Selling brand new iphone 4 on EBAY

[MidWestMan]

Hey guys,

Long time lurker here, I've done some searching on the forums and found great advice to help answer my question but I'm still was wondering if there are things I should know before using my upgrade to get an iphone 4 and turning around and selling it on EBAY.

I've seen:
Not to send/sell to international buyers.
Don't sell to low/no feedback users.
Use Paypal.
Insure shipping
Make the person sign once getting to so I can use paypal.

Some other details. I will be selling brand new in box. What are the precautions I should take regarding the sim card that comes WITH the iphone 4. I won't activate it.. but it still worries me that somehow personal information may be linked to that sim card somehow through todays technology. I know that the iphone 4 comes with a sim card and I am trying to avoid opening it.

Does anyone know if downgrading the data plan will void my contract and make me pay the ETF? I want to stay with ATT just not the data plan afterwards.

Also, I've seen people talk about the buyer signing for the package and claiming the phone is not in the box. Then paypal sides with the buyer and returns their money and I am out of brand new phone. Is this true? Tips to combat this? I've heard of sellers videotaping the packaging/handoff to UPS/USPS.

If there is anything I haven't mentioned or thought of PLEASE bring it to my attention. I use this site for news/guides/ipod stuff and have found it so helpful. Thanks for any help anyone can provide.

PS Any recent scams that I need to know about? Basically anything to avoid being scammed and making this process as smooth as possible.

 

[circularforward]

With all the precautions and anxiety over selling it on ebay, have you considered craigslist or kijiji? It'll be a face-to-face transaction, and you won't have the ebay/paypal fees. For safety, you can meet at a bank or in front of your local police department.

For ebay, I think you have considered most precautions. Check out this thread for something similar to what you're worried about.

Edit: Also, let us know how it works out. Good luck.

 

[bender o]

Hi, I think paypal and a customer with good feedback should be enough. I don't know why wouldn't you send it internationally if they already paid you with paypal, you get the same risk as inside your country. I live in Chile (South America) and have bought dozens of items on eBay from Canada, China, Australia and the US and I've never had a problem, so as long as your buyer has good feedback I'd lay aside his nationality.

Btw correct me if I'm wrong but I think you still need to activate the phone before selling since there's no hacktivation available (at least I'm not aware of any)

Hope it helps

 

[circularforward]

Hi, I think paypal and a customer with good feedback should be enough.

Unfortunately, I have read a few cases in various forums in which problems have come from buyers with good feedback, whether it be a hacked account or just one that decided to go bad. Also, the new ebay policies are skewed very much toward the buyer.

 

[MidWestMan]

Btw correct me if I'm wrong but I think you still need to activate the phone before selling since there's no hacktivation available (at least I'm not aware of any)

Can anyone confirm this? I thought they would just have to call ATT and have it activated/pay for activation through ATT.

I excluded international shippers because it seems like a recommendation from this site. THere is a thread in which someone sent an iphone to the Philippines through paypal. The catch is the person had 0 (maybe 1) feedback. I still think its pretty risky, sorry if you were looking for a new iphone 4 bender .

Thanks for the suggestion.

 

[MidWestMan]

Unfortunately, I have read a few cases in various forums in which problems have come from buyers with good feedback, whether it be a hacked account or just one that decided to go bad. Also, the new ebay policies are skewed very much toward the buyer.

Yea thats what I'm afraid of. Especially the "You sent me a box with nothing in it" claim.

I see craiglist/kijiji as great alternatives I just doubt I'd be able to get as much.

Anyone know what I should be able to get through those sites as opposed to ebay? I was thinking ebay would yield me 550-650.

(Any precautions i need to take for craiglist/kijiji besides meeting in front of a police station so I'm not shanked?)

 

[circularforward]

I see craiglist/kijiji as great alternatives I just doubt I'd be able to get as much.

Anyone know what I should be able to get through those sites as opposed to ebay? I was thinking ebay would yield me 550-650.

(Any precautions i need to take for craiglist/kijiji besides meeting in front of a police station so I'm not shanked?)

I am constantly surprised at the price people end up selling things on craigslist. Never underestimate the instant gratification factor, and that some people would rather deal face-to-face. You can always list on CL for a week and then sell on ebay if no viable offers come. List high so you can work down from potential offers.

As for precautions, if you really want to be safe, meet in the lobby of your PD's main station and have a counterfeit banknote detecting pen. Having a friend also helps. Say that you will meet only at the PD in your listing for the safety of both parties, and that alone should ward off most would-be scammers while easing the anxiety of legit buyers.

 

[MidWestMan]

As for precautions, if you really want to be safe, meet in the lobby of your PD's main station and have a counterfeit banknote detecting pen. Having a friend also helps. Say that you will meet only at the PD in your listing for the safety of both parties, and that alone should ward off most would-be scammers while easing the anxiety of legit buyers.

