How to trade in your old Pixel phones

There is a plethora of exciting new smartphones that have just hit the market (or are on the way), and it wouldn’t be at all surprising to find out that you are planning to upgrade your current phone. Samsung introduced two new foldable phones, the Galaxy Z Fold 3 and Galaxy Z Flip 3, along with its flagship Galaxy S21 Ultra. Meanwhile, Google has released its latest mid-priced Pixel 5A and announced its upcoming Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro.

Whether you want to buy one of Samsung’s new foldable phones or one of the upcoming Google 6 phones without paying full price, trading in your old phone – or selling it – is a smart way to do it. On the other hand, there are those who will instead decide to buy a little used older generation phone that will meet their needs without breaking the bank.

If you have an older model and are ready for an upgrade, here are a few steps you can take to get your device ready for sale, followed by how much money you can expect to get back. We’re going to focus on Samsung and Google Pixel phones here, but you can probably expect similar results with phones from other vendors.

Inspect your phone

If your old device is in good shape, you shouldn’t have much trouble finding a new owner. As mentioned in our guide to selling your iPhone, having a phone in good condition is essential to finding a buyer who is willing to pay full price.

Even if your phone isn’t in the best condition, you should still be able to get Something for your business. Be aware of its flaws, including scratches, dents, cracks, and any other quirks the next owner should know about. Be honest, otherwise it will probably come back and bite you.

Photo by James Bareham / The Verge

Erase your phone

There are three steps to safely wipe your Android phone. These steps may vary slightly depending on whether you have a Samsung, Pixel, or phone from another manufacturer.

First of all, the instructions for a Samsung running Android 11:

1. Disable factory reset protection. This feature prevents your phone from being erased if it is stolen. To turn it off, all you need to do is turn off your screen lock. (You’ve set your screen lock, haven’t you?) Go to “Settings”> “Lock screen”> “Screen lock type” and select “None.”
2. Delete your account. Go to “Settings”> “Accounts & Backup”> “Managed Accounts” and tap the account (or accounts, if you have more than one) listed there. Then press “Delete account”. (By the way, if you haven’t backed up your phone recently, you can go to “Accounts & Backup”> “Backup” to do so.)
3. Reset the phone to factory settings. The next step is to reset the phone to factory settings to completely erase all your data. Back in the main settings menu, select “General management”> “Reset” to take you to the final step. Select “Factory data reset”. You will get a warning page listing the data that will be erased; all the accounts you’re still signed in to (and you need to go back and delete them); and which apps will be removed. Ready? Tap “Reset” (you will be prompted to enter your Samsung account password).

The instructions here are for a Pixel running the beta version of Android 12.

1. Disable factory reset protection. This feature prevents your phone from being erased if it is stolen. To turn it off, all you need to do is turn off your screen lock. (You’ve set the screen lock, haven’t you?) Go to “Settings”> “Security”> “Screen lock” and select “None”.
2. Delete your account. Using Android 12, wiping your phone starts by going to “Settings”> “Passwords & Accounts” and tap on the account (or accounts, if you have more than one) listed there. . Then press “Delete account”. You will get a warning pop-up window. Press “Delete account” again.
3. Reset the phone to factory settings. The next step is to reset the phone to factory settings to completely erase all your data. Back in the main settings menu, select “System”. If you haven’t recently backed up your phone to Google Drive, you can go to “Back Up” and select “Back Up Now”. Otherwise, going to “Reset options” will take you to the final step. Select “Erase all data (factory reset)”. You will get a warning page listing the data that will be erased, and if you failed to sign out of all accounts, it will be listed there (and you should go back and delete it). Otherwise, press “Clear all data”.

Trade in your phone?

When you trade in your phone with a manufacturer or carrier, you can trade in the price for more convenience. It’s up to you.

At the time of publication, Samsung announced that it is offering a trade-in credit of up to $ 750 on a Galaxy Z Fold3 5G or Z Flip3 5G. Interestingly, Samsung’s offerings tend to be relatively generous. For example, a three-year-old Galaxy S9 will give you $ 150 credit, a Galaxy Note 9 goes up to $ 400 just like a Galaxy S10 Plus, while if you trade in a Galaxy S20 5G Ultra you can score $ 750. in exchange.

During its pre-order period, Google says it is offering up to $ 600 for an exchange. I claimed to have a Pixel 4 XL with 128GB of storage that was in working order and no cracks, and I was offered $ 170, while a Pixel 4a 5G with 128GB brought in a quote of $ 190. . A Pixel 3 with 128GB of storage got me a deal for $ 58, and finally, an original unlocked Pixel with 32GB or 128GB was worth $ 25.01.

You may be able to get a good deal with a carrier as long as you read the fine print. For example, Verizon is offering a discount of up to $ 800 on specific new phones (like the Samsung Galaxy S21 5G) if you trade in one of a long list of phones (and commit to its unlimited plan).

Photo by Sean O’Kane / The Verge

Sell ​​your phone?

As to where you can sell your old phone, Swappa is a top pick with a healthy community of buyers and sellers. With Swappa, you create an ad with a price; when your device is sold, you receive payment from Swappa, then ship the phone directly to the buyer. Swappa charges buyer a fee, based on the price of the phone, but you are responsible for the shipping cost.

Since what you can get on a site like Swappa can vary, I looked at the lowest suggested price (which you would more likely find a buyer for).

First of all, Samsung. A undamaged Galaxy S9 with 64GB comes at a low price of $ 129; a Galaxy Note 9 priced at a low price of $ 219; a Galaxy S10 Plus hit $ 249, while a Galaxy S20 5G Ultra started at $ 539. Even considering that these are the cheapest prices for these phones, there is a huge difference between these and Samsung’s trade-in prices.

Meanwhile, the original Pixel with 32GB of storage has a low price of $ 62, while a Pixel XL has a low price of $ 60. An unlocked Pixel 2 with 64GB priced at a low price of $ 90; the 2 XL version was listed with a low price of $ 99. An unlocked Pixel 3 with 64GB in good condition had a low price of $ 115; the undamaged 3 XL version brought in a low sale price of $ 95. Finally, you could score a good-condition Pixel 4 XL with 64GB for $ 250.

There are of course other sites where you can sell your phones.

Decluttering buys the phone from you and then resells it. The company gives you a price online; you then ship your phone to Decluttr within 28 days. The phone will be inspected; if there are any issues, you will be offered a revised price which you will have 14 days to accept or decline.

Gazelle works pretty much the same: the company gives you a price online and then you ship your phone to Gazelle within 30 days. The phone will be inspected; if there are any problems, you will be offered a revised price.

Best buy allows you to either mail your phone or take it to the nearest Best Buy store; in any case, you can exchange it for an electronic gift card.

Flipsy deals with a variety of retail sites; it will let you know what vendors are offering and how much, then you have 14 days to ship the device. The seller pays the shipping costs. If the seller does not agree with your assessment, they will send you a revised offer; Since each supplier has their own return policies, it’s a good idea to check before shipping.

And of course there is eBay. Selling here can be a bit of a hassle, but basically you get up to 250 listings for free every month; once you sell your item, there is a 10.2 percent charge plus a $ 0.30 transaction fee.

Other places where you can sell your phone for free (except, of course, shipping costs) include Facebook market and Craigslist.

Whether you use any of the resources listed here to offset the cost of a new Google Pixel 6 or decide that the convenience of swapping the phone is worth the extra money, it’s up to you.