Tips for buying a used smartphone

The average price of a smartphone in the US is around $823 with some high-end models commanding a much higher price tag. With many people feeling the pinch at the moment, is it time to consider a used smartphone as a cheaper option?

Many of us may shy away from buying used electronic goods especially smartphones as we have become so reliant on them and don’t want to get caught out with a poor condition smartphone. So how do you know what to look for and where to buy them?

What to look for in a used smartphone

When you are buying a used smartphone there are several things you should look for:

• Compatibility with software updates – many manufacturers only support the software updates for three years from the model release date which means the smartphone could become vulnerable to hackers or not support some apps. Some exceptions are Samsung which offers a minimum of four years and Apple typically supports them for five years.
• Network – check that there aren’t any network locks on the smartphone which may prevent it from being used on another network.
• Batteries are one of the biggest things to wear out on a smartphone so it is good to know whether the battery has been replaced or can be replaced cheaply.
• Charging ports are an area that can become damaged with wear and tear so have a look at the condition of the port.
• Check everything works – examine the smartphone to see if it is fully working and check that any buttons respond easily and are not worn or not working.

Once you have bought a smartphone it is advisable to perform a factory reset to ensure that there is nothing left on the phone from the previous owner and so the smartphone is in the best possible state for you to start using it.

Where to buy a used smartphone

When you are spending a lot of money on an item and it’s something that you are going to use heavily, you want to trust who you are buying it from. Buying a used smartphone from an anonymous person online can be risky which is why many people like to purchase their smartphone face-to-face and there aren’t that many places to buy used smartphones face-to-face.

A pawn shop provides a safe face-to-face place to purchase smartphones and you can be assured that the smartphone has been checked and is operational. All items in pawn shops are checked and tested before they are purchased and put on display. The details provided can also be relied upon as being accurate and trustworthy.

We have a broad range of smartphones that have been checked and we will happily guide you through them in one of our conveniently placed 24 stores across the New York City area. Call in today and see what great deal you can get on your next phone.