10 Places To Buy A Used Phone

Smartphone prices have risen dramatically in recent years. As a result, it’s not uncommon to see phones advertised for $1,000 or more, making buying a new phone a considerable financial responsibility.

However, thanks to the ever-expanding used smartphone market, it’s relatively simple to ease the pain of rising prices.

The used phone market is an excellent way to cut costs on your next phone, particularly if you know how to look.

Also, if you have old devices that you’re not using any longer, selling them allows others to benefit from them while also putting money in your pocket, making it that much simpler to get your hands on one of the best phones.

Check Out: 10 Best Places To Buy Gift Cards In 2022

PROs and CONs of Buying Used Phones

The benefits and drawbacks of buying a used smartphone are listed below to help you see the big picture and decide if it’s something you should do.

Remember that price isn’t everything; there are a lot of other factors to consider, but at the end of the day, you can find a great and trustworthy seller and get a fantastic smartphone.

PROs

The Total Cost

When making a purchase, one of the most important factors to consider is the price.

If you plan to purchase a used smartphone, you will quickly discover that it is a much more cost-effective option.

Even phones from a year ago have a hefty price tag. However, this is also true in stores where you will receive a warranty. When a phone is used, however, the price drops significantly.

As a result, you can get a great deal on a new model. You will save even more money if you purchase one of the older models.

The Option

If you aren’t one of those people who is obsessed with technology and the latest smartphone models, you can opt for an older model.

If that is the case, then you have a lot of choices. Carriers and retail stores typically stock only the most recent phones, which have been available for a few months or a year.

However, you can find a wide range of phones on eBay and other similar websites, including those that were released just a few years ago.

Of course, these phones are fairly inexpensive, so you may be able to find a good deal.

Check Also: Can You Buy Gift Cards With A Credit Card? Find Out How

Consider going Green

Buying a used phone is a good option if you care about the environment. One of the most pressing environmental issues today is technological waste.

Every year, millions of phones (and not just phones) are discarded, and the waste continues to grow. It also becomes more environmentally hazardous.

So, rather than buying a new phone, you can get a used one and avoid wasting at least one device.

CONs

Should You Place Your Trust in the Seller?

Buying used items, especially online, can be difficult. There are a lot of sellers who aren’t trustworthy.

Of course, many excellent sellers will point out any flaws in the phone they are selling, if any exist.

However, be aware that the phone may not appear or function exactly as described. If you use eBay as an example, you can look at the seller’s reviews to see if that’s the person you want to buy something from.

Always read the reviews and avoid those who appear to be shady.

There Are No Guarantees

You get a warranty when you buy a new phone in a store or sign a contract with your carrier (usually 2 years).

As a result, if your device has a problem, it will be repaired at no cost to you. You may receive a replacement in some cases.

There is no warranty if you buy a used device. You’ll also have to pay for repairs if the phone starts acting up.

The Battery Life And Scratches

A used phone may be in excellent working order. However, it may come with scratches or other flaws. It all depends on who owned the property before you.

So, if a scratch or two isn’t a big deal, go ahead and do it. Another consideration is the battery life. You should be aware that battery life decreases over time.

Even if the phone appears to be in perfect condition, keep in mind that the battery may only last a few hours. As a result, you’ll have to charge it more frequently.

Things to Keep in Mind about when Purchasing a used Phone

Check the same things you’d check when selling a phone: factory reset, SIM unlock status, original accessories, damage, and sales history to see if the phone you’re buying has been treated with the same care you’d give your phone to sell. There’s a general thought process to follow:

The first consideration is the type of used phone you want to purchase:

1. A phone that has been purchased directly from the owner (e.g., Swappa, Craigslist, eBay)

You’ll probably get a better deal if you buy directly from someone else because no middleman takes a cut, but you risk the phone having issues that aren’t visible to the naked eye.

You’ll probably be comfortable buying a used phone from a direct marketplace like Craiglist, Swappa, eBay, or one of the many buy/sell forums if you know exactly what you want and what to look for.

If you wouldn’t want to risk the quality but don’t mind a little wear and tear, buying through an independent third-party marketplace like Gazelle might be a good choice.

The phones frequently come with (admittedly limited) warranties and money-back assurances, which provide far more peace of mind to the buyer than the typical “meet at the 7-Eleven closest to you and hand over a stack of bills”.

2. A refurbished phone that has received “touch-ups” from the producer or a partner (e.g., Verizon, Samsung, Amazon, Gazelle, Best Buy)

Buying a certified refurbished phone is the safest option, but it also offers the smallest savings over a new phone.

Carriers, retailers, and third-party resellers all repair and resell used devices, with varying price reductions and inventory choices.

