How to sell an iPhone 4: A few simple tips

If you happen to find yourself stuck with an unwanted iPhone 4 (WTF?) then you could do something amazing and give it to a friend you love – or you could do the financially sound thing and sell it. What’s that? You don’t like your friends that much? Ok, in that case just follow our handy guide on how to sell your iPhone 4.

Don’t open the box – It might be tempting to have a peek at your unwanted iPhone 4 but it will be worth less if it isn’t completely sealed. Keep the box shut and make sure to advertise that it’s a new/untouched device.

How much should you sell it for? – Apple products have a strange effect on certain consumers. You’ll probably find people willing to pay 25% or more over the original asking price. If you’re selling it on an auction-based site and you’re feeling lucky, set a low reserve price – this will hopefully start a bidding war.

Protect yourself – This might be an obvious bit of advice but don’t send your iPhone 4 to anyone until you have received payment. It’s also worth investigating payment sites (e.g. PayPal), which offer secure online payment services.

Ask people on Facebook and Twitter – It won’t be difficult to find someone in your social circle who wants an iPhone 4 or who knows someone who does. Keep the price low if you want to stay friends.

Put it on eBay, Amazon or Gumtree – If you’re interested in making a profit then put your iPhone 4 on an established online selling site. Make sure you attach several pictures of the unopened box – put it on a clean surface – and add as much info as possible, including technical specifications

Sell it back to the network or a recycling company – Networks and third-party recycling companies (e.g. Envirofone), will pay you for your old phones. The newer the phone the more you’ll get for it, so an iPhone 4 should fetch a pretty penny. You probably won’t get as much as you would on eBay or Amazon though.

What if you want to buy an iPhone 4? – If you’re looking for an iPhone 4 to buy then watch out for deals that seem too good to be true – they usually are. Try to use a payment service such as PayPal and ask your credit card company if it will refund the money if the sale goes bad.

[Image credit: mattjiggins]