This is great advice.

 

[StevenT42]

Make sure to follow PayPal's rules to be eligible for their sellers guarantee. Sell it to someone with a verified mailing address. Ship with a tracking number. Get a signature on delivery.

I did this and it saved me when the buyer claimed fraud.

 

[MidWestMan]

Make sure to follow PayPal's rules to be eligible for their sellers guarantee. Sell it to someone with a verified mailing address. Ship with a tracking number. Get a signature on delivery.

I did this and it saved me when the buyer claimed fraud.

Thanks Steven, is there anything regarding the above described "i received a empty box" claim? Besides videotaping myself packaging the box and giving it to UPS/USPS? (which I'm not even sure that would save me given PayPal's favoring of buyers)

 

[Alaerian]

Thanks Steven, is there anything regarding the above described "i received a empty box" claim? Besides videotaping myself packaging the box and giving it to UPS/USPS? (which I'm not even sure that would save me given PayPal's favoring of buyers)

I would recommend making a visit to your local Post Office, UPS, and/or FedEx branches. Talk to the reps and see what they can advise you to do. I'm almost positive that there exists an option with one of them that includes weight confirmation. I can't remember which (and it may not even exists), so I'm hesitant to firmly recommend a particular service.

 

[mad-dog-one]

The fact is, there are more ways to run a con than honest people will ever think of, although most transactions are not cons. The world keeps running because most people are honest most of the time. I don't know of any fail safe way to be 100% protected in any transaction, although you'll be OK most of the time. Good luck.

 

[circularforward]

The fact is, there are more ways to run a con than honest people will ever think of, although most transactions are not cons. The world keeps running because most people are honest most of the time. I don't know of any fail safe way to be 100% protected in any transaction, although you'll be OK most of the time. Good luck.

Yes, you are absolutely right! =)

 

[Lingham]

Hey guys,

Long time lurker here, I've done some searching on the forums and found great advice to help answer my question but I'm still was wondering if there are things I should know before using my upgrade to get an iphone 4 and turning around and selling it on EBAY.

I've seen:
Not to send/sell to international buyers.
Don't sell to low/no feedback users.
Use Paypal.
Insure shipping
Make the person sign once getting to so I can use paypal.

Some other details. I will be selling brand new in box. What are the precautions I should take regarding the sim card that comes WITH the iphone 4. I won't activate it.. but it still worries me that somehow personal information may be linked to that sim card somehow through todays technology. I know that the iphone 4 comes with a sim card and I am trying to avoid opening it.

If you haven’t opened it then it wont be linked in anyway to you. Only thing that is tracked to you is when you bought it via place of purchase as they will have scanned the IMEI number etc and logged it against you. All the new owner does it contact Apple who will register it to you IIRC

Does anyone know if downgrading the data plan will void my contract and make me pay the ETF? I want to stay with ATT just not the data plan afterwards.

I wouldn’t know about that as im UK based

Also, I've seen people talk about the buyer signing for the package and claiming the phone is not in the box. Then paypal sides with the buyer and returns their money and I am out of brand new phone. Is this true? Tips to combat this? I've heard of sellers videotaping the packaging/handoff to UPS/USPS.

What I tend to do is take a photo of the contents of the box and make sure its date and time stamped and post this on the ebay auction and keep a copy for yourself so should it go tits up with paypal you have photographic proof of what was in there. I also take a photo of the IMEI number so they cant try and pretend you sold them a faulty one by switching the phones around[/i]

If there is anything I haven't mentioned or thought of PLEASE bring it to my attention. I use this site for news/guides/ipod stuff and have found it so helpful. Thanks for any help anyone can provide.

I think you have covered everything I can think of that I normally do so you should be ok

PS Any recent scams that I need to know about? Basically anything to avoid being scammed and making this process as smooth as possible.

As I said above regarding IMEI numbers – This is one of the bigger ones so just photpgraph everything about the phone and its specifics (serial number, imei etc etc) so you know your sending what they are receiving

 

[MidWestMan]

Thanks for all of your help everybody!

 

[NickkyJ]

i say you go with meeting in front of a police station that way its secure incase something goes wrong. It would be stupid to sell and than get nothing for it

 

[Mlrollin91]

Also, like someone has already posted, the paypal and ebay fees are killer.
I sold my old MacBook on ebay, Buy It Now for 650. I had about 65 dollars in ebay fees, then 20 in paypal. Its ridiculous. I have moved on to Craigslist. Its harder to find a buy in my opinion but you end up making more money overall.

 

[Jumpman2033]

I would suggest to note in your description that you will be making a video of packing the phone, or having UPS (i think they offer) pack the phone. If you note all the things you are doing to prevent fraud, it may at least deter some from bidding. And people who have no intention of scamming you should not care that you put it in the description.