Yes, these phones are used, but they’ve gone through a series of (variable) checks to ensure that their condition and specifics are correct before being cleaned and delivered to you.

Purchasing refurbished items provide peace of mind, but it also comes at a cost. If you want to go this route, you have a lot of options for finding the best places to buy a refurbished phone.

In 2021, here are the top ten places to buy a used cellphone.

On the internet, there are a plethora of options for purchasing a used phone.

Also, depending on your country, some of the items on this list may not apply to you. But highlighted are international marketplaces where you can get a used cellphone.

1. Gazelle:

Gazelle is a well-known brand in the smartphone business. While its business model recently changed to no longer allow users to trade in used phones online, it continues to sell used phones through its website.

It is a little slower to sell newer smartphones on its website, but if you do decide to buy something, you’ll have a great time.

Not only can you choose the status of your phone (Fair, Good, or Excellent), but Gazelle also undertakes 30-point maintenance on all of its devices to ensure that everything works properly.

A 30-day return window protects you if the phone isn’t a good fit for you for whatever reason. You can purchase a phone from Gazelle and pay the full price upfront, or you can choose a recurring monthly plan with 0% interest.

2. Uptrade:

If you want to keep the process of purchasing or selling a used phone as simple as possible, UpTrade is another good option.

If you’re a buyer, simply search for the phone you want, and UpTrade will show you what it has available.

Every listing includes hands-on photos of the precise phone being sold, as well as the UpTrade employee who examined it and any notes they made during the inspection.

All phones sold on UpTrade are “UpTrade Certified,” which implies they’ve been decontaminated and passed a 50-point inspection before being sent out to you.

If you want to sell a phone, they make the process just as simple. Indicate the model you’re selling, as well as its setup and condition.

It gives you an estimate of how much you’ll receive, and you can choose to receive the full sum 14 days after the examination or a 10% decrease in your payout 1-2 days after the quality check.

You must ship the phone to UpTrade in your box, but you will receive a free shipping label. If you send the phone to UpTrade and then decide not to keep it, they will return it to you at no charge.

3. Amazon:

Amazon does not have a comprehensive collection of every smartphone available.

Granted, you can find phones from companies like LG, Asus, and even a few Chinese vendors on Amazon, but if you’re looking for a brand-new iPhone or Samsung Galaxy device, Amazon can be a little late to the party.

Instead, Amazon concentrates its efforts on lower-cost phones that appeal to a broad audience of people who are on a tight budget and don’t want to spend $1,000 on a new smartphone.

When you order online, you can get a new phone from the company quickly because most devices come with free shipping.

However, if you’re looking for a nice and affordable smartphone, Amazon is a good place to start.

4. eBay:

eBay is massive, and it is still one of the best places to buy a used phone today.

It has Craigslist’s major benefit with few drawbacks, especially because it uses PayPal to ensure that payments can be refunded if there is a problem.

For buyers, it has a powerful filtering system that allows you to find exactly what you’re looking for, with filters for price, carrier, and even color.

Of course, they found eBay as an auction house, and they still sell some used cellphones that way, though they sell more at fixed prices.

eBay charges sellers, not buyers, to host their postings, so all you have to do now is find the right one and you’ll be off and running.

eBay’s biggest selling point is its Money-Back Assurance, which, when merged with the comprehensive seller profiles, makes it easy to make secure transactions.

For example, if there’s a problem with the device or the delivery, you can apply for a refund, and eBay will, within reason, either revoke the PayPal transaction or refund you if it’s already been completed.

And you can filter prospective purchases based on reputable sellers who have been around the block a few times, ten times, or ten thousand times.

5. Craigslist:

Craigslist depends on in-person meetings for cash transactions, which can be hit-or-miss depending on your ability to spot plentiful scams. Its main advantage is its size and scope; it’s everywhere and has communities in almost every area in the world. The problem isn’t finding a used phone on Craigslist; it’s browsing through thousands of listings to find something worth pursuing and making sure that the phone you choose doesn’t have underlying damage or, worse, that its IMEI (a unique number that helps identify individual devices) hasn’t been restricted due to theft.

6. Back Market:

Back Market sells used and reconditioned cellphones because it believes in extending the life of older devices to reduce worldwide e-waste and make more cost-effective options available to a wider range of people.

It’s all part of the company’s commitment to getting people to reconsider how they use technology.

Buying a reconditioned or used device is referred to as “adopting” a new phone/laptop/etc. Its review system grades devices based on their appearance and “technical condition,” assigning Fair, Good, or Excellent grades.

Back Market sellers must complete a Back Label certification program to ensure that their devices meet the company’s high standards, and the company values user feedback.

It provides a 30-day money-back guarantee, a 12-month warranty, free shipping, and several payment options to customers.

