Need iPhone 4 Selling Advice

[ds111]

Hey guys,

So we probably now know that the new iPhone 5/4GS/whatever is coming out around September.

Here's my current situation:

- I have a launch-day iPhone 4 with very, very slight cosmetic damages (literally 2 small scratches and a slightly scuffed metal band in one corner)

- I do not have AppleCare, and my warranty expires soon!

- My contract expires this June 25th.

My question:
How can I maximize the amount of money I can get on Craigslist for it, if I'm planning to sell it a few days or so before they announce the new iPhone?

- Should I go to the Apple Store today, complain about some problem I don't really have, and get a cosmetically perfect replacement? (I didn't have a case for the first month or so of having this iPhone, that's why its slightly scratched up -- I'd put it in my case at the Apple Store, so it'll be perfect)

- Should I buy AppleCare, allowing me to charge more for it when I sell it?

- Now that my contract expires in June 25, does that mean I can sell it at the no-contract price? I have a 16GB one, so a new one costs $599 from Apple. Could I sell this one for like $400 in September?


Thanks so much guys!

 

[Centient]

That Apple Care probably isn't going to drastically raise the value of the phone. At best it'll probably break even in terms of cost, but it might entice an otherwise nervous buyer or give you a leg up on another seller who doesn't have Apple Care.

A couple of minor cosmetic blemishes aren't going to drop the value considerably. Especially if they're just scuffs on the metal band. If the glass is in good shape, you're in good shape. Generally speaking.

If you want to maximize your profit you're better off selling it a month or so before the new phone comes out. If you wait too long the market will be flooded with i4's and the prices will come down accordingly.

If the next phone is more like an i4 with a couple of upgraded hardware specs, the price of your phone will hold pretty well. If it's a leap forward, like going from 3Gs to i4, then the value won't be as high.

I'd think selling it for $400 isn't too far off the value. Might be even more. The GSM phones hold their value better than the CDMA phones.

Just my 2 cents. Good luck.

 

[ds111]

That Apple Care probably isn't going to drastically raise the value of the phone. At best it'll probably break even in terms of cost, but it might entice an otherwise nervous buyer or give you a leg up on another seller who doesn't have Apple Care.

A couple of minor cosmetic blemishes aren't going to drop the value considerably. Especially if they're just scuffs on the metal band. If the glass is in good shape, you're in good shape. Generally speaking.

If you want to maximize your profit you're better off selling it a month or so before the new phone comes out. If you wait too long the market will be flooded with i4's and the prices will come down accordingly.

If the next phone is more like an i4 with a couple of upgraded hardware specs, the price of your phone will hold pretty well. If it's a leap forward, like going from 3Gs to i4, then the value won't be as high.

I'd think selling it for $400 isn't too far off the value. Might be even more. The GSM phones hold their value better than the CDMA phones.

Just my 2 cents. Good luck.

Hmmm... Thanks for the info! I guess what I'll do is I'll exchange it for now, then wait just before they announce the iPhone 5 and then will be able to sell I'd for enough money to cover the upgrade for two of my phones on my plan.
Even if it doesn't amount perfectly to $400, I'll pay the difference
Thanks!

 

[tongteh]

i have a nasty solution. you decide if you want to do it?

1) schedule an apple store genius appointment, and claim the phone is behaving funnily. shut down sometimes by it self or smells funny, battery dies quickly(try not to use this one), volume button works only occasionally. say you can't verify it infront of them but you seen it happened a few times and ask for their understanding. if you are lucky and he is happy he will exchange your phone with another iphone 4(newly repaired iphone without any cosmetic wear). You can now sell this exchange iPhone bundle with an apple care at $600-650, depending on luck.

Just my opinion if that's what you concern most. It is in all means a very nasty trick, but if you are willing to do it then why not?

 

[ds111]

i have a nasty solution. you decide if you want to do it?

1) schedule an apple store genius appointment, and claim the phone is behaving funnily. shut down sometimes by it self or smells funny, battery dies quickly(try not to use this one), volume button works only occasionally. say you can't verify it infront of them but you seen it happened a few times and ask for their understanding. if you are lucky and he is happy he will exchange your phone with another iphone 4(newly repaired iphone without any cosmetic wear). You can now sell this exchange iPhone bundle with an apple care at $600-650, depending on luck.

Just my opinion if that's what you concern most. It is in all means a very nasty trick, but if you are willing to do it then why not?

That's exactly what my plan was! But I'm not sure yet if I want to buy AppleCare or not.
Would I still be able to sell it, say, a week before the new one comes out for at least $400? I think I'd be able to, right?

 

[Centient]

That's exactly what my plan was! But I'm not sure yet if I want to buy AppleCare or not.
Would I still be able to sell it, say, a week before the new one comes out for at least $400? I think I'd be able to, right?

Possibly. Let's say a few weeks before the announcement of the next iPhone rumors suggest that the current i4's will drop in price. So your 16gb i4 retails for $599 now. Say we learn that your model will retail for $499 when the new phone comes out. Suddenly that's a $100 difference between the phone you're selling and a new phone. Which one do you think most people will want?

Of course this all just speculation, and selling anything is something of a gamble in terms of pricing.

 

[ds111]

Possibly. Let's say a few weeks before the announcement of the next iPhone rumors suggest that the current i4's will drop in price. So your 16gb i4 retails for $599 now. Say we learn that your model will retail for $499 when the new phone comes out. Suddenly that's a $100 difference between the phone you're selling and a new phone. Which one do you think most people will want?

Of course this all just speculation, and selling anything is something of a gamble in terms of pricing.

As long as I'll be able to at least cover most of the price o 2 new contract iPhones, I'll be happy!