Sidebar Sidebar
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

buying a used iphone

cherylzyx

cherylzyx

macrumors member
Original poster
Jun 9, 2010
60
3
Tulsa, OK
I've got a question that is probably going to sound stupid to most of you but I just haven't figured out a good answer on my own. I'm putting the question here in community discussion because I don't want to get flamed for asking a stupid question in the iphone forum. :)

Why are used iphones selling for so much? If someone wants an iphone they can get a new one for $200. Don't you have to have a contract with ATT for them to work anyway so why wouldn't someone just get the iphone from ATT?

Would someone please be kind enough to explain the secondary market for iphones? I just don't get it.:eek:
 
In Australia you can buy pre-paid credit, so buying a second-hand phone can be worthwhile. You don't even need to unlock the phone. Just buy some credit from the carrier it was initially bought from and presto! New-ish phone, no contract.

Very convenient too, as credit can be bought at convenience stores, supermarkets, gas stations, newsagencies (et al).
 
Thanks for the response guys. I was just surprised at how large and profitable the secondary iphone market is.

I'm getting my very first iPhone this week, I'm pretty excited.
 
cherylzyx said:
Thanks for the response guys. I was just surprised at how large and profitable the secondary iphone market is.

I'm getting my very first iPhone this week, I'm pretty excited.
Click to expand...

Congrats! It really is pretty awesome, and, if you are into the yearly upgrade thing, you can actually sell you old iPhone and get the new one with fairly low margin.
 
cherylzyx said:
I've got a question that is probably going to sound stupid to most of you but I just haven't figured out a good answer on my own. I'm putting the question here in community discussion because I don't want to get flamed for asking a stupid question in the iphone forum. :)

Why are used iphones selling for so much? If someone wants an iphone they can get a new one for $200. Don't you have to have a contract with ATT for them to work anyway so why wouldn't someone just get the iphone from ATT?

Would someone please be kind enough to explain the secondary market for iphones? I just don't get it.:eek:
Click to expand...

I bought a locked, stock iPhone for myself for $285, used it a bit and sold it a couple months later - jailbroken and unlocked for $345. People pay for freedoms you can't otherwise get. It's supply vs demand. If the market was flooded with unlocked of jailbroken iPhones, the price would drop. The fact is, there are still relatively few people who actually know how to do it, so the price stays high.

Then again, there are price gougers who sell on eBay who simply buy iPhones cheap and resell them all undone for a nice profit. Profiteering.

The "secondary market" is other GSM carriers, like T•mobile - although, strictly speaking, not all GSM carriers will support the iPhone (at least that's what I read).
 
cherylzyx said:
I've got a question that is probably going to sound stupid to most of you but I just haven't figured out a good answer on my own. I'm putting the question here in community discussion because I don't want to get flamed for asking a stupid question in the iphone forum. :)

Why are used iphones selling for so much? If someone wants an iphone they can get a new one for $200. Don't you have to have a contract with ATT for them to work anyway so why wouldn't someone just get the iphone from ATT?

Would someone please be kind enough to explain the secondary market for iphones? I just don't get it.:eek:
Click to expand...

The full price of the iPhone is $599. The $199 price comes with a 2-year contract attached to it. Some people just don't want that 2 year commitment.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.
Top Bottom
Back