Used Cell Phone: Let’s face it, we can’t contain the excitement of owning a new cell phone, well until some of us take a look at the price. Truth is, the situation above is sad. But, you can get a clean and neatly used refurbished cell phone for less the price of a new cell phone and still enjoy all the benefits of buying a new phone.

Good thing about smartphones is that they don’t always have to be brand new to be in perfect working condition. With the increase in price of smartphones, new Google Search Trends data have shown increase in search for where to buy used phones.

See Also: Used iPhones: Save up to $400 When You Buy From UpTrade

Quick Note: Used Cell Phones as used in this article does not mean phones with scratches, damaged with water or have some damage inside. We don’t encourage our readers to buy used phones from someone they met online. The risk is too high.

Why You should buy Used or Refurbished Cell Phones

One, used or refurbished cell phones are usually more affordable. For example, a neatly used iPhone 12 Pro Max cost about $1,097 on UpTradeit and $1,099 on BestBuy. That is about $600 less when you buy new iPhone 12 Pro max.

This Samsung Galaxy Note20 Ultra costs $890 on BestBuy which is about $310 less than its original price. Point is, refurbished or used phones are more affordable while still giving you same value as new cell phones.

Second reason why you should consider buying a used cell phone is protection. It might not seem like it but the 5 places listed here where you can buy used cell phones have policies that protects you as a buyer. They even have refund policies which most people think only new phones has.

See Also: Samsung Phones: The Evolution of the Samsung Galaxy Lineup

But, buying used cell phones have its concerns. First concern is finding a trusted site or seller. In all honesty, it’s sometimes difficult to tell which online retailer is legit especially when they are new.

Which is why we’ll give you list of 5 trusted site where you can buy used smartphones. Note that we have used these sites and are still using these sites to make purchase used cell phones without issues.

Where to buy a used cell phone

1. Uptradeit

Uptradeit is a USA based market place where you can buy and sell used phones. They have return and exchange policy to help you return any phone you buy within 30 days. There is also Protection Plan to protect you when your used phone gets damaged.

See Also: How to Buy and Sell Used Phones in UpTrade

The company offer to repair the cell phone at low cost. It’s like getting premium treatment as though you bought a new phone. Lastly, all cell phones in Uptradeit are certified by its engineers before been posted for sale.

2. Gazelle

Gazelle is an eCommerce site based in the United States that allows you to buy and sell used cell phones. It function just like Uptradeit and they have policies that make sure you get the best deals.

All the cell phones you buy from Gazelle are certified by their engineers and you don’t have to be worried about buying water damaged smartphones. With Gazelle you can buy an almost new iPhone 12 for about $700.

3. BestBuy

Best Buy is very popular for selling new phones. Cell Phones in BestBuy are carrier locked or unlocked with network carrier plans. But, they also sell refurbished cell phones. These phones on Best buy were preowned i.e. used cell phones.

See Also: 5 Best Phones Under £500 in UK – March 2021

And just like other phones sold on the Best Buy website, refurbished phones also have protection, network carrier plans and even unlocked refurbished cell phones. Note that you can save about $300-$600 when you buy these refurbished smartphones from BestBuy.

4. eBay

The UK based market place give you access to buy used cell phones with ease. All sellers on eBay are verified and for sake of been sure, you can read their reviews to know if you can trust them.

See Also: 5 Best Phones Under £300 in UK – March 2021

To ease your mind, there is the eBay’s money back guarantee. With this you can return the cell phone for a full refund if it isn’t exactly as the seller described.

5. Amazon

Maybe Amazon is not so popular for its sales of used and refurbished phones. But you can purchase used and refurbished phones directly from phone manufacturers like Apple, Samsung, Motorola, OnePlus and LG, or from a third-party resellers.

Refurbished phones on Amazon come with 90-day warranty. Be sure to also read reviews on Amazon about sellers before purchasing.

Question you should ask before buying a Used Cell Phone

Truth is buying from a trusted website reduce the risk of buying a used phone. But you still have to be sure you can actually activate and use the phone when you get it. You don’t want to go through the stress of return and refund. Which is why the answers to the following questions are important.

1. Is the cell phone under a lease agreement or contract? This is very important as cell phones under this condition can’t be reactivated until the fulfillment of the agreement. If for example a seller has a year left on the contract, you’ll have to wait for a year before you can activate that cell phone. Good thing is, most of the sites above don’t sell phones that is under contract. But be sure to read the description to confirm before you buy.
2. Does the phone has water damage? The damage of water in a phone can be very subtle and not quickly noticeable. So, the phone might appear to work fine but within a short time it won’t. Which is why we don’t advice our readers to buy from individual except one you trust. Uptradeit, BestBuy, eBay and Amazon have rules against water damaged phones. That is why their sellers can’t sell you a water damaged phone.
3. You have the serial number of the cell phone? It is also called the ESN or IMEI. It’s an important information as you need it to verify if the phone has been registered or stolen. Well, most of the site listed in this post have rules against stolen phones. Uptradeit in its terms and conditions states it clear that they’ll turn over any seller trying to sell stolen phone to the cops.

This just about wraps up this article. Now you know where and things to look out for before you buy a used cell phone.