What to know before buying a pre-owned or used iPhone
Many of you might be dreaming of having an iPhone but your budget isn’t allowing you. It is true that Apple’s iPhones are really expensive specially the new ones like the iPhone 7 or 7 plus. But with the coming of new phones the price of older models goes down and this phemonal. The ones who can afford new iPhones want to discard their old ones so that they can also make some cash to buy the new iPhone. So if you are the one who is looking for a used iPhone to buy then you need to go through some of the important checklist before you spend your money.
While only seven percent of used smartphones end up in official recycling programs, 64 percent get a second lease of life with 23 percent being handed down to other users and 41 percent being traded in or sold privately.
Buy from Amazon or eBay
It is always advisable to buy used iPhone from Amazon or eBay because these services put buyers first and sellers second. If there’s a legitimate dispute between a buyer and seller on Amazon, for example, the site will almost always side with the buyer. They also mandate that sellers must offer a 30 day return period–so if your used iPhone stopped working a week after you buy it, it’ll be easy to get a refund.
eBay also offers powerful buyer protection thanks to its seller rating system and its integration with Paypal. If you get ripped off, Paypal makes it very easy to get your money back.
Always meet the seller in public and secure place
There have been instances where someone agrees to meet a seller from Craigslist or Gumtree, only to turn up and be mugged by them. So always try meeting a seller in a public and secure place. A packed coffee shop, and Apple Store, or even the parking lot of a police station. A place with CCTV cameras is good too, just in case something goes down.
Always ask for original receipt
While some sellers may not always have this, it’s a good thing to ask for. If they can provide a receipt for the iPhone, you know there’s a good chance it’s not a stolen device. However, not being able to provide a receipt doesn’t necessarily mean it is stolen. But you need to be careful.
Get two forms of contact info from the seller
Always try to get two or more forms of contact for the seller. Email is good and a phone number is better. As for their name and see if you can identify them on social media. Getting as much contact info from the seller as possible means you have a better chance of contacting them if the used iPhone you bought dies a week later.
Ask what the seller’s return policy is
Most sellers will probably have a “no returns accepted” policy. Selling on sites like Gumtree usually have this policy. However, if you are buying a high-value device like the iPhone, offer them a week to return it–but only if something is seriously wrong. Also for the seller you show the buyer that the phone works well and keep detailed pictures of the device in case the buyer damages it and wants to return it.
Always test the used phone
Needless to say, you should thoroughly test the used iPhone you plan to buy. If you’re about to hand a stranger $400, he should have no qualms about you using the phone in front of him for about 10 minutes to test out all its features.
Make sure no iCloud account is signed in to the device
While testing the device, make sure that no user is signed into the iCloud account on the iPhone. If they are, this could prevent you from restoring it, may suggest that it’s been stolen, or even means the seller can screw you over later and lock you out of the device you’ve bought.
Check out the device’s IMEI number
An IMEI number is a unique 15-digit number assigned to cellular devices. The IMEI can be used to block a mobile phone from being used by others if it has been lost or stolen. To find the iPhone’s IMEI go to Settings > General > About. Once you have the IMEI you can copy and past it and then go to iPhoneox.com to enter it and check its warranty and activation info, if it’s locked to a carrier, or if its been reported lost or stolen.
Also the best time of year to buy a used iPhone is in the months of September to October because that is the time most of the mobile companies launch their new phones and people look for buyers of their old devices. But all things mentioned above should be looked into when buying a used or old iPhone.