Upgrade and Sell It

0 CommentsSunday • November 27, 2011 • by Imei

I’ve been looking for the right time and window to upgrade my iPhone4 to the new 4S (and those of you who know me well understand why I don’t always jump on something when it’s brand new). First of all, I had to wait until my carrier allowed me to terminate my current contract without significant penalty. That time came last week.  Second, I watched the market of iPhone4′s on Craigslist, to see what would be a reasonable price for a product that virtually sells itself. If you’re new to handling iDevices when it comes time to upgrading, it would serve you to do a little research before you upgrade and sell it.

Step 1: Read the account of others who have done this more than you

I really liked Lifehacker’s article on the topic. This particular article shows you how to prepare for the eventual sale of your device from the very beginning of the process: the purchase day of your iDevice. Because of articles like this one, I already knew that some people really like having the original box. By protecting the phone from any damage from Day 1, I have a pristine iPhone4 with no scratches.

Step 2: Find a market, and focus on buyers who are ready to purchase

What I found is on places like Craigslist, there are people are people who insist on trying to negotiate you under the table, or continue to ask too many questions beyond the standard info and pictures you might have already placed in an ad. No worries. When you sell an iDevice in demand, there will be other interested buyers. Let it “settle out”, and what remain are serious buyers.

You’d be surprised how many people will ask if they can “see it”, even when you’ve supplied photos and description. Usually, a flurry of other questions may follow, and what this usually means is the person has not done his or her homework. A person who has done his/her homework will know what s/he wants, what s/he is willing to spend for it, and how far s/he is willing to drive for it. You do not have to make those decisions for them.

Step 3: Set up a clean deal

Be honest about any flaws, damage, or problems with your iDevice to the prospective buyer. Don’t promise anything more than the product and the packaging. Clean the device, wipe its memory, charge it properly (and include the charger that comes with it), and agree to meet your buyer in a public place with good lighting and a lot of people. Do not accept anything but cash, and don’t feel bad about asking to count the money as well as inspect it for counterfeit cash (I knew someone who was present at a transaction where counterfeit money was given, and she was so furious!).

Now, with the iPhone, you have to consider the cost of the item as a locked phone versus the wishes of the customer to get an unlocked phone for less [unlocked phones go for $400 more in the Apple store]. While it isn’t the sellers responsibility to unlock the phone for the customer, most customers will begin asking questions about your iDevice, such as, “Which carrier is it on?” or “How do I unlock it so I can use it on XYZ carrier?” You should decide ahead of time how you will address the question. I personally refer the customer back to Internet, allowing the choice to unlock the phone to rest solely on the buyer. Otherwise, a customer could ask you to jailbreak the phone for them, and then quit the deal at the last minute, leaving you with a jail-broken phone that Apple will refuse to fix in the future unless you sold it back to them [and it was resold as a "refurbished" iPhone]. Leave the jailbreaking to the customer. I disagree with Lifehacker that you could take cash for the jail-breaking process; you could still get “stuck” with your item if the customer is disgruntled for any reason [even buyer's remorse for the cost of an iPhone]. Again, think about this as setting up a clean deal, start to finish.

What I’ve learned is that I should never have a problem selling an iDevice that is still usable and has no damage. A good product can “sell itself”, but a little professionalism goes a long way.

BTW, the camera on the new iPhone4S is everything they said it would be, and more. Pictures of my kittehs Lumi and C-M will be forthcoming.

Now it’s your turn. Do you have any tips on selling your iDevices and upgrading to the next generation without losing a ton of money? Please share your tips.