Buying a used smartphone

locknload

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My wife broke the screen of her iphone 5c again (I swear they make those things so they break on purpose).  She's been using my S5 for the last week to take pictures and stuff and I think I've finally convinced her to go android.  However we are 6 months from upgrade so I started looking around about picking up a used Sprint S5 online.  Anyone have any experience with sites like Gazelle or Swappa?  Amazon also seemingly has a limited selection of used ones.   She'll probably end up upgrading to the S6 in 6 months anyway so I'm basically looking for a cheap hold over.  Only catch is it needs to be good enough to not put her off Android and drive back in Apples awful clutches.
 

Caspir

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Swappa is great. I've sold my last two phones through them, and had no problems. Not sure how it is on the buyer's end, but I assume that as long as you use a seller that's been rated and has closed/successful sales, you'll be fine. 
 

Omar's Wacky Neighbor

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I've gotten three tremendous cell deals on Amazon Warehouse in the past month.  Problems are:  you have wait until they add stock AND then hope you're the first to see the listing.  You really have to get luck to scoop a great deal.  Only order if it's Very Good or Like New, tho.   There's a few Very Good s5 right now for $272-330:
 
http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_2?url=search-alias%3Dwarehouse-deals&field-keywords=s5+sprint&rh=i%3Awarehouse-deals%2Ck%3As5+sprint
 
http://www.amazon.com/gp/offer-listing/B00KNGV226/ref=sr_1_3_olp?ie=UTF8&qid=1436206798&sr=8-3&keywords=sprint+s5&condition=used
 
NB:  I'll only buy a phone there if the seller is the Warehouse itself, but that's just me being picky.
 
If you'll notice, there is a button on the left of the page that gives New Arrivals:
 
http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=sr_nr_p_n_date_0?fst=as%3Aoff&rh=n%3A10158976011%2Cn%3A172282%2Cn%3A!493964%2Cn%3A2811119011%2Cp_n_date%3A1249033011&bbn=10158976011&sort=relevancerank&hidden-keywords=cell+phones&ie=UTF8&qid=1435775430&rnid=1249031011
 
IF you have the time, check the Warehouse a few times a day.  I posted in the Tech Bargains thread one day last week that Warehouse was suddenly putting up a ton of new cell phone listings, but it's been dry since then.
 
Other route you may want to go, since you have a specific model in mind:  watch the Hot Deals forum on Slickdeals.net.   There are some ebay resellers with great reps who have some insane prices on almost-new or FRB phones.
 
e.g.:
 
http://slickdeals.net/f/7952443-samsung-galaxy-s5-sm-g900a-4g-lte-16gb-white-or-black-unlocked-350-free-shipping-ebay-daily-deal?v=1&src=SiteSearch
 
I just last week bought a Note 4 from the same dealer and it arrived in pristine condition.  I sorta feel the only reason it was even opened was so that they could unlock it.
 
EDIT  My bad, that thread got bumped from last week by a buyer who's concerned by the delivery time.
 
Oooo, right, Sprint:  that's CDMA.  That might be a bit tougher.
 
Another avenue:  check out Walmart.com for a FRB.
 

Seels

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I'm actually selling my old HTC One m7. It's decent but a few years old and I got an Iphone 6. I'd gladly part with it for whatever you feel is good value for both of us if you want since it's just being a paperweight right now.
 

locknload

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Seels said:
I'm actually selling my old HTC One m7. It's decent but a few years old and I got an Iphone 6. I'd gladly part with it for whatever you feel is good value for both of us if you want since it's just being a paperweight right now.
 
Appreciate the offer but pretty sure I want to get her an S5 since she's used it and is comfortable with it.
 

Section15Box113

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Gazelle (www.gazelle.com) now has a "certified pre-owned" program for smartphones, complete with a 30-point inspection.
Makes sure that what you buy is in good shape and, you know, um, works. 
 
Definitely recommend it.
 

Was (Not Wasdin)

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My old Ipod touch (is finally giving out.  Instead of replacing it with another ipod touch, I was thinking about getting an unlocked phone to use instead.  If you buy an unlocked phone with GPS capability, does anyone have any idea if the GPS work if you dont activate it on a data plan?  Not for turn by turn directions or anything like that, but for something like runkeeper, where it is just recording distance?
 

DJnVa

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Was (Not Wasdin) said:
My old Ipod touch (is finally giving out.  Instead of replacing it with another ipod touch, I was thinking about getting an unlocked phone to use instead.  If you buy an unlocked phone with GPS capability, does anyone have any idea if the GPS work if you dont activate it on a data plan?  Not for turn by turn directions or anything like that, but for something like runkeeper, where it is just recording distance?
 

I can't imagine it would. If there's no data plan, it's not going to be pinging anything for you to get that info.
 

Marceline

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It depends on the app. Yes, the GPS itself works just fine with no data plan. However, the app also has to support it. For example, I can use Here Maps on my phone for turn by turn directions with no data plan needed. (I have previously downloaded all the maps I need into the app via my home wifi).
 
