Get The Most Out Of Selling Your Old Phone

With all this temptation in the form of new upgraded models out there, it’s perfectly natural that you are already looking forward to a new shiny box with a beautiful new shiny phone inside.

Personally, I can never sell an old phone. Our emotional connection seems way too strong to part ways. To save myself from ending up with stacks of boxes on the shelf, I have come up with alternative uses for my old phones. If you are like that as well, please go on to read our post on Reinvent Your Old Phone As A New Media Player.

In this one, however, we will cover a few points for those users who are eager to sell their old devices in order to cover at least some of the cost of the new ones.

Plan The Sale

The best thing, of course, would be to know in advance (right after you buy your smartphone) that you will later sell it. Planning a sale from the start may encourage you to pay more attention to the smartphone while it’s in use and take a few steps in order to sell it at a decent price later.

Keep The Box

First, if you plan to sell your phone, try to keep the box it came with and the original accessories. As minor as this detail may be, it may make a big difference in the eyes of the buyers. Coming in a box with all the trimmings, your phone will look like a new one – and that is a definite plus on the side of the potential buyer.

Get It Covered

Getting a case for your phone is a matter of personal choice. Some believe that a few small scratches actually add character to the device and find cases inconvenient and unnecessary. However, if the eventual sale of the device is your goal, the chance of putting “mint condition” in that ad may be worth the trouble.

Don’t Wait Too Long

This is a no-brainer, but the older your phone is, the harder it will be to sell. So if you have made up your mind to go for a new device – you better act fast. Phones that are over a couple years old will be a trouble to sell for a decent amount and you may wind up not making any money at all.

Keep It Simple

Personalization is a disadvantage. While using your phone, having it engraved with your name or a favourite quote may sound like a great idea. But when it comes to selling, it will work against you. The closer your phone is to the original condition you got it in – the better are you chances for a good deal.

Keep It Tidy

Giving your phone a regular cleanup is also important. Even on the gadget market, first impressions are all about looks. Once the potential buyer holds you shiny, smudge-free and squeaky-clean phone in their hands, you chances for a successful sale will increase.

Take Care Of Your Data

Before your phone actually switches hands, make sure you delete all your data and do a factory reset. We also recommend you do more than that: after doing a factory reset, upload some unimportant data onto your phone and reset it again. This will ensure your data is unrecoverable. For more on deleting your data before selling, read our post So You Are Selling Your Old Phone. Are You Sure All Your Data Is Permanently Erased?

Even if all your efforts have failed and you can not find a way to sell your phone as one piece – there is always the option of selling it for parts or recycling it.