The saying usually goes, “another year, another new iPhone.” Only this year we get to say, “another year, another two new iPhones.”With both the iPhone 5S and the 5C now available, consumers are more anxious than ever to get their hands on one of the new devices. But as a new phone finds its way into homes, what happens to the old one? Consumers who are ahead of the game already know the answer to that question is “ trade it in.”
There is a shockingly large amount of trade-in deals going on right now, and prospective traders only need to take their pick. Retail stores such as Best Buy, Walmart and, for the first time, Apple are offering appealing prices for the trade of a smartphone. Whether you have an older iPhone model or even an Android phone, you might just be able to get the colorful iPhone 5C for free.
Unsurprisingly, the best deal would be trading in the standard iPhone 5 model, as it was only released last year. Sellers willing to make the yearly upgrade can get upwards of $300 for their device. Apple is willing to shell out $280 for a 16GB iPhone 5, while websites like Gazelle and NextWorth are offering $310 for the phone.
The more common situation, though, is that of those looking to trade an iPhone 4 or 4S for one of the iPhone 5 models. Apple has already clarified that production of the standard iPhone 5 has ceased, so retailers are looking to clear out their remaining stock. In an attempt to sell their remaining 5’s, Best Buy is offering $100 for any smartphone traded toward the $100 purchase of an iPhone 5 with a two-year agreement. Depending on the condition and model of the phone itself, the seller might even be offered more than that. This same deal goes for just about any carrier’s retail store, as long as they have iPhone 5s in stock. Because the new iPhone 5C is identical to the 5 performance-wise, any deal that works toward a 5 will also work toward the $99 5C.
Online retailers, which have remained the go-to trade-in method for years, seem to be the best option. Granted, this removes the convenience of being able to walk into a store, hand them your old phone and walk out with a new one. Online sellers will have to go ahead and make the standard in-store purchase of one of the new iPhones before shipping their old phone off to their retailer of choice. Online shopping king Amazon.com offers up to $130 in Amazon credit for a standard iPhone 4 and $160 for a 4S, depending on the condition of the phone. When setting up the trade online, you must select the condition of the phone, and the site will tell you their price. A hidden plus to this is that when they inspect the phone, if they determine it is in better condition than stated, you might receive more than expected.
While the iPhone 5S might be hard to find for the next couple of weeks, those willing to trade for last year’s model or the plastic-covered 5C might just be able to do so for free. These deals are not guaranteed to last, as many people are likely taking advantage of them already.