On the running tracker apps, I don't use them (I have a garmin watch) so I can't speak to whether they'd work with no data plan. If the app is Android compatible I'd be happy to test it out for you and let you know, though.
 

EddieYost

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With Google Maps, you might be able to cache the map over wifi and get it to work. 
 

bohous

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I'm in a similar situation since my wife's iPhone 6 went for a swim over the weekend. Full freight for a straight replacement is $650 bucks but she wants to stick with iOS. Best Buy has refurbs with 90 day warranty for $500, which isn't horrible I guess.
I'm also kicking around the idea of giving her my iPhone and jumping to less expensive Android. I know this is a generation behind now but this is a great deal for VZW LG G3, right?
 

EddieYost

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bohous said:
I'm in a similar situation since my wife's iPhone 6 went for a swim over the weekend. Full freight for a straight replacement is $650 bucks but she wants to stick with iOS. Best Buy has refurbs with 90 day warranty for $500, which isn't horrible I guess.
I'm also kicking around the idea of giving her my iPhone and jumping to less expensive Android. I know this is a generation behind now but this is a great deal for VZW LG G3, right?
A 98.5 feedback rating sucks. Find a listing with pictures of the phone you are buying.
 

locknload

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bohous said:
I'm in a similar situation since my wife's iPhone 6 went for a swim over the weekend. Full freight for a straight replacement is $650 bucks but she wants to stick with iOS. Best Buy has refurbs with 90 day warranty for $500, which isn't horrible I guess.
I'm also kicking around the idea of giving her my iPhone and jumping to less expensive Android. I know this is a generation behind now but this is a great deal for VZW LG G3, right?
 
I'm an unabashed IOS hater so I'm using this as an opportunity to get her to switch
 

Omar's Wacky Neighbor

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EddieYost said:
A 98.5 feedback rating sucks.
Not crazy about a volume dealer with  98.5 either.
 
And these two things do not jibe.  It's generally agreed that FRB phones should NOT show scuffing or wear on the screen:
 
Manufacturer refurbished :
Seller Notes: “This item is in Great Condition with Normal signs of use (Light Scratching/Scuffing) on housing and screen
 
Point of reference:  just picked up a Like New VZW g3 on AWD for $224 (I settled for white to save $30+, it's going into a case anyway).  They had a few more at $258 (black) at the time.  Granted, stuck with tax if it's Amazon
 

Omar's Wacky Neighbor

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Joe Sixpack said:
It depends on the app. Yes, the GPS itself works just fine with no data plan. However, the app also has to support it. For example, I can use Here Maps on my phone for turn by turn directions with no data plan needed. (I have previously downloaded all the maps I need into the app via my home wifi).
 
On the running tracker apps, I don't use them (I have a garmin watch) so I can't speak to whether they'd work with no data plan. If the app is Android compatible I'd be happy to test it out for you and let you know, though.
That's a bargain in the making that a lot of folks havent caught onto yet:  cheap tablets with onboard GPS.  Plenty of free nav apps with d/l-able maps, like Waze.  Pair it with a cheap car mount, and you have a 7"-8" GPS for well under $50.
 

FortyFive

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It probably goes without saying, but I'd avoid sites like Craigs List for this sort of purchase.  My phone was lost/stolen, so I had Apple lock it.  Flash forward 4 months and I get a text from someone who purportedly bought my phone on Craigs List and wanted me to unlock it so s/he could use it.  Needless to say, s/he is still walking around with a locked/unusable phone.
 

locknload

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FortyFive said:
It probably goes without saying, but I'd avoid sites like Craigs List for this sort of purchase.  My phone was lost/stolen, so I had Apple lock it.  Flash forward 4 months and I get a text from someone who purportedly bought my phone on Craigs List and wanted me to unlock it so s/he could use it.  Needless to say, s/he is still walking around with a locked/unusable phone.
 
 
Yeah there is no way I'm doing over ebay or craigslist.  I've limited my search to volume dealers with lots of feedback.
 

Marceline

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locknload said:
 
Yeah there is no way I'm doing over ebay or craigslist.  I've limited my search to volume dealers with lots of feedback.
 
I've bought a ton of phones on ebay over the years and never really had an issue. If you're using one of the CDMA networks (Verizon or Sprint), you can request the seller provide the ESN prior to making the purchase and can verify the status of the phone. And stick to listings that specify "Clean ESN" somewhere in the listing text or title.
 
Also obviously stick to sellers with a reliable history of good feedback. I've saved a lot of money this way and never had an issue.
 

Couperin47

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I've sold my last 3 phones via eBay. In each case the phone had lived it's entire life in a Ballistic case with Zagg shield covering the screen, so when sold each phone looked utterly pristine. Especially for those who are stuck with a carrier that requires a branded phone (US Celluar in my case), eBay is actually your best bet for a used phone. If the listing has actual pictures of the phone in question and states the ESN is clean, there is very rarely a problem. If the listing has nothing but stock images and minimal description, just ignore the listing.