giving your device to another else.
I won't copy and paste the entire Apple post here, but in case you don't have the drive to read it, I'll give you a quick rundown of what Apple recommends you do. We also have a thorough and somewhat out-of-date article on this topic that was written in 2020.
IF YOUR IPHONE IS STILL WITH YOU
These are the steps that you should be aware of if you haven't yet given someone else control of your iPhone. Although it may seem absurd, some people still sell their gadgets to total strangers with all of their data still present. Check out the next few steps if you don't want to become one of them.
Disable pairing if you've connected an Apple Watch to your iPhone (and erase the watch's settings and data if you're selling it with your iPhone, of course).
Back up the info on your smartphone.
Log out of the iTunes Store, App Store, and iCloud.
Deregister iMessage if you're switching to an Android smartphone.
Select General > Reset > Clear content and settings after returning to Settings. You might be prompted to enter your Apple ID and password if you have the Locate [my device] option enabled. Choose the option to delete data from your device if it has an eSIM.
also, if prompted, the eSIM profile.
If asked, enter the passcode for your device or the passcode for the limitations. Next, choose Delete [device].
If you are transferring ownership, get in touch with your wireless provider to learn what more has to be done (and to make sure your iPhone isn't locked to them).
Take your outdated device off the list of your trusted gadgets.
If your iPhone is no longer with you
Take a moment to breathe deeply and unwind first. There are no harsh judgments in this essay, so don't worry about being forgetful. This is a big kiss for you since things like this can happen.
Request that the new owner remove the settings and content as stated in the previous section (Apple does not live in the same world as you and I).
Log in to iCloud.com/find or the Locate app on a different device if you are using iCloud and the Locate [my device] function on the device. Click Delete after selecting that device. After erasing the data, select Delete from Account.
Change the Apple ID password if you are unable to move further with any of the aforementioned procedures. Although your locally stored data won't be wiped, this will at the very least stop the next owner from wiping your data from iCloud.
Again, deregister iMessage if you switch to Android.
You can remove your credit and debit cards from iCloud.com if you use Apple Pay. To discover which devices support Apple Pay, select Account Settings, then click on the relevant device. Go to Apple Pay and select Delete.
Take your outdated device off the list of your trusted gadgets.
In what places can I sell my old iPhone?
You can trade in your old iPhone for a new one from Apple or from a retailer in the refurbished market, or you can sell it directly to other people.
Apple accepts old iPhones for trade-ins.
Start with the official channel, which is the Apple trade-in programme. Apple changes the amount for the various previous iPhone models every time a new one is introduced. We'll test it out using an iPhone 13 Pro with 128 GB of storage.
Visit the trade-in page and the official website. Apple provides this service, which estimates a price for your old iPhone that Apple will probably still pay you based on the IMEI and a few other details. The projected cost of our Apple iPhone 13 Pro (128 GB) is $640; the quality will be evaluated later. We both agree that it hurts a little.
The sums shown here are the highest prices Apple will accept for each model. When you purchase an Apple device from the official shop, the cost will then be subtracted. Therefore, if you need money, it's not really a good solution. But it certainly helps to reduce the cost a little if you want to purchase the iPhone 14 Pro Max in 1TB for $1,599.
Apple, however, also offers to send a voucher for the trade-in value via a third-party partner named Brightstar. You can actually run a simulation on the same trade-in page to determine how much your old iPhone is worth to Apple. In any case, a number of factors pertaining to the condition of your iPhone's appearance and functionality will affect the trade-in cost.
Searching for used or refurbished smartphones at retailers is another alternative for a trade-in.
BestBuy Exchange
If you frequently shop at BestBuy, you may be aware that the retailer has a trade-in programme for a few different iPhone models. BestBuy asserts that their trade-in offers for outdated iPhone models might help you save up to $1,000 depending on the carrier you choose. Click on any of the links below to discover more about the unique offers that are available through the carrier you use:
On Gazelle, resell
A well-known "reCommerce firm," Gazelle has been operating for well over ten years. It has been a well-liked marketplace for used consumer electronics. The company's selling options are easy to understand, and the website offers a simple method to calculate how much you might receive for your used smartphone.
Swappa
Swappa seems to be your best option if receiving the most money for your old smartphone is your top objective. However, compared to the retailers indicated above, this retailer is reputed to offer superior costs. On the other hand, you will need to haggle with individual purchasers (like you would on Ebay) in order to make a successful transaction, unlike with Gazelle.
using eBay to conduct a direct resale from one private buyer to another
Since it is also the most evident, this is the concluding section of the article. Surely everyone is familiar with eBay or the Facebook Marketplace. To learn how to sell your iPhone on your own, you don't need a comprehensive manual.
Utilize eBay or eBay Classifieds to sell your iPhone.
One of the most well-known and significant sources of used products for sale is certainly eBay. The goal of eBay Kleinanzeigen is to function more like a digital newspaper for resellers than the auction platform it was designed to be when it first started.
The fact that I can always set up a personal pickup there is why I prefer the classifieds platform. In this manner, potential scam efforts are directly avoided. I don't want to bore you with tales of how the buyer later discovered damages that were never present before. Contrarily, there are also reports of bricks being shipped, which, despite the fact that the current buyer protection can minimise this, nevertheless causes extra problems.
Additionally, if you pick up your iPhone in person, it is possible to find out right away which "damage" to your iPhone can result in a price decrease. Establish a boundary beforehand, though, and work with a second person you can trust. Additionally, when paying in cash, you are safe against credit card scammers; however, be extremely cautious when dealing with large sums of money. In cases of doubt, a combined (buyer/seller) check at the bank may be helpful.
On both portals, the private adverts are in theory cost-free. There are however additional paid alternatives to differentiate your offer from the competing advertisements.
Your iPhone being sold on Facebook Marketplace
I wouldn't really advise using Facebook Marketplace because the social network's classified groups frequently feature frauds rather than actual bargains. Since Facebook receives a lot of traffic, which raises the number of potential customers, the audience is the only thing in which this platform is interested. But please exercise extreme caution.
Check the invitation requests for private discussions carefully. On Facebook Marketplace, all of these take place. Facebook Marketplace is essentially only advised if you know what you're doing, how much your product is worth, and you want to sell it swiftly and painlessly (but also without any security).
Amazon resale of your iPhone
You are not limited to using online classifieds; you may also sell your goods through Amazon, which has a programme for private resellers. You can register and set up a seller account by visiting the dedicated page. You must choose a package, with the "individual" plan being the least expensive for people who sell fewer than 40 things each month.
After that, you'll be required to pay a $0.99 commission for each item sold. I would only suggest choosing this option if you intend to consistently resell a few things. It is obviously not the best option for an easy selling of just your iPhone.
This concludes our tutorial on how to get the most money for your old iPhone. I fully understand that it might not be exhaustive or that some savvy resellers among you may be aware of additional options or have tips to provide that I haven't covered here. Please don't hesitate to share your thoughts and suggestions in the comments. I'm delighted you read this advice if it was helpful to you and came at the correct time for you to sell your old iPhone and purchase the iPhone 14!
