What if you tried to save money on a phone and ended up throwing that money away?
Many people buy pre-owned phones as a way to save cash and avoid an annoying phone contract. And certified pre-owned phones help give you peace of mind as long as you know what you’re doing, that is.
Wondering what you should check out before you buy that pre-owned phone? Keep reading to discover our top eight considerations!
1. Best Times to Buy
Sometimes, you don’t have much choice about when to buy a new phone. For example, if the old one were to die today, you couldn’t afford to wait too long before you snag a replacement.
However, if you are just looking to upgrade or looking for a change, you can get a pre-owned phone at any time. And certain times of the year are better than others if you want to save money.
The best time to buy a pre-owned phone is in the Fall. Why? Simple: this is the time of year when companies such as Apple and Samsung release the newest versions of their smartphones.
As people upgrade, there will be plenty of old phones on the market. That gives you a lot of options on everything from phone type to price!
2. Create Your Own “Wish List”
Before you snag a pre-owned phone, you should answer a simple question. What, exactly, do you want out of your next phone?
Smartphones are one of the major purchases that you should never buy “blind.” It’s important to know what you want out of a phone and to verify that the new phone has these features.
And what you want to do with a phone usually determines the type of phone you need. If you just want to send text messages and check social media, any phone will do. If you want to run all of the latest games and complex apps, you’ll want something more modern and more powerful.
3. Do Your Homework On Pricing
The biggest question people have when buying a certified pre-owned phone is whether they are getting a good price or not. Of course, the only way to know the answer is to do your homework.
Fortunately, this is about as easy as research gets. You simply need to check for how much the phone sells for new and how much other sellers are charging for the same model.
A few minutes of research can help you determine the average price for this model of phone. If the seller is asking for a significantly higher price, you may want to move on to someone else.
If the price is just a little higher than you want to pay, it may be time to do some price negotiation. See our tips below for how to get started!
4. Carrier Compatibility
Here’s a consideration many buyers overlook entirely. Is the phone you want to buy going to be compatible with your carrier?
In some cases, a particular phone model may not work with your phone carrier. Or even if it does work, it may not work as efficiently as it should.
This is why many people buy phones (both new and used) directly from their carriers. That way, the phones are guaranteed to work.
It’s possible to check carrier compatibility ahead of time; in fact, there are decent odds that the seller may use your same network. If you’re willing to pay more money, you can bypass carrier drama entirely by buying an unlocked phone.
5. Online Vendors: Who To Trust
One of the most fundamental questions in any transaction is “can I trust this seller?” The good news is that you have multiple ways of verifying a vendor’s reputation.
If you’re using an online vendor such as eBay, you can check individual sellers’ ratings. This helps you verify that previous buyers were happy with their purchases from that person.
It’s also important to check the return and refund policy of online vendors. These policies can offer additional protection if you are sent an incorrect or defective product.
The primary downside to buying online is at some point you’re bound to receive a defective electronic, just part of the business. Even if the return process is simple, you’re still without a phone for a period of time.
6. Buying Local
What if you want to buy local instead of using a major online vendor? In that case, you have a few additional options.
First, we recommend using social media to find sellers. This can range from word of mouth online to services such as Facebook Marketplace.
Second, we recommend arranging an in-person meeting in a public place. This helps keep you safe while giving you a chance to inspect the merchandise (see our notes below).
Third, we recommend insuring the merchandise is reset, without any passcodes or carrier locks you’re unaware of. The downside to buying local from an individual is there’s rarely any return policy. If you’re not 100% confident in what you’re looking for, buy from a retailer you can trust.
7. Inspect the Merchandise
Arguably, the biggest selling point of buying pre-owned phones in person is that you can inspect the merchandise. But this is only effective if you know what you’re looking for.
Visual inspection is pretty easy. Just make sure that the phone screen is in good condition and that the device doesn’t have too many scratches, bumps, or scuffs.
You should also make sure the phone can charge. If it has a traditional headphone jack, make sure that the jack is working as intended.
If possible, you should also bring your own SIM card and microSD card to make sure everything is in working order.
8. Battery Concerns
One final thing to consider before buying a pre-owned phone: battery life.
Most smartphones now use rechargeable lithium-ion batteries. However, these batteries may not work as well after a few years of use.
After just one year of use, the battery may now hold less the charge it did when it was new. It all comes down to battery age and how the previous owner treated the phone.
You may use this information to help negotiate a price or simply to set realistic expectations for yourself!
Certified Pre-Owned Phones: You Make the Call
Now you know how to buy certified pre-owned phones. But do you know where you can get top dollar for your old phone?
We buy smartphones from Apple and Samsung as well as smartwatches, video games, and tablets. To see what we can offer for your unwanted devices, check out our phone section today!