Back Market carries a variety of phones from Apple, Samsung, Google, Motorola, LG, and other manufacturers. Back Market may be the place to go if you’re searching for a well-used smartphone from a good company that has a good mission.

7. Glyde:

Glyde operates on a business model that falls somewhere between Swappa and Gazelle.

It’s a user-to-user e-commerce portal, similar to Swappa. Similar to Gazelle, it imposes some control over the probable exchange by requiring the seller to use its safe cargo container and postponing payment until the customer confirms it.

It also assures a refund within 72 hours for dissatisfied customers. Buyers pay only what they display on the site, but the collection is limited to iPhones and the latest generations of Samsung Galaxy and Pixel phones.

8. Wal-Mart:

Between Best Buy and Amazon, Walmart fills the void. Walmart, like Amazon, is a good place to go if you’re looking for low-cost smartphones and basic cell phones.

It also sells brand-new gadgets at the higher end of the market, such as Apple’s iPhones and Samsung’s Galaxy smartphones.

And, because Walmart has some negotiating power with smartphone manufacturers, its devices are frequently available at a discounted rate compared to competitors.

Aside from that, Walmart is an acceptable alternative for convenience because the corporation has both an online footprint and the opportunity to buy smartphones in-store.

And, with so many locations, you should have no trouble finding what you want, when you want it.

9. Best Buy:

If you want to buy a new smartphone online or in person, Best Buy is a brilliant choice.

You can even order a new smartphone from the online marketplace, have it reserved in your nearest Best Buy store, and pick it up the same day.

It has an excellent selection of smartphones and cell phones, including both low-cost and high-end devices.

Better yet, it’s an authorized reseller for major US carriers, so if you want to register a new Verizon or AT&T account, you can do so at Best Buy instead of going to a carrier store.

The company’s on-site staff is knowledgeable, and they deliver new smartphones on the day they release them.

10. Swappa:

Swappa started as a small Android-based phone buying and selling community, but it has since expanded to include iPhones, tablets, Chromebooks, and MacBooks.

It operates on a fixed fee structure that differs greatly from most other platforms, and this is crucial: the buyer pays the fee.

The majority of people will pay $20 or less for the privilege, which isn’t bad at all, and you will make all payments through PayPal, which is perfectly adequate and secure.

Because it encourages sellers to list their items on Swappa, it adds a catalog to a service that relies heavily on user involvement.

Swappa doesn’t quite physically inspect gadgets but does a few things to make sure that the buyer gets what they pay for: they manually authenticated all items to ensure that the IMEI is intact and valid, and also ensure that the device can be activated.

All listings must include high-resolution photos that reveal any damage, as well as a quality rating (fair/good/excellent) that corresponds to the photos.

They include the cost of shipping in the listing price, which should prevent price hikes after the sale. Because Swappa uses PayPal, all listings are secured, so buyers can get their money back if a device doesn’t arrive as publicized.

Finally, Swappa’s prices are generally lower than those of many curated services, and because Swappa lists the sale history of phones of the same type, you’re able to get a good deal on the phone in the existing markets.

FAQs

How often should your cell phone be replaced?

Nonetheless, it is still a good idea to replace your device every two years. Even if the phone functions properly, by the time it is two years old, the hardware and operating system are outdated.

Is purchasing used cell phones risky?

Buying a used phone, whether from a private seller on the internet or a refurbished model in a store, should always be approached with caution. When purchasing a phone online, you must see to it that your data is secure and that the vendor is reliable.

Reconditioned smartphones are gadgets that were originally owned by someone and have now been returned to their full potential and working condition by the manufacturer or reseller. Purchasing these refurbished smartphones from a trusted reseller is completely risk-free.

Is it okay to buy refurbished iPhones?

Overall, purchasing a refurbished iPhone from Apple’s Certified Refurbished Products is a good deal because you get a good iPhone with a one-year warranty at a lower price. You can rest easy knowing that the device is working properly and that its performance meets Apple’s requirements.

Is it possible for a smartphone to last five years?

The average lifespan of a smartphone is 2-4 years. If you treat your phone gently and carefully, you might be able to get it to the 5-year mark. However, after about three years, you may notice that your phone’s hardware has become obsolete and is having trouble handling modern applications.

Conclusion

When purchasing used cell phones online, you must exercise extreme caution because there are no guarantees. However, if you do it correctly, you can save hundreds of dollars.

Almost anything can be bought and sold on the internet, and electronic devices are no exception.

You can find reconditioned unlocked cell phones at a great price on any of these websites, whether you’re looking for an Android smartphone, an Apple iPhone, or even a basic Android phone.

You can go out and get an impressive device for a reasonable price now that you’ve mastered the art of finding the best place to buy used cell phones.

10 Places To Buy A Used Phone | Best List