Where to sell my iPhone 6s?

If you’re looking at upgrading your smartphone and wondering where to sell my phone, you don’t have to be concerned. There are numerous options available out there to sell your device, both online and offline. In fact, according to some reports, Apple’s installed base of 1.3 billion customers is powered mainly by the second hand market. Incredibly, as many as 65% of all new iPhones are resold annually as existing users rushed to keep pace with Apple’s regular new releases.

Obviously, a vibrant and thriving second hand market plays a critical role in Apple’s financial health. Although they do not get any profit from private sales, the presence of such sales channel provides a path for existing users to buy new phone models from Apple without spending too much money.

As consumers though, what are your options when selling your iPhone?

(i) Direct mobile operators or dealer trade-ins

You might find this hard to believe, but there are actually 64 mobile operators in the United Kingdom operating on five host networks. Obviously, everyone is aware of the big four (EE, O2, Three and Vodafone), but the presence of five dozen other competitors have turned the UK mobile market into one of the most competitive in the world. As such, mobile operators are compelled to offer very attractive trade-in packages to entice new subscriptions. If you are looking to switch mobile carrier, trading in your iPhone 6s probably gives you the best bang for your buck. Otherwise, look elsewhere because a straight cash deal with mobile operators or dealers will likely disappoint you.

(ii) Online trade-ins

Online deals are without doubt the most convenient and easiest method to trade in your phone. The process is quite simple. Send your phone by snail mail, and receive the money in your bank account within a day or two after the buyer receives your phone. Naturally, the trade off in convenience will lead to prices that are slightly lower compared to other sales channels. The trick though lies in finding the right buyer – one that is reputable and offers competitive, if not the best prices. A fair bit of homework needs to be done ahead of any deal to determine the trustworthiness and reliability of a prospective site. Nevertheless, if you’re pressed for time or live outside of major cities,

• Shop trade in

If you live in a major city, trading or selling your phone with brick and mortar dealers or shops is probably your best bet. Because of the competition from other shops and dealers, these businesses will usually operate on razor thin margins. This is good news for you, as a consumer. However, please make sure to shop around a little (no less than five shops) before committing to a deal. As implied, this method is usually effective in large cities. In smaller towns, shops will typically offer you a take it or leave deal. They’re not being intentionally greedy though; the lower sales volume forces them to operate on a higher profit margin.

• Other options

Other options you can consider are auction sites, classified listings or private sales. However, please keep this as your last options are they have steep learning curves that you need to master to avoid getting bitten in the posterior. On the plus side, end user to end user deals tend to be more profitable for the seller (that’s you).