Here’s the Right Way to Sell Your Smartphone

If you’re interested in selling your old smartphone, you’ll want to make sure that your old data is inaccessible to future buyers. You’ll also want to be able to get as much money as possible for your old phone. Both of these aspects are a part of selling your smartphone the “right” way; you’ll be able to properly prepare your phone for sale, and get some cash towards your next device.

The Right Way to Wipe Your Phone

Before selling your smartphone, you’ll want to make sure that your data has been properly wiped from your device. Unfortunately, performing a factory reset is not enough. To do this, you’ll want to perform the following steps:

• Backup your data and remove any SD cards from your device.
• Encrypt your smartphone’s data to prevent your information from being retrieved by a data recovery program.
• Disable Factory Reset Protection so that whoever buys your smartphone can use his or her own account information with it. Then, perform a factory reset.

Read More: How To Choose A Protective Case For Your Phone

The Right Way to Sell Your Phone

• Sell your old phone whenever you upgrade. Technology goes out of date very quickly, which is why you shouldn’t hoard all of your old devices. Whenever you upgrade to a new phone or tablet, make sure to properly wipe and sell your old one immediately. That way, you’ll be likely to get the most cash for your item — as much as 50% of what you paid for it. If you wait a few years before selling your old Android phone, then your device may only be worth $10-$20. Or, it may be worth nothing at all, in which case, you might as well recycle it.
• Research how much your phone is worth. This is a necessary step — you don’t want to sell your phone for too much or too little money. The former, however, will likely result in an unsellable phone, which you don’t want, either.
• If possible, sell locally. The easiest way to sell your old smartphone is to sell it to a friend, family member, or acquaintance. While you might be tempted to sell your phone for less to someone you know, you’ll at least save some money on shipping costs or other fees, so this option is worth considering. You can also take advantage of apps that will allow you to sell your phone locally, such as OfferUp or Facebook’s Marketplace to avoid extra fees and the hassle of using many resale websites. Craigslist is also a good option for avoiding “hidden” resale website fees.