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iPhone 7/Plus Buying a used iPhone off eBay

V

vim147

macrumors regular
Original poster
Nov 14, 2011
236
1
Am looking to buy a used iPhone 7 off eBay to use a second phone. (lots been sold as refurbished)

What should i be looking for when buying a used iPhone so i dont get scammed.

I've heard some features don't work if some of the parts have been replaced i.e screen ?
 
With the term "refurbished" used on eBay, there is no telling what that actually means. It could mean the seller simply wiped off the iPhone with a damp cloth, or it could mean one or more parts (that may or may not be OEM) were replaced.

I would not buy a refurbished phone off eBay. I would look for a listing from an individual selling his or her old phone as used. I would also look at Swappa, which may give you more of a selection in dealing with individual users and sellers, versus the power sellers who are ripping people off.
 
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There’s also Amazon certified “renewed” items. I’d trust them more than the eBay ones to be honest. There’s also a rating on Amazon to know if it’s like brand new or if there’s any potential defects. These items are backed by Amazon’s return policy so you can be sure that if you’re not happy you can send it back, no questions asked.
 
Regardless of where i buy it from, has anyone got technical information to give me on what to check for ?
 
vim147 said:
Regardless of where i buy it from, has anyone got technical information to give me on what to check for ?
Click to expand...
I bought a seller refurbished iPhone XS from eBay and had to replace the battery and screen due to less than satisfactory battery life and the screen being damaged to an extent that a screen protector wouldn’t sit on it. Thankfully I was able to receive a partial refund from the seller to cover the cost of the battery and was able to fix the display under warranty.

To answer your second question, there’s many things to look out for when buying a used phone from anywhere. First thing to check is that the phone is unlocked unless you plan on using it exclusively on the network it is locked to. You can easily check this once you have the phone by going into the settings and about and scroll down a bit and you’ll see. You’ll also want to be sure that the phone is not activation locked. This is very easy to check since all you have to do is be able to log into your Apple ID on the phone. Third, you’ll wanna check the lightning port, cameras, microphone, and speakers to make sure they’re all in full functioning order. You’ll also wanna check the display for any major damage or burn-in. And of course you’ll wanna check the battery health to ensure that it is satisfactory. Besides that you should be good to go. A lot of these things are difficult to check until you own the phone so you may just have to take your chances unless you want to use another local selling platform such as Facebook Marketplace or OfferUp.
 
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If you can afford it there's always buying from the source:

www.apple.com

Refurbished iPhone Deals - Apple

Save up to 15% on a refurbished iPhone from Apple. Full 1-year warranty with a brand new battery and outer shell. Free delivery and returns.
www.apple.com

They don't currently have any iPhone 7's though.
 
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theapplehead said:
This is very easy to check since all you have to do is be able to log into your Apple ID on the phone. Third, you’ll wanna check the lightning port, cameras, microphone, and speakers to make sure they’re all in full functioning order. You’ll also wanna check the display for any major damage or burn-in. And of course you’ll wanna check the battery health to ensure that it is satisfactory. Besides that you should be good to go. A lot of these things are difficult to check until you own the phone so you may just have to take your chances unless you want to use another local selling platform such as Facebook Marketplace or OfferUp.
Click to expand...
I’ve successfully bought 3 iPhones from Facebook Marketplace. I always meet the seller in person (in a public place), and I never hand over the money until I’ve checked all the things you mentioned. If the seller doesn’t want to wait, and/or claims he/she is in a hurry - that’s an automatic no-buy for me.
 
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I bought two iPhone 8’s from Backmarket and had no complaints.
They were listed as “good” condition and both looked like new.

Your Refurbished (Super) Market | Back Market

Find the best deals on refurbished phones, laptops, and tech at Back Market. Up to 70% off when compared to new products. Free delivery, 1-year warranty, 30-day money back guarantee.
www.backmarket.com www.backmarket.com
 
boak said:
I usually get used ones from individual sellers, especially those that take many pictures and point out where the damages are. But that’s just me haha
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I have to agree with this wholeheartedly. At the very least an individual seller that has a good feedback rating (and has a feedback history covering lots of different items...not just phones).

I think a lot of idiots on eBay misuse the 'condition' field, as stated by @Apple_Robert. If anything I think individuals who state 'refurbished' are generally on the blag. A genuine company selling refurbished item will usually offer a small warranty with the refurbishment, even if it's only 1 month. It says that you can count on their 'work' to be of decent enough quality for a short period.

One of my pet hates with eBay sellers are those who sell items as 'New - Other' and state that they 'just opened the packaging to check the item works' and 'it's never been used'. There are thousands of these people...you would think eBay is full of independent quality control testers who buy brand new electronics and open them...test that they turn on, and sell them at a markdown...ya know....just to keep the manufacturers true and honest 🤦🏻‍♂️🤦🏻‍♂️🤦🏻‍♂️. Drives.me.mad! /rant 😂
 
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firedept said:
I wouldn’t even consider eBay. To many scams going on. Swappa would be my only choice other than Apple itself.
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I can't say I'm familiar with Swappa, prob due to me not being located in the USA....but I personally wouldn't rule eBay out entirely. You have to exercise some caution on any site where you purchase used goods, and to be fair....eBay has great buyer protection policies and they actually act on them and stay true to their protection policies (in my experience). One could argue that swapping to an unfamiliar site would leave you open to more potential for scams.

The OP is obviously exercising some caution simply by posing 'the question' to the community. IMO, it may be best for them to stick with what they know / are comfortable with, and take some solid advice from the posters here....with Swappa being on their radar for future purchases? I guess it depends on how fast they want their device and how cautious they want to be 🤷🏻‍♂️.

As a bit of a (legit) wheeler dealer myself, I'm gonna check out Swappa though...sounds interesting.
 
I'd also recommend looking at the current inventory at MacofAllTrades.com.
Here's its iPhone 7 and earlier link: https://www.macofalltrades.com/iphone-7-older/

and CashForYourMac.com's retail side, Quality Macs, which has an Ebay store:
qualitymacs.com

Quality Macs: Buy Apple MacBook Pro, Air, iMac, Studio, iPads, iPhones

Quality Macs: Buy Premium Apple MacBook Pro, MacBook Air Laptops, iMac, Mac Pro, Mac Studio, Mac Mini Desktops, iPad, iPad Pro, iPhones, Apple Watch, Studio Displays - 100% Satisfaction Guaranteed. Fast, Safe, Secure FedEx Shipping.
qualitymacs.com qualitymacs.com

Both of these companies are well regarded here on MacRumors, and members have been doing device trade-ins with both companies for a long time.
 
StaceyMJ86 said:
I would trust Swappa more than eBay. I’ve sold one phone on Swappa and it was successful. I had 0 problems and the buyer had no issues. eBay have too many scams for me to trust them.
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this. And make sure to buy from a seller with plenty or reviews. If they’re knew with zero or very little ratings and the priced low watch out.
 
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