Tuesday, 25 October 2011

Trade Up for a New iPhone

Summary: /* Scrub the Outside */


[[Image:Iphonetradeup.jpg|630px|thumb|left|Photo by Yutaka Tsutano/[http://www.flickr.com/photos/ivyfield/4800359168/ flickr]/CC]]

Want some of that speedy new iPhone 4S sweetness, but still stuck with last year?s model? Here?s a quick look at how to offload your old equipment and make a little bank for the new purchase.

==Scrub the Inside==

Selling a used smartphone without doing some digital spring cleaning is like inviting a stranger to rifle through your underwear drawer. Before shipping the device off to the highest bidder, be sure to offload or delete your personal effects like pictures, contacts, email accounts and the like.

The easiest and most thorough way to ensure a phone is completely clean is to perform a factory reset. On the iPhone 4 this can be found under Settings>General>Reset>Erase All Contents And Settings.

'''TIP:''' Not an iPhone user? No worries! Most of these general steps and services are available to smartphone users on other platforms too.

==Scrub the Outside==

With your data safely sequestered, it?s time to take stock in the phone?s condition and give it a quick cleaning. Rounding up any relevant packaging and accessories is a good idea too, since including the charger can sometimes affect the price.

The ultimate goal is to assess the overall condition of your device. Most trade-in/exchange services break it down into four rough categories:

''Excellent'' ? ?Like new? with very minor-to-no signs of use

''Good'' ? In perfect working condition with minor scratches

''Fair'' ? Clearly weathered from regular use but still functional

''Poor'' ? Beaten, broken and pretty much just for recycling

Naturally, the better shape the equipment is in, the more moola you?ll net for your trade-in.

==Trade Up==

===Find a Quick Exchange Service===

The good news? The market is flooded with services chomping at the bit to buy used iPhones off users itching to upgrade.

[http://www.hellototem.com/ Totem], [http://www.gazelle.com/ Gazelle], [http://instantsale.ebay.com/ eBay] and even [http://www.apple.com/recycling/ Apple] are just some of the online outlets ready to hand over cold, hard cash for last year?s hotness. Shipping in both directions tends to be speedy, and these ?bright, well-lit? online storefronts are fairly easy to do business with.

The bad news? All of this convenience means you?ll likely get less for your device compared to other methods ? but we?ll get to that in just a minute.

'''TIP:''' Want the money now now now? Brick and mortar retailers like Best Buy will let you walk into select stores and trade-in your equipment on the spot. Consumers in Southern California, Seattle and Kansas City can also skip the queue by seeking out [http://www.ecoatm.com/ ecoATM] machines to trade in their equipment.

===Sell It Yourself===

Sell-it-yourself stalwarts like eBay?s auction service and Craigslist are viable outlets too. DIY selling services generally produce much higher payouts for equipment ? in some cases as much as 50 percent more per device.

Of course, the devil is in the details too. The DIY approach means you?re responsible for managing shipping, payment, or even babysitting your auction listing and answering questions from potential buyers.

'''TIP:''' Our advice? Consider which is more important to you: time or money. Either method of selling should net at least $200 for an iPhone 4 in good condition ? which is just about enough to purchase a new iPhone 4S on contract.

===Recycle===

It?s not always about money. Electronics retailers like Best Buy will also take old and damaged equipment off your hands so it can be properly recycled.

Don?t have a Best Buy in your area? [http://www.electronicsrecycling.org/Public/default.aspx The National Center for Electronics Recycling] site can point you to the recycling center nearest you.

''Original article by Terrence Russell.''


Source: http://feeds.wired.com/~r/howtowiki/~3/1eDZnHcC4us/Trade_Up_for_a_New_iPhone

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