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Buying a used iphone from an acquaintance


DawnM
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I guess she is a friend, but we don't do anything together outside of our group activities.

 

Anyway, she is upgrading to the iphone 5 next month and will be selling her iphone 4, 16gb.

 

It is in gently used condition.

 

What do you think is a fair price? How much will the price drop after the 5 comes out?

 

BTW: I am buying this to use with a PAYG plan, so I am NOT interested in a .99 cent deal with a 2 year contract.

 

Thanks,

 

Dawn

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But one can order the iPhone 5 already, so regardless of it being out yet or not, the prices have already adjusted.

 

Right now, a brand new iPhone 4s cost $549 without a contract with AT&T/Verizon/Sprint.

 

You need to confirm what carrier your friend used her iPhone on, ie Verizon, or AT&T or Sprint...because the iPhone will have different technology internally depending.

 

Meaning, Verizon and Sprint use CDMA technology...AT&T uses GSM with a micro-Sim card. Your carrier would need to use the same technology as what her iPhone is.

 

Then you need to consider that it was probably locked to her carrier, meaning she got it for a discounted price, for two year contract and then iPhone is locked to only be used on that carrier.

 

So for you to use it with another carrier, you have to actually unlock it. That is not recommend by Apple and if you do that, Apple will not help you with any technical issues.

 

Your friend can probably turn her iPhone in to a "recycling center" at Best Buy or Gamestop or other retailers online and get $150-200 for it. Unless she just wants to be nice to a friend and cut you a deal, I wouldn't expect to pay less than $200 range.

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Yes, I have taken care of all of the details of the carrier, etc.....I am well aware of what I need.

 

However, one is not able to SELL the iphone 4 or 4s if one is still waiting for an iphone 5 to arrive.

 

My question had more to do with what will happen when the market is saturated with lots of people with used iphone 4 and 4s's trying to sell them.

 

I will call Best Buy and see what their buy back program entails, but my guess is that it won't be more than $200.

 

Dawn

 

But one can order the iPhone 5 already, so regardless of it being out yet or not, the prices have already adjusted.

 

Right now, a brand new iPhone 4s cost $549 without a contract with AT&T/Verizon/Sprint.

 

You need to confirm what carrier your friend used her iPhone on, ie Verizon, or AT&T or Sprint...because the iPhone will have different technology internally depending.

 

Meaning, Verizon and Sprint use CDMA technology...AT&T uses GSM with a micro-Sim card. Your carrier would need to use the same technology as what her iPhone is.

 

Then you need to consider that it was probably locked to her carrier, meaning she got it for a discounted price, for two year contract and then iPhone is locked to only be used on that carrier.

 

So for you to use it with another carrier, you have to actually unlock it. That is not recommend by Apple and if you do that, Apple will not help you with any technical issues.

 

Your friend can probably turn her iPhone in to a "recycling center" at Best Buy or Gamestop or other retailers online and get $150-200 for it. Unless she just wants to be nice to a friend and cut you a deal, I wouldn't expect to pay less than $200 range.

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Ok, it looks like even now the trade in value for an iphone 4, 16gb is $173 for store credit or $143 for cash in hand. That is for PERFECT condition.

 

Good condition with minor wear is $161 store credit and $128 cash.

 

Thanks. That is helpful.

 

Dawn

 

 

Call Target or a Game stop store, ask how much they will pay you for a 4s 16gb. Both stores do trade ins on them. That will give you an idea how much to pay for a used one.
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