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iPhone 5S for $315? bad eBay deal?

adamvk

adamvk

macrumors 65816
Original poster
Oct 29, 2008
1,308
0
Phoenix, AZ
So I had my old close to mint iPhone 5S 32GB AT&T on eBay, and it just ended. The issue is that it ended for $315. Which I feel like is SUPER low. Looking at completed auctions on eBay, broken 5Ss or just regular 5s went for about that much. Does this seem super low? The buyer already paid and everything, but I'm just upset it went for so low.

Any reason why it went so low?

http://www.ebay.com/itm/161426467748?ssPageName=STRK:MESOX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1559.l2649
 
adamvk said:
So I had my old close to mint iPhone 5S 32GB AT&T on eBay, and it just ended. The issue is that it ended for $315. Which I feel like is SUPER low. Looking at completed auctions on eBay, broken 5Ss or just regular 5s went for about that much. Does this seem super low? The buyer already paid and everything, but I'm just upset it went for so low.

Any reason why it went so low?

http://www.ebay.com/itm/161426467748?ssPageName=STRK:MESOX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1559.l2649
Click to expand...

locked phones do sell for less than unlocked, and unlocked could of got closer to $400, I think $350 would of been fair for a locked one
 
My best guess is that it's because you only have a seller rating of 17. Sellers who have made many sales (over 100) and maintained 99.5% or greater approval tend to be able to command higher prices, because they are perceived as more trustworthy. In fact, the only times I have been duped were when buying from sellers with very low seller rating numbers.

It could also simply be the time that the auction ended at; chance is a factor as there may just not have been bidders online at that time.
 
iPhone 5S for $315? bad eBay deal?

I got $420 for my 32gb 5s silver verizon on eBay 2 weeks ago. Gazelle was offering $305, so $315 definitely is low.

My seller rating is a perfect 100% at 134 total feedback.
 
Okay, thanks for the feedback everyone! I suppose I've learned my lesson.

1) I need to get more eBay feedback

2) I should have unlocked it first.

3) I should have had a better end time.

Now I know for next time. :)
 
Just sold my 5s 16gb att white for $350 and my unlocked att black 5s 16gb for $390. Both were sold on Craigslist. One yesterday and one today. I used to sell a lot on eBay and unfortunately, it happens sometimes. It could be your feedback but maybe not. It could be there were too many auctions ending and yours was not seen. I feel you bro. It sucked when it happened to me. Better luck next time.
 
ToroidalZeus said:
Fair price for a locked phone. It would be 350-400 if it was unlocked.
Click to expand...
iPhone 5S prices on eBay also seem to vary wildly. Over the past few days, ones in similar condition to OP's have sold for less than $300 to well over $400 for a 32GB AT&T 5S in good condition. In the below eBay search for sold listings, I've tried to replicate OP's own listing as closely as possible (flawless but locked AT&T 5S's in Space Gray).

http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_odk...racked+-issues+-damaged+-unlocked&_sacat=9355
 
That is low. I recently (two-three weeks ago) sold my iPhone 5S 16gb on Sprint via Swappa for $330.
 
You ran it in open auction and took the risk. This happens. This is why people shop on ebay; to get great deals. You were just on the other end this time around.
 
adamvk said:
Any reason why it went so low?
Click to expand...

The market is saturated right now. Everyone is selling their old iPhones now that the iPhone 6 has been released. Supply and demand my friend :).

I am in the same boat. I am not getting many views on eBay for my Verizon (unlocked) iPhone 5 in near-perfect condition. I did "But It Now" though to make sure I get what I want for it.
 
I'm surprised you did not unlock the 5S before sale, especially considering AT&T being quite liberal with their policy.
 
eBay can be fickle. Lots of variables and factors.

I've sold the same thing at twice the price before. Just different circumstances.
 
Moderator note: This is a post by user StarShot. Due to an error by MacRumors it is shown with the wrong username. Our apologies.

adamvk said:
So I had my old close to mint iPhone 5S 32GB AT&T on eBay, and it just ended. The issue is that it ended for $315. Which I feel like is SUPER low...

Any reason why it went so low?

http://www.ebay.com/itm/161426467748?ssPageName=STRK:MESOX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1559.l2649
Click to expand...

My 2 cents (not in any order). First, I sold my IP5S 32gb for $390 about a week before this year's road show on eBay. It's the lowest sale I had from the string on the 3G, 3GS, IP4, 4S, IP5 and the 5S. All the other sales were from $425-$495. From a casual look at eBay about a week before my sale, the prices seemed to be around $450. So, IMHO...

Most sales offer free shipping (mine did)

Closing time, good. However, I think 6PM PT is better, allows west coasters to get home and get in on the action.

Low eBay sales record might have been a factor (mine is around 200 with 100% positive.)

I don't click on the option for eBay's garbage item data. No one reads this crap and it's better to have your details close to the top, rather than have to screen down to read. I see an ad with this crap and I skip it.

Although iOS8 was not out yet, I wouldn't have loaded it if it was. Let the new buyer do it if he wants.

I go with an ad NO longer than 3 days and I've done 1 day ads also. No one is going to hang around for 7 days when there is fast action every day on hundreds of these sales.

I started my ad at $250 to get some interest. I think anything higher makes buyers look elsewhere. I would even go lower, but then I would want a "reserve" price which I think also discourages buyers when they see the "dread" Reserve Price not met. I was prepared to suck it up if my phone actually sold for only $250, but I was almost 100% sure it would go higher, which it did in the last hour.

Yes, an unlocked phone would be better, but unless you're going to do an illegal one, you might have to wait until the end of the contract. At least that's what ATT told me.
 
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