Selling your used mobile phone through comparison sites
Sell my mobile comparison websites began to emerge about ten years ago, right at the start of the smartphone boom. Some say they crooks, while others say they are simply opportunists who are leveraging on a market imbalance. A few even believe they are visionaries. Whatever and whoever they are, one thing is for certain – mobile comparison sites are here to stay.
What is a mobile phone comparison site?
Mobile phone comparison sites basically operate on almost the same basic principles as other major ecommerce platforms like Amazon or eBay. They give customers the ability to sell or buy a smartphone from a list of vendors. Some vendors operate their own websites, so the options are somewhat limited. It’s worth remembering that some of these sites are accredited by Ofcom.
These sites generally combine data from internal analysis with prices scraped from other websites online. However, since there are commissions involved, their pricing, while competitive, are not the best in the market.
How does a phone comparison site works?
The primarily appeal of phone comparison sites is the convenience. Often times, the entire process takes just minutes to complete and money will be credited into your bank account within a few business days.
The process starts by entering your phone brand and model in the search bar usually located on top of the website. Once you hit enter, a result page will appear with cash offers from different companies. In recent years, more and more websites are including a customer review section to allow new customers to read up to the reliability and service level of the vendor. Additional information about the vendors, such as profile and recycling process, are also something embedded in the page.
Once customers have selected their vendor, they will be instructed to mail the phone. Upon receipt of the phone, the vendor will credit the agreed amount directly into the bank account of customers.
Common Pitfalls
Like any industry, there are bound to be a few black sheep. It’s no different with phone comparison sites. A common tactic used is to renegotiate the phone price with the customer after receiving the phone, using the reason that the phone is in poor condition.
There are also instances where customers had to wait weeks for their money. This usually involves smaller companies with insufficient liquidity.