Everyone wants to sell their old phones, but it’s somewhat intimidating. Getting rid of old devices is a huge hassle, especially when you have to clean it up, deactivate accounts, and find a place that will actually give you a decent amount of cash for your device. It’s a chore no one wants to deal with.
But trading in your device for some cash, especially before new smartphones debut, is a pretty simple process when you take it one step at a time. You’ll feel better by decluttering your life, you’ll make some money you can use toward your next device, and you can do it without meeting some Craigslist stranger in a Burger King for the handoff.
Find Out Where to Sell It
Depending on the condition of your device, you’ve got a few relatively painless options to get cash. If you don’t want to deal with another human, you can use a site like Gazelle or Amazon, fill out a questionnaire, and mail your device. You’ll receive your money (or gift card) when they verify the condition and functionality of your phone.
Sites like Swappa and eBay are person-to-person marketplaces, meaning you’ll have to wait for someone to purchase your device from you. Sites like Swappa may not let you list your device if it’s unable to activate, has a cracked screen, or has been affected by water damage.
If you want to make sure you squeeze every penny out of your sale, you should subscribe to the mailing lists of your selling site. Some, like Gazelle, may post additional offers on their social media pages and email subscriptions that may net you a few more bucks when you sell or trade in your phone. “During iPhone launch time, we offer different promotions,” said Gazelle’s Yanyan Ji. “Instead of a 30 day price lock, we offered 45 days. There’s a lot to encourage the consumer to do responsible recycling and trading with us during launch time.” And if you never want to see offer codes and coupons in your inbox when you’re done selling, consider using a filter-friendly email address to keep everything separated.
Clean Up Your Phone’s Exterior
Before you put your thumb’s best friend up for sale, you should do your best to get it ready for primetime. That means taking it out of that beat up case (it is in a case, right?) and giving it a good once over. If your smartphone has any physical damage, like a cracked or scratched screen, or a broken volume button, you can expect to receive less than the average market price.
Right now, a 128GB iPhone 6 with little to no damage can net you $150 on Gazelle, though a device with a broken screen will get you only $55. If any costly repairs are needed, or your device is dead as a doornail, you’re better off trading it in as-is, after wiping your personal info—more on that later. You could choose to fix the device yourself, but the time and money you’d spend would negate the amount you’d make with a phone in better condition. (That dead iPhone 6 is worth $40.)
Avoid harsh chemicals found in cleaning products you might have around the house, as they may remove some of your phone screen’s fingerprint-resistant coating. Instead, use a slightly damp microfiber cloth to wipe down your device. You can use compressed air to clean out any ports or openings, and a toothpick to get into your phone’s nooks and crannies, like its seams, grilles, and ports.
Buff out minor scratches with scratch removal or polishing compounds if you want to present your phone in the best light. Electronics trade-in site Gazelle offers guaranteed prices for 30 days based on their condition, so making your phone look good is always better than the alternative, and could net you more money.
Show Them Your Good Side
When selling your phone online, images are everything. Sites like Swappa and eBay ask you post photos of your device, unlike trade-in sites like Gazelle or Amazon that assess its condition when they receive the device. Your photos should be well-lit, and showcase your phone from every angle.
If there are any obvious bits of damage or wear, you should include a photo of the damage. It beats trying to slip it under the radar, and will reduce the risk of a recipient claiming you sold them a damaged device based on a misleading advertisement. Of course, if your phone is your camera of choice, you’ll probably need to borrow another one.
Don’t Forget to Disown Your Phone
You might have removed all the dust and detritus on your phone, but now you’ll need to clean it from within, and that means formatting it. Your iPhone or Android phone is more than likely connected to your personal accounts, and probably has location tracking enabled to find your device in case you misplace it.
If you don’t disable services like Find My iPhone or Google’s Find My Device for Android phones, you won’t be able to factory reset the device, making it impossible for someone else to use if you’re planning to sell it. Sites like Amazon and its Trade-In service will not accept devices still connected to user’s online accounts, so double-check your settings before you ship it.
In iOS, tap your name in the Settings app, then tap iCloud, and disable Find My iPhone. Android users can visit Settings > Google > Location, and uncheck the two boxes allowing for remote device location and remote locking and erasing. Once you disable its location-tracking service, you should also remove your personal data from the phone and factory reset it. In iOS, head to Settings > General > Reset and tap Erase All Content and Settings. In Android, you can hit Settings > Backup & reset > Factory Data Reset > Reset Phone > Erase Everything.
Find Out How Much It’s Worth
A trip through used device marketplace sites like eBay, Swappa, and Gazelle is a great way to estimate the value of your device. Just search for what you’re trying to hawk and price your device accordingly based on similar options on the market. Swappa helpfully features a price history graph showing you the market value of your device and helping you figure out the best time to sell.
If you want to hold onto your device until the very end, Gazelle has a convenient 30-day price guarantee feature, meaning the company will honor the suggested price as long as it receives the device within that window. With the Google’s new Pixel XL rumored to debut in October, and Apple’s iPhone 8 rumored to launch this September, that window might be enough to save you a few bucks and reduce the time you’re without a phone, if you opt to sell before the new model is released, when prices for your older phone will likely be higher. (Phone prices tend to fall after new ones are announced, thanks to the glut of people ditching their current models.)
Trade in Person
You can always walk into a store and trade in your device for cash if you’re too impatient for a post office. Stores like Best Buy and GameStop will offer you cash for your device, but it tends to be a little lower than the prices from online sites, anywhere from $10 to $50. Depending on the week’s promotions and deals, you can probably get extra store credit out of your trade should you choose a store-specific gift card, however. If you’re buying a new phone outright, it may pay to both trade your old device and purchase your new phone in-store.
As long as you know you’re getting that phone at that store, you can apply the gift card value to your new device and not worry about being without your old one for any length of time. But know that if you’re trading your old device for its successor all in the same transaction, don’t expect to net as much cash as you would had you sold it earlier.
In case the thought of cold hard cash doesn’t excite you enough, trading in your phone is beneficial for the environment. Recycling electronics isn’t hard, and the Environmental Protection Agency has a list of sites and businesses that will recycle your old electronics. More used phones in circulation means fewer devices in landfills simply because you forgot to get one out of your house before it became a paperweight.