Question about iphone value

Chris Kerrigan

Well-known member
May 14, 2013
181
0
0
Visit site
I sell privately to a person I know, on Craigslist or on eBay...any of those would infinitely be better than Gazelle (and the other like websites that offer you "guaranteed value").

iPhone 4's are selling for $180-$220...Gazelle is offering $140 for the iPhone 4, so again, you're missing $40-$80 profit even on that 3 year old iPhone.

As far as the iPhone 5 goes...there are TONS of them selling on eBay right now (most with 5+ bidders in a bidding war over them), and my local CL also has dozens of listings for unlocked iPhone 5's. Hell...even the lowly Sprint iPhone 5's arnt as low as Gazelle is offering on them, they are in the $375-$425 range on eBay (WITH bidders).

Just for example's sake, here's one of the first ones that pops up on eBay, this was without even scrolling down to see the others in the range...(30 bidders...also notice it is damaged cosmetically)...

Apple iPhone 5 Latest Model 16GB Black Slate Unlocked Smartphone | eBay

...using Gazelle is essentially handing them free money.

Whilst I generally agree with your point about Gazelle and sites like it, it could be worse. Gamestop has a trade-in program for smartphones and tablets. A buddy of mine mistakingly took his 4S into one not too long ago and they offered him a pretty pathetic $105. Granted, GameStop isn't quite the same as Gazelle and it should be expected from them, at least Gazelle isn't THAT cheap.
 

anon(4698833)

Banned
Sep 7, 2010
12,010
187
0
Visit site
Yeah eBay is really starting to blow like as you stated the fees are ridiculous plus if you use PayPal then you got their fee as well, such a joke!


Sent from Jack Bauer's PDA.

Here's the thing though...say you sell your iPhone 5 for $500 (which is on the median of sale prices you could expect), and you do it in an auction on eBay. Worst case you're looking at about $60 in service fees between eBay and PayPal at the end of the day, so that's $440 in your pocket. You're telling me that you'd just assume throw away $110 in the name of principal? Some how standing up to eBay's outrageous service fees?

Maybe it's just me, but I'm willing to take the hit on the service fees if I'm making over a hundred bucks profit vs. selling it to one of these trade in stores (who, may I remind you, have a notorious history of getting phones in and dropping the condition level down a notch to save $20-$30, and sending you an invoice, after you've gone through shipping and what not, that is lower than quoted because they consider your phone to have "normal wear and tear" but not in "flawless" condition)...so take that $110 and make it a little closer to $150.

I'll gladly pay eBay service fees vs. throwing almost $150 in the trash...it's not a substantial amount of money, and it's not going to make or break me, but think about it like this...that's $150 closer to the next gen iPhone when it's released. Sounds better than using it as kindling to me. Maybe I'm alone on that...who knows.
 

anon(4698833)

Banned
Sep 7, 2010
12,010
187
0
Visit site
Whilst I generally agree with your point about Gazelle and sites like it, it could be worse. Gamestop has a trade-in program for smartphones and tablets. A buddy of mine mistakingly took his 4S into one not too long ago and they offered him a pretty pathetic $105. Granted, GameStop isn't quite the same as Gazelle and it should be expected from them, at least Gazelle isn't THAT cheap.

Gamestops practices of trade in value are one of the worst on the market...and not just for smart phones, for everything they sell. They'll sell you a video game and even if the seal isn't broken, if you tried to trade it in (for which they would sell it as new/unopened), you'd get about 75% value on the game. It's absurd, but they are a private business, and can do it as they see fit...Best Buy is really running circles around them when it comes to game trade ins now, because Best Buy offers at least some decent incentives.

Trying to show Gazelle in a positive light by comparing them to Gamestop would be like trying to show Charles Manson in a positive light by comparing him to Hitler.
 

anon(4698833)

Banned
Sep 7, 2010
12,010
187
0
Visit site
Trading in anything at Best Buy is like buying a new car. The moment it leaves the property...

Best Buy's trade in practices are substantially better than Gamestops when it comes to games though...not to throw this thread off track, but when you go to Best Buy and you trade something in, 9 times out of 10 you're getting some kind of incentive for it...most times when I've done it, they give you 20-30% trade in value on top of what the initial value is, and many times during new game releases, they have gone as high as 100% trade in value over the initial value (essentially doubling your trade in).

Gamestop, AT BEST, has you join the Power Up program (and even pay for the elite level of this service) to get even close to these incentives...which washes the additional value at the end of the day making it pointless if you're having to pay to get more value on trade ins.
 

Chris Kerrigan

Well-known member
May 14, 2013
181
0
0
Visit site
Best Buy's trade in practices are substantially better than Gamestops when it comes to games though...not to throw this thread off track, but when you go to Best Buy and you trade something in, 9 times out of 10 you're getting some kind of incentive for it...most times when I've done it, they give you 20-30% trade in value on top of what the initial value is, and many times during new game releases, they have gone as high as 100% trade in value over the initial value (essentially doubling your trade in).

Gamestop, AT BEST, has you join the Power Up program (and even pay for the elite level of this service) to get even close to these incentives...which washes the additional value at the end of the day making it pointless if you're having to pay to get more value on trade ins.

Wow, I just realized I made a stupid typo. What I meant to say was trading in anything at *Gamestop* is like buying a new car and driving away, not Best Buy.

I need more coffee...
 

Trending Posts

Members online

Forum statistics

Threads
259,860
Messages
1,764,742
Members
441,207
Latest member
Erik4711