As per recent reports, the used smartphone market is also growing. Many people who cannot buy expensive mobile phones usually buy used devices. You may have seen people using Olx and Quikr to buy and sell phones. People who frequently change their phones usually sell their phones on these websites and then buy new ones from different online retailers. Online retailers like Flipkart and Amazon also provide exchange offers on mobile phones. So, you can get a new phone by giving your old phone. However, you can get better value if you sell if by yourself. People who cannot afford high-end phones in new, prefer buying second-hand or used phones. So, you will always get a buyer for your used phone if it is in good condition.
Buying a used phone can save money but there are a few risks involved in this. You must take care of a few things before finalizing a deal with the seller. If you are interested in buying a used phone but are not sure what things to consider and what kind of research to do, you are at the right place. In this post, I will explain how to buy used mobile phones without risk.
Important Things to consider while buying a used phone
Do proper research and find available deals
1. Know what you exactly want to buy
First of all, you have to make sure what you want to buy. If you know that you want to buy, for example, an iPhone 13 or Galaxy s22 or some exact model, it is fine. But if you want a good phone, first make sure you have a definite idea of what you want to buy. If you have any confusion about phone models, you may end up in trouble while finalizing the deal. So think carefully and decide what phone you want to buy. You may also think about 2-3 mobile phone models.
2. See available deals on different websites where you can buy old phones.
Once you know what you want to buy, you can now research and see available deals on used phones. We have already listed a list of websites to buy old phones. You can use that list and find websites where people sell their used phones. Most people prefer OLX and Quikr for finding deals on old mobile phones. Carefully read the description and see the photos of the phone. Most of the time people just see the photo and decide to meet. Ignoring descriptions can cost you more. So, read everything carefully. It helps in negotiating the deal later. Once you have selected deals, you can now go to meet.
Also read: What Is a Refurbished Smartphone? Is It Right to Buy Refurbished Phones?
Nowadays social network is also a good place to find deals on old phones. Your friend or a friend of your friends might be selling his phone. In this case, the seller will be a known or close to a known person. So, less chance of cheating. Facebook has also added an option on Facebook groups for selling items. Although this feature is not widely used, you can still get good deals on used phones on social networks.
Going to meet in person? Follow these things
Once you have finalized the available deals, it’s time to go and meet the persons to see the phone. Before you set the meet-up, keep these things in mind.
- Tell the person that you will check the phone by inserting your own SIM. You won’t see if the phone can charge and it works fine. Ask them for a long meeting so that you have enough time to check the phone. If the other person is cool, it is fine. Otherwise, you should ignore meeting him.
- Always meet the person in a public place and in the day for safety reasons. It also makes it easier for you to check the phone properly. And you may avoid cheaters and risks.
- Ask another person to bring the original bill for the phone. If the bill is not available, you must ask for something that can verify that he is the owner of the phone.
Inspection of the phone
When you are meeting the person, you must do a proper inspection. If you forget to check a single thing, you can only regret it later. So, here are a few things you must verify.
1. Bring a few important things that will help you in the proper inspection of the phone. These things are
- Powerbank and a charging cable
- A MicroSD card if the phone has a slot for it
- Headphones
- An active SIM card that is compatible with the phone you are testing
- Laptop if possible
2. Do a proper visual inspection to make sure that the phone is in good condition. Press every physical button to see if the buttons are working fine. Check the phone’s touchscreen properly and see if there is no major scratch. Don’t forget to check the corners for cracks. Check the camera glass for scratches and broken lenses. If the back cover is removable, open it and see if the battery of the phone is original. The battery should be original and should look fine. Check SIM slots and microSD slots for possible damage.
Once you are satisfied with the physical appearance of the phone, it is time to turn on the phone.
3. Insert SIM and microSD card before turning the phone on. Once the phone is turned on, see the signal strength and start testing the touch response. Also not the battery status before starting other tests.
See how the UI is responding. Make calls, send texts, and browse the web to check if SIM is working fine on the phone. Also, see if it is recognizing the microSD card. Also, check if its 3.5 mm audio port is working fine. Play a song and check if headphone support is fine. Once you are satisfied with your performance, it is time to see if charging works. Now see the battery status and assume battery performance. It should not drain too fast. You can guess the battery condition with this.
Then put the phone in charging and see if it is charging fine. See how much time it is taking. If you find anything abnormal, the battery may have an issue. I know you cannot get a full day to test the battery but you should at least take around 2 hours. This time is enough to test the battery for the possible issue.
4. Before buying a used phone, make sure that the phone is not the stolen one. This is the reason I recommend buying from the owner of the phone and do not involve any local dealer. Local dealers are those who own mobile repair shops. They buy phones from their customers and then sell them to other customers. They may ignore the verifications and hence buyer will have to face issues if the phone he bought was stolen. So ask for the original bill of the phone. Also, make sure if the person is offering a charger and other things that come within the box of the phone.
Negotiating the deal
Once you are satisfied with the phone, it is time to negotiate the deal. Make sure you know the best buy price for the new phone. Now, think if the price the seller is asking justifies its current condition. And then start asking for more discounts based on your valid arguments. If you did a proper inspection, you already have a few points to tell in the negotiation.
I do not recommend going with illogical points and doing a big bargain. Just make sure you are paying the right price for the phone. If the other person is not asking for a reasonable price, you should walk away. But if the person is asking for a reasonable price, do not do illogical arguments.
Wrap up
When you both agree on pricing, you can pay and get your phone.
If you follow the above-mentioned things, you are less likely to have trouble with your recently bought used phone. I know many people who bought the used phone and never faced issues with the device. You should always remember that you are buying an old phone. So, there will be no warranty. In case of any issue, you will have to spend a lot on repairing it.
Buying a used phone could be a pain. If you want a good old phone, you should consider buying it from a trusted refurbished store such as Xtracover, Yaantra, and Cashify. These websites even offer a warranty on their product. So, you will have peace of mind.
This is all I have to say about important things you must do if you are going to buy used mobile phones. Did I miss some important points? If you want to add something, you must make the comments and give your valuable suggestions in the comments section below.
