How to sell your old iPhone
The release of a major new phone, such as the iPhone X, is a great time to think about selling or trading in your old handset. There are plenty of retailers, networks and resale apps that will offer you cash or discounts for trading in your old device.
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Whether you are looking for an upgrade or have a stack of old phones gathering dust in a drawer, here are the some of the best and easiest ways to sell your old phone.
How to sell your old phone
Do your research
Check you are getting the right price for your phone first. Some trade in programmes may not offer the best value and, while you may think that trying to sell the phone yourself might be the best option, if it is damaged it could be difficult to find a willing buyer.
Wipe your data
Backup your iPhone then reset it to factory settings before you send it off. You don’t want the new owner getting access to your data. You can usually do this in the settings tab on your smartphone.
iPhone 7
You can get great deals on the iPhone 6 and iPhone 7 CREDIT: AP
Packaging and posting
If you are selling it yourself, you will want to ensure the item gets off in good time and is stored in a safe box with plenty of padding. If you are trading it in with a website, these may offer a free delivery service to send in your phone.
Choose when and where to sell
Picking a good place to sell your phone can get you a much better deal. It can also be a great idea to sell your phone just before or after the launch of the next major handset, when many people will be searching for the new phone. eBay, the auction site, says the day a new iPhone arrives in stores is the best time to sell your older version.
Trade in deals
One of the easiest ways to get cash or discounts quickly for your old mobile phone is to trade it in. Several phone manufacturers offer incentives to upgrade in your old device.
Carphone Warehouse
Carphone Warehouse is currently offering a series of discounts for those wishing to get cash for their old iPhone models.
Carphone Warehouse will pay £300 to £380 for an iPhone 7, £350 to £460 for an iPhone 7 Plus and £150 to £210 for an iPhone 6s.
It will also pay you for trade-ins on plenty of other smartphones, from Samsung to Sony. Carphone Warehouse’s website says they take all kinds of phones and tablets including non-working and damaged devices.
To get cash for your phone:
- Go to the trade in website and enter your mobile’s details
- Get the free sales pack
- Post your device to Carphone Warehouse
- Receive your payout in three to five working days
- Apple Store
On the Apple Store you can get up to £205 credit for your old iPhone, ranging from £135 for the iPhone SE to £205 for the iPhone 6s Plus. Not as much as on Carphone Warehouse, although Apple’s upgrade programme, where you pay monthly to upgrade annually to their latest phone, does offer a good discount.
iPhone X
You can get credit towards new phones, such as the iPhone X CREDIT: APPLE
Music Magpie
Trade-in site Music Magpie offers deals on old mobile phones, and lets customers send over their old tech for free with its courier service. Some of the current rates on Music Magpie include £455 for the iPhone 7, £250 for the Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge and £150 for the Samsung Galaxy S6.
Sell it through your network
Plenty of networks offer deals to sell your old mobile phone with EE, Vodafone and Three all offering trade-in deals in store or online.
GiffGaff
Network operator GiffGaff offers some great value when selling your old smartphone. Their phone trade in and recycling programme is open to all networks and you can quickly enter your smartphone details in order to get an instant quote.
On GiffGaff you can get up to £450 for an iPhone 7 Plus, up to £370 for an iPhone 7 and up to £175 for a Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge.
Sell your mobile on eBay
If you fancy doing it yourself, eBay can be a great way to sell your old mobile phone. Users can make a listing on eBay to sell their old smartphone in an auction to the highest bidder. eBay has some tips for selling your mobile phone online:
Do some research
- see how much other items are selling for and include keywords and details about the product in its description.
- Include some great photos of your old phone that make it look appealing to buyers.
- Describe the specs and features of your phone clearly so buyers know what they are getting.
- Make sure you ship your phone as soon as you have received payment for a good rating.
Resale apps
Several apps that you might use everyday can be a great way to sell old mobile phones, even some highly popular apps now have their own way to trade in old items.
Facebook Marketplace
One feature you might not be aware of on Facebook is Facebook Marketplace. This allows you to quickly and easily sell items to local buyers. Simply go to the Marketplace tab on your browser or app, create a listing for the item and wait for offers.
Selling an iPhone on Facebook CREDIT: FACEBOOK
Shpock
The Shpock app allows you to quickly sell items, where buyers swipe to find new items nearby. The bootsale app says users can get up to £340 by selling an iPhone on the app, while you can get £30 more if you sell the iPhone in London.