Avoid These Mistakes When Buying A Used Phone

There are many ways to purchase a used smart phone. You could buy from a friend, a classified ad, social media marketplaces, Craigslist, eBay and even Amazon is offering used and refurbished merchandise now. So how do you get the most phone for your money while not getting taken for a ride?

First of all you should: 1 - set a budget. Phones can cost well over $1000 these days and you can get carried away chasing the neweset technology. You may not need all that horsepower in the latest gadget just to call your family and friends and to snap some pics while out on the town.  And 2 - Choose a specific model to shop for. If you can narrow down the model of phone you can then shop price and features. There are so many phone manufacturers and models to choose from you can get overwhelmed quickly. Knowing which one of the many you want will help you spot a deal more easily.

Once you have a model picked out, you now need to figure out where to buy. Again, there are many ways for consumers to buy these days and some are better than others. I am going go over a few that I have used and you can make up your mind on it.

Buying online is probably the safest way to buy a used phone. Primarily because the sellers are anchored to the selling website and want to do good business and not get banned or receive bad reviews. So it is more likely that you will get a good quality product and get what you ordered as well. The downside to online buying is the wait. Shipping can take several days or more depending on who you bought the phone from. If you get the phone and it's not what you want, or there is a problem with the phone, you will have to return it. This adds more time to getting what you want or need and replacing your old phone. The plus side is that returns are usually accepted from online sellers, no questions asked, especially on eBay and Amazon. However, if your old phone is malfunctioning or broken or lost, etc and you need a replacement fast, online shopping is probably not the best way.

Your service provider may be another option to buy a used phone. Carriers have been getting into the buyback game over the last few years. They buy the old phones from their clients then refurbish the used phones they buy. They then sell them back to their customers at a somewhat reduced price over retail and with a guarantee. The good: you can ususally get the phone the same day at a local store, they have a solid return policy, you know the phone will work on your network and they will help you set up your new device in the store. One more plus point is that your carrier may offer interest free financing for phones you purchase with them, even the used ones. The Bad: You will likely pay almost full retail price for this used phone. The models they sell are usually 1-3 years old and their prices are not very good. You also pay taxes, fees, etc in the store. Also, selection is rather week. You will usually not find budget friendly models or the specific model you want.

The next and most afforable way is to buy local. Facebook Marketplace, Craigslist, BUY/SELL groups on social media, classified ads, etc. There are a lot of ways to find what you want. If you know what you want you can even set alerts to get notified when a phone you want gets listed. This is a huge time saver. OK. The Good: You can find many used items priced fairly that you can purchase the same day. You can negotiate the price and shoot for a better deal. You can also put your hands on the phone and decide if you want it right there on the spot. You can test the phone for any defects, make sure the size is right and it has all the features you want. This is usually how I buy a used phones. But, I have a lot of experience and know a good deal when I see one. The Bad: People are people. They may not show up on time at the meeting place or may not show up at all. Selection is usually not the best. You can only buy what local folks are selling. Sometimes people are trying to get every dime they put into the phone back out of it. Pricing may be a bit unreal for the phone you want. And either out of ignorance or dishonesty you may end up with something that is not what you were told it was. You may buy someone's ex-boyfriend's phone that they left at the house. You may get a phone that still has a passcode on it, etc. 

Here is a quick guide to buying locally:
1) Meet somewhere you feel safe.
2) Bring your Sim Card to test the phone for compatibility with your carrier. This is not hard to do and very important.
3) Inspect and test the phone thoroughly. This means all buttons and features. Check the microphone, speakers, cameras, fingerprint sensor, etc. There are no returns once you walk away.
4) Insert your sim card and make a call. When I sell locally, I tell all my buyers to bring their old phone or sim card with them so we can make sure the phone works on their network. This is good for me as a seller too.
5) Ensure ALL passcodes, fingerprints and security features are removed! This is the most important aspect to buying a used phone locally. (aside from your personal safety) Those pesky Apple IDs can lock up a phone and make them almost worthless. The newer android phones are now the same way; can't use them unless you have the Google account password. So have the seller factory reset the phone and get back to the home screen before you buy it. 

I am sure there is more to go over, but that should be good starting point if you are looking to buy a another phone.

Best of luck!