eBay Has Introduced A New Way For You To Sell Your Old iPhone Just In Time For The iPhone XR
iPhone XR preorders are well underway, and that is not the only major new smartphone to be announced this season. Smartphone camera buffs are definitely going to want to take a look at the newly released Google Pixel 3 and Pixel 3 XL.
The challenges for prospective buyers are twofold — how do you afford these expensive new phones at the average selling price? And what do you do with your current handset? Few people want to be stuck with two smartphones. eBay is offering a new answer to both questions.
Engadget expands on the details and notes a major drawback.
“eBay has launched a new service that gives you a quick way to sell select phone models if you don’t want to deal with Craigslist buyers. It’s called Instant Selling, and the e-commerce platform says the whole process will only take you a few minutes from start to finish. The downside is you’re not getting cold hard cash for your phone — you’re getting an eBay voucher that you can use to purchase items from the website. If that’s not a dealbreaker (and you buy stuff from eBay regularly anyway), you might be able to get more for your device than what some trade-in programs offer.
Before using this service, note that while it is still conducted through eBay, it is not an auction — or even a “Buy It Now” situation where you name your own price. This is not a negotiated transaction from independent seller to independent buyer — it is a direct sale from an individual to eBay. In this way, it is much closer to e-commerce competitor, Gazelle.
Unlike Gazelle, with eBay’s Instant Selling you do not have an option to get cash for your item. You will only get eBay credits for other eBay purchases. This means that the value is generally higher than with other options. But remember that even with Gazelle, there is an option to get paid with Amazon credits. You will get a higher value for those credits than you would get as a cash transaction.
Regardless of how you choose to dispose of your current smartphone, there are some steps you need to take prior to sending it off. First, remove the SIM and wipe it of all personal data. Remove the activation lock. This type of thing is available for both iOS and Android. And be sure to insure the phone before you send it — in the event that something goes awry with the shipping.
Finally, be aware that eBay Instant Selling is only available for a limited number of recent smartphones. The iPhone 6s and beyond is included in the offer, along with the Samsung Galaxy S7 through S9. T-Mobile and Sprint devices will be added to the list later this year.
