Lets be honest – buying a brand new iPhone from the Apple store can be a down-right wallet wiper! No one likes to go on a plan, the only benefit to being on a plan is that you don’t have to buy the device outright. This issue has been solved by post payment software services like Afterpay and Zippay. However, if you don’t want to pay brand-new, crazy prices from the retailers (we don’t either) then you have the option to save money and buy a high quality used iPhone online or on Gumtree. When buying from an untrusted to source you need to be very careful of what you are actually buying, there are many things that can lead to your bargain pre-owned iPhone purchase going bad.
Here at Mobile Trade we have over 5 years of experience in the Telecommunications and Service industry here in Australia and New Zealand. We understand what it takes to make sure devices are sold to a high standard, come fully tested with an honest warranty policy that will ensure you are not left out of pocket if your new-to-you iPhone faults. We’ve put together some important things to consider when hunting for you next iPhone purchase.
Check iPhone imei when buying a Second-hand iPhone
There are many companies online which you can check the imei status of a used iPhone. The reason its important to check the imei status is to make sure the device is not stolen or blocked by Telstra, Optus or Vodafone. If a customer signs up for a telco contract and fails to meet fiscal obligations the telecommunications provider can block the iMEI as they are, until the plan is paid out the current owner of the iPhone.
Its important to be aware of another possible scam when buying a used iPhone – make sure the device has not been reported stolen. What some deceiving people do Is take out insurance cover on their iPhone with Optus, Telstra or Vodaphone. From there, they report their device stolen and sell it for cash. What the insurance company will then do is block the IMEI so the device cannot be used. This is fraud, so when buying a second-hand iPhone ask to take a photo of the seller’s identification, and if you have the time write a contract with the seller.
Ask About iPhone Damage History
Sometimes it can be difficult to know the history of a second-hand iPhone, that’s why it’s good to let a company like Mobile Trade do this due diligence for you, our phone buying agents have an eye for quality and know their way around a second hand iPhone. The basic rule of thumb is you want to be looking for used iPhones that are 90-95% new condition – something that hasn’t been dropped or thrown around the place. Importantly you also don’t want something that has been repaired by a dodgy repair shop.
Furthermore, if you do not purchase your mobile phone through a reputable supplier like Mobile Trade, the iPhone may not be sold with warranty. When buying any consumer technology devices, its always recommended to make sure it comes covered by a no-fuss warranty policy. This way if the devices fails or us faulty, you have security that ensures you will not be out of pocket, or be up for hefty repair bills.
Check iPhone Battery Life before buying
The great thing about iPhone, you can easily navigate to settings to get an understanding on the heath of the iPhone battery. In most cases we say that anything above 90% is still in good health, depending on usage a battery with 90% or higher can yield 10-14 hours of normal day-day usage. (a brand-new device can get anywhere from 12-16 hours; this is not a significant difference). If you buy a used iPhone and the battery is draining fast, you can always have your battery replaced from either Apple or a reputable third part iPhone repair store.
This could be your new iPhone 6s
Follow Mobile Trade’s 18 Point Test
When buying a second-hand iPhone, it’s absolutely vital for certain functions to be tested. 18 Point test should take no longer than 2-3 minutes, we advise that you should witness battery discharge to make sure it’s not going south to quickly! Mobile Trade Test the following to make sure every iPhone is sold working;
| Ear speaker |
Loudspeaker |
Reads Sim |
Connects WIFI |
Bluetooth |
Microphones |
| Charger Port |
Battery |
Front Camera |
Main Camera |
Proximity Sensor |
Ambient Light Sensor |
| Touch i.d / Face i.d |
Imei Clean |
iCloud Unlocked |
Good Display |
Touch Working |
Not Bent |
Be sure to test all the above functions within all scope of the part or feature, for example with the camera test– make sure they focus, and both lens arrays work. Testing the iPhone charging port, you want to wriggle the charger around well on charge, make sure the battery receives charge steadily and incrementally. If a battery charges or discharges to quickly, this is a tell-tale sign that the used iPhone may have underling power problems.
Make Test Calls before buying the iPhone
There is nothing worse than buying a second-hand iPhone and finding out later that there is some kind of internal logic-board issue that will not allow the device to make or receive phone calls properly. This can occur when you buy a device, only because it looks to be in perfect working order you assume everything works. Such problems like iPhone Audio i.c failure, Bluetooth problems, power problems and more can all be some of the issues that people will sneakily sell there iPhone with.
When buying from Mobile Trade, we check everything from top to bottom, inside to out. There is really no magic here, we simply follow the above 18 Point Check list. Following such a process ensures that every second-hand iPhone sold by Mobile Trade Australia will be delivered to the user in working order so they can get straight into that selfie, tweet, facetime or important work email.
