This post is sponsored by Trademore. I was paid for this post.
As a tech blogger and gadget freak, I have owned many smartphones, tablets, laptops… you name it. Some of these were gifted, and of course I have purchased my fair share over the years when I felt that it was time for an upgrade, or when I just wanted the latest and greatest. And in some cases, I may just opt to trade it in on a site like Trademore.com.
Since I know that I have an affinity for upgrades, I try hard to keep every gadget that I purchase in peak condition so that when it’s time to upgrade I can sell it, or gift it. Depending on the condition of your device you can either get pennies for it, or a nice amount of money.
Here are my top tips to prepare your device for gifting or trade in.
Keep the Box
If you decide to gift your current smartphone to a child or friend, then having the box is a nice touch! I always keep all of my gadget boxes. Now… I do admit this means that I have quite a collection of boxes at home. I should probably do something about that…
However, if you are trading in with Trademore, this is not so important. Why? When you trade in a device with Trademore, they will send you a kit that includes a pre-paid box, with instructions on how to send in your device. So, no worries if you have lost or destroyed your original box.
Use a Good Phone Case & Screen Protector
The best way to keep your phone in good condition is to protect it! I know that your phone is pretty, and you want people to see what you have. But, guess what? They don’t care! Just about everyone has a smartphone now. There is no reason to show it off.
When I first get a new phone I barely want to take it out of the box! I treat it like a baby until I get my case. If you want to show something off, show off is an awesome, protective case. Be sure that it’s one that will take the impact of a full fall, and protect the corners of your device.
The same goes for your screen. Unfortunately, screens are not invincible. One drop on the face, or a drop on the corner and the screen can get scratched or even shattered. Just ask my daughters. They know!
If you spend any amount of good money on a device, it should be well protected, so invest in a good case and screen protector.
Remove Your SD Card
Depending on your phone model, you may have an SD card installed in your phone for storing photos and data. Don’t forget to remove this before you trade in your phone! You can easily put it in your new phone. And you don’t want a stranger getting their hands on your data that may be saved in the phone.
To remove your card, you generally just use the SIM removal tool that comes with your phone. It may be on a card in the box, or on the owner’s manual. If you cannot find that, a thin paperclip will do the trick.
Back Up Your Data & Clear the Phone
Before you gift or trade in your device, it is very important that you backup or move your data, and clear your data off the device. There are many different ways to backup your data, or move it directly to another device. Some smartphones include a switching app. You may also be backing up your device to your cloud account. To check, look in Settings–>Backup and restore. You can even back up your data to your SD card to be transferred to a new phone.
If using an iPhone, you can back up your device to the cloud.
Visit Trademore.com to Sell Your Device
Once you take care of those things, head on over to Trademore.com and start the simple trade-in process. You choose the type of device, carrier, storage capacity, color, and condition, and Trademore will give you an offer. If you accept the offer, you will receive a free pre-packaged box to pack up and ship your device.
Buying Devices on Trademore
In addition to selling your device on Trademore, you can also buy from Trademore and get a great deal on a certified pre-owned device. They offer a wide range of current and previous devices that are in great condition and ready to go. For example, a good condition Samsung Galaxy S9+ is available for only $298.99. A Galaxy Note 9 can be purchased for only $359.99. And you can even get great pricing on an iPhone X.
Whether you are looking to trade in your current device to upgrade, or buy a new device as a great competitive price, check out Trademore.
Disclosures: My blog may contain links to other websites. I am not responsible for the privacy policies of those other websites. When you click on a link, your information may be collected by those websites so I encourage you to read their privacy policies.
These affiliate links are not associated with Trademore.
Leave a Reply