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5 Things to Do When Buying a Second-Hand Phone

Written By Vaughn Chua
Published • August 30th, 2019
GuidesMobile
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The smartphone market is growing so fast to a point where there’s a new release every month. This has also convinced most people to upgrade devices more frequently, which also contributes to the second-hand market where people opt to buy an older and used device to save some cash. It’s a savvy way of upgrading to a more powerful device but you have to be careful as you might acquire a phone that might cause you problems instead. Here are five things to do when buying a second-hand phone.

Table of Contents

Know where to buy second-hand phones

Oftentimes, people wonder where to buy second-hand devices. If you are looking for a physical place where to buy them, then the answer is simply in Greenhills in San Juan, Metro Manila. If you are not near the area, you can opt for online platforms or even social media groups. One good example of this is a Facebook group called Hachi’s Buy and Sell 38. With a total of over 1.3 million members, this Filipino-based group is the perfect place to look for if you are new to buying brand new or second-hand commodities. You can also go to dedicated stores in Lazada, Shopee, and Carousell, to name a few. In the end, it’s a matter of researching on your end where you can buy smartphones. You can also ask for recommendations from friends who have already bought second-hand devices.

Research prices and look for deals

Although you’re already saving some cash buying second-hand phones, it pays to research on the current price of a brand-new model. If the price of the second-hand device is just a couple of thousand Pesos away from a brand-new one, then you’re not getting a good deal. Look around more for a better offer. Some of them still have the original box and accessories. Others even offer freebies like extra cases since they won’t be using it anymore.

Check the seller’s reliability

This is probably the most important part before doing any transactions – check the seller’s reliability. Before you inquire, make it a habit to check their profile and customer feedback to make sure that they won’t scam you. Online selling platforms such as Lazada and Shopee have a seller rating feature which lets you see if the person’s previous buyers are satisfied with what they got. It will be risky when it comes to Facebook as you’ll have to personally check their profile to see if their account is legitimate or not, or simply ask around. It’s an extra effort but it’s better safe than sorry.

Meet up in a secure place

Meeting face-to-face is the best way to check the integrity of the device that you’re going to buy, and if you’re going to do that, make sure it’s in a public, secure, and well-lit area. One example would be inside a mall or somewhere that has security personnel nearby. A police station would be ideal. And before heading to your meeting place, make sure to confirm the details of the upcoming transaction, preferably in text or writing to make sure that all sides keep their end of the bargain. Also, make sure that you have a photo of the seller along with the device as proof of the transaction.

Check if the issues stated match the actual phone

Once you’ve met the seller, it’s time to check if the phone is in the expected condition. Most of the time, sellers declare if the phone sustained damages, has issues, or has been repaired, but still, take your time to check the phone’s hardware and software. You should also check the phone’s specs by going to the settings or by installing an app like CPU-Z to check on the hardware. You can also check the phone’s warranty or authenticity online to make sure it’s legit.

What do you guys think? If you have any tips and suggestions, feel free to put it in the comments section below.