[tjrtjrtjr]

I am not upgrade eligible to bump up from 3GS to 4 for a couple more months, so I was thinking of what it would cost me to go ahead and purchase at the unsubsidized price for $200 more than the usual price.

I see a lot of phones on eBay (and craigslist, too) selling for a lot of money. I have three questions:

1) Why do used iPhones sell for so much money? I know it's contract-free, but what would someone use it for without service?

2) What makes a used iPhone attractive/unattractive to a buyer? I have a dead pixel which has never bothered me and a hairline crack on the back near the dock connector port; will this take a lot off of the value?

3) Without knowing for sure, is there a reasonable estimate for the haul I can get for my black 16GB 3GS with the above-mentioned "flaws?" It's still fully functioning, just a little too old for my taste.

Anyone who has sold their phone and can give input would be a big help. If I can go to the Apple Store now and get a brand new phone then flip my current one to recoup the cost, I'll do it in a heartbeat.

[anon(4698833)]

1.) It really has nothing to do with ANYTHING other than having an iPhone without a 2 year contract, you're basically paying that much more in a contract where as a contract free phone will cost you less because you can go to any service provider (that iPhone will work on) and in the end, even if you pay an initial premium, you spend less than you would getting it new under contract.

There are times when the online prices go up because of availability, but that usually only applies to the newest gen and typically only around holidays or the release date.

2.) Yes, it will take a substantial amount from it vs. a mint condition iPhone. As far as the attractiveness of a used phone to the buyer is like i said above, a contract free iPhone.

3.) I'd say what you described would prob fetch about $150-$175 if the rest of it is in good condition.

[ChrisGonzales90]

many want to use it as an iPod. Granted you can use a touch, but Apple dubbed down the touch with a non IPS display, low end camera and a few other things. The iPhone is more of a solid product.

Also, the iPhone is like toys in a toy store or candy in a candy shop, so when people see the iPhone they freak out.

[Massie]

AT&T can also charge a hefty deposit if you don't have much credit history. They wanted $500 up front from my girlfriend--she doesn't have bad credit, she just has no real credit history at all, so I imagine people with bad credit have it even worse.

[pizzafootbal]

Actually, ATT sells them without a contract for about the same prices, I know some people that buy 2 iPhones so that they can sell one to get some $$$

[Ipheuria]

It also depends where you're from here in Canada I can get around $200 for a 3G. The 3Gs is worth 350-400 online. This is because here we have five carriers that all offer the iPhone and we also are able to use it without a data plan if bought used. If you have a 3Gs is it still under warranty? that will increase your price a bit. You could also take it in for the dead pixel and get a replacement maybe? the sell the mint one.

[tjrtjrtjr]

Ipheuria, it is not under warranty anymore, unfortunately. Thanks for the info, all. I may wait it out until I'm upgrade eligible and look at selling the old phone as simply a bonus.

I get the point about Canada with multiple carriers, but regarding the US, am I missing the point somewhere? If someone from the US bought my phone and did not have AT&T service already, they would need to commit to a contract (in which case getting a new iPhone 4 would be preferable for everyone) in order to use the thing. So that leaves current AT&T subscribers as the likely buyers. Are there really people by now who want an iPhone badly enough, already have AT&T, have the money to buy a used one for around 200 bucks, but who don't have an iPhone yet?

[ChrisGonzales90]

AT&T can also charge a hefty deposit if you don't have much credit history. They wanted $500 up front from my girlfriend--she doesn't have bad credit, she just has no real credit history at all, so I imagine people with bad credit have it even worse.

Tell me about it. I'm the same way. no real credit history and AT&T wanted that $500 deposit. ($100 more you could just buy the phone outright) I went with sprint and they wanted a $100 deposit. A lot more reasonable. I was with Boost mobile, (Sprint's prepaid company) for a year and a half and wanted more. I would have gotten the iPhone if it weren't for AT&T's greedy little business.

I talked with the gal at the Best Buy Mobile store (where I got the evo) and she said AT&T has the more expensive deposit, plus that $378 or something early termination fee.

In total, I spent around $241 on everything. Not bad considering the $100 deposit and the $100 rebate off the phone taken off right away.

[Massie]

"Are there really people by now who want an iPhone badly enough, already have AT&T, have the money to buy a used one for around 200 bucks, but who don't have an iPhone yet?"

Remember too that some people are buying them to use overseas, where they might be more new.

[ChrisGonzales90]

"Are there really people by now who want an iPhone badly enough, already have AT&T, have the money to buy a used one for around 200 bucks, but who don't have an iPhone yet?"

Remember too that some people are buying them to use overseas, where they might be more new.

More "new"? What?

[Massie]

New=buying a phone new might be more than spending a couple of hundred bucks on eBay for a used phone from the US.

[caps]

have a look......

[e1miran]

I've sold my last 2 generation iphones on craigslist in order to buy the latest generation at launch. The buyer of my 3G wanted to jailbreak it to use on T-Mobile. The buyer of my 3GS had lost his not-too-old 3GS while riding a rollercoaster. He couldn't afford to buy another brand new one.

[kellyp513]

I purchased a jb/unlocked 3GS 4.1 os to use on t-mobile. I wanted to make sure I liked the phone before possibly changing carriers to ATT&T. I'm so happy with my decision - I LOVE my phone, it works great on t-mobile, and I'm saving money by staying with t-mobile (plus I still have an unlimited data plan).

[marvar11]

I've sold my last 3 iPhones on craigslist aswell. The people buying mine have all wanted them to jailbreak them and sell them in other countries.I know for a fact that 2 went to Mexico and were sold for way more.

[BLiNK]

i saw a used jailbroken 3G go for $295.00 (+ shipping) on eBay over the weekend. it's amazing how much money people will spend instead of trying to research and just doing it themselves...

..i will be selling my jailbroken 3G on eBay, that's for sure

Craigslist is a joke most of the time; between scams, people not responding to their ads or not deleting when the item is sold, it gets very frustrating. i had someone send me a Craigslist Verification form to complete and send back to verify i was not a sex offender.. wtf? haha