Selling gadgets online is safer, convenient: Here's how to get best price

Online phone buying websites offer better prices than e-tailers and are safer compared to peer-to-peer platformsaa

When a person is upgrading his smartphone, he usually offers the old one in exchange for the new on an e-commerce website or sells it on peer-to-peer selling platforms like Olx and Quikr. But if you want a better price than e-commerce platforms and also avoid the hassle of negotiating with multiple buyers, you can sell the old gadget on re-commerce platforms. Re-commerce or reverse commerce websites are those where one can sell a good that was previously owned. These websites such as Getinstacash.in and Recycledevice.com and other can instantly give the seller a quote for his device. If he likes the price, he can arrange the pick-up at his doorstep. 

Simple, quick process: When selling a smartphone, getting the best price is the primary concern of the user. Online used smartphone buying platforms can fetch a better price than what’s offered on e-commerce platforms in exchange of phone. But a seller can get a better price on peer-to-peer platform depending on his negotiation skills and the time on hand. On the peer-to-peer platform, the seller has to negotiate with multiple buyers. But there are many other concerns such as whether the buyer is genuine, what if the buyer slips in a counterfeit note, what if the buyer starts negotiating for a discount on the meeting, and so on. 

Most individuals don’t realise that even after they do a factory reset on their phone, the data can still be retrieved using software. “As soon the phone comes to our centres, the first thing we do is wipe all the data using specialised software. The programme ensures that the data cannot be retrieved,” says Prateek Goel, co-founder & CEO of Getinstacash.in.

Online phone buying websites take away the concerns that a person may have with the peer-to-peer selling platform. All that the user needs to select the model and make of his phone. Then, answer questions on the condition of the phone and whether he has the original charger, bill and box of the phone. A price quote is generated instantly. If the person agrees to it, he needs to key in the address and the mode of payment. An executive visits the place, revalidates the answers given on the website. If everything is correctly answered, the money is transferred immediately. In case, there are any deviations from the answers the seller had provided online; a new quote is generated. 

The seller can only select the pick-up from his house or office. No platform meets the seller at any other place. “It is to ensure that the seller is a genuine one. We also ask for an identity proof, which is captured in our app and stored in secure servers,” says Puneet Jain, founder and CEO, Recycledevice.com. Such measures help the online buying platforms to ensure that they don’t end up with a device that is stolen. A few don’t even take the phone if the individual is unable to provide either a copy of the bill or original box to prove that he is the genuine owner.

Get a better price: An individual can get the best price if he is selling the device at least two months before it goes out of warranty, that is, in the 10 months after purchase. The price falls after the phone goes out of warranty. “The next best time to sell is 15 months after the purchase. For many brands, the prices become stagnant after 16 months,” says Goel. There are, however, a few exceptions. Apple and Samsung devices, for example, don’t follow this trend.   

For some brands, original charger and box also matter more. If you don’t have the original charger, the e-commerce platform may deduct money equivalent to the price of the original charger. Similarly, if you don’t have the box, the deduction can range from Rs 100 to even Rs 2,000 depending on the brand. 

Some platforms are tying up with retailers to offer coupons instead of transfer of funds. A seller can get a higher value for the phone if he opts for the coupons instead of money, depending on the retailer he chooses. 

Sell through kiosks: Cashify has started introducing kiosk at malls in different cities. These are manned kiosks where a person can get an instant quote for his phone just like it happens online. If he likes the price, he can offer the device at the spot or book a pick-up later. “Only 35 per cent of the phones are sold online. The kiosks cater those 65 per cent individuals who buy phones from a physical store. In November 60 per cent of our sales happened through kiosks,” says Mandeep Manocha, co-founder and CEO, Cashify.in.

 

How to get the best price

• Provide all phone-related details correctly
• Ensure that you have original charger and box
• For most brands, the best time to sell is 10-15 months after the purchase
• Sell before the product goes out of warranty
• A few brands like Apple and Samsung don’t follow this price trend
• Opting for coupons instead of money can get you a higher value