Buy-Back Programs for iPhones
Many Apple users know Cult of Mac as a tech news site, but fewer think of it as a site that will buy back Apple gear. In 2015, however, the site launched the Cult of Mac Buy-Back Program, which claims to give people more money for their Apple products than other, less-specific sites like Gazelle. You don’t have to worry about Cult of Mac publisher Leander Kahney inspecting old iPhones himself; the program is white-labeled through MyPhones Unlimited, an Arkansas-based recycler.
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Simply Mac is an independent Apple retailer with locations throughout the United States. Its Simple Trade program is another option for those who prefer to trade in an iPhone in person but don’t have an Apple Store near them. When taking this approach, you receive your buy-back quote after a Simply Mac representative evaluates the device in person. Unfortunately, trade-ins are accepted only in Simply Mac stores.
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However, not all iPhones are fed to Daisy. Apple clarified that Daisy works only with select used iPhones from the company’s trade-in program, as well as those sourced from Best Buy’s recycling initiative in the United States and KPN stores in the Netherlands. […] If it seems that Apple isn’t being entirely forthcoming, the other two companies are even less specific about what happens to old phones. Both Cult of Mac and Simply Mac sell refurbished phones when possible, but neither company says where.
The Gazelle prices are always a bit lower than I’d like, but they make the process very easy.
Previously:
- Almost Nothing About the “Apple Harvests Gold From iPhones” Story Is True
- Where Your iPhone Goes to Die (and Be Reborn)
3 Comments RSS · Twitter
All of these trade in programs give you a much worse deal than you would get by selling the old device directly to an acquaintance, or selling it on craigslist or ebay.
It basically depends on how you value your own time. You'll make a better deal selling, yes, but you'll also be spending a lot of your own time on it. Trade-ins are nicer if you don't want to deal with the hassle.
When looking for a trade-in, especially as a part of upgrading your phone to a new model, don't forget to consider trade-in incentives from your mobile carrier.
The process is usually very convenient - involving a pre-paid mail-in box that you use after your new phone arrives.
Additionally, carriers sometimes offer promotional offers where you may get higher than market value for your phone if you are buying the specific model they are promoting.