Does the following video describe you?  Are frustrated enough with your service provider that you would be willing to do whatever it takes to migrate to Verizon, just so that you can receive the same phone, despite the costs or fees?  Well, then we suggest you follow this Make It Work guide to selling your iPhone so that making the switch is a little less costly and makes a little more sense.

Despite your distaste towards AT&T right about now, you would be surprised by the amount of people out there that would gladly take your iPhone off your hands.

So, sit back, relax and learn the best way to sell your iPhone.

Your iPhone Retains it’s Value!

The reason people are able to sell their iPhone and get enough in return to buy a brand new one is the fact that the iPhone is no longer bound by a contract. Typically, buying an iPhone without a contract can cost you more than $500.  The reason behind this price difference is any iPhone that you buy from a retailer is subsidized by the carrier, for the sake of a 2-year contract.  Once you take the contract out of the question, people will jump at the opportunity to buy your gently used iPhone for a reduced price.

Packaging and Accessories

Packaging is really important for a lot of reasons.  First, it adds an important psychological effect. The packaging adds a lot to the legitimacy of the entire transaction.  Even if your iPhone is not quite in perfect condition having the packaging, the manuals, cables, and power adapters will add to the already appealing idea of a gently used iPhone.

Never Forget to Reset

The likelihood of you wanting your buyer to have all your music, email, notes, games, and any other crucial data is just as likely as you feeling comfortable letting someone read your diary, so don’t let it happen! Before you sell your iPhone always reset it. The best way to do this is by going into Settings on your iPhone, choosing Reset, and then hitting Reset All Content and Settings. This will fully wipe your iPhone, without you having to do it via iTunes.

Choosing your Market Place

Keep in mind that as June approaches, you get closer to the date that Apple typically announces their newest iPhone. Whether this phases you at all, or gives your reason to wait, we suggest you do.  But if you simply can’t wait, here are the best options for selling your iPhone.

eBay: With a massive population of people browsing eBay everyday, your iPhone is likely going to get a lot of  “facetime,” excuse the pun.  That being said, the same goes for the fact that there are also many folks just like you, all trying to sell their iPhone. This means the market price is determined by what your competitors are selling theirs for.  Another factor that makes me less likely to use eBay is the fees that come along with being a seller on eBay.

Craigslist: In my opinion this is the best route to take.  Craigslist costs absolutely nothing to post, and has no fees at all. If you thought Craigslist was a place to get rid of local junk for chump change, you are in for a surprise.  You can easily make enough money off your sale to upgrade to the new Verizon iPhone.

The Close

When posting the ad, keep it brief.  Include the most important information first: the model of the iPhone, how many GB, color, condition, and the fact that you’re selling it because you plan to upgrade to a new iPhone.  This will help alleviate the natural inclination for potential buyers to assume the worst scenario; you’re trying to get rid of a broken iPhone, quickly.  This can be explained in two to three sentences. Be sure to make it sound courteous; a thank-you always goes a long way, and also, be sure to leave your first name. If you’re comfortable providing a phone number, go ahead and do it. Even if you don’t, you should still be prepared to do most of the communication over the phone when you find a buyer.

You will have plenty of bites, so don’t rush to sell your iPhone.  Less than six months ago, a friend of mine wanted to sell his 3GS to buy an iPhone 4. Within 1 hour of posting he had 12 responses, and by the end of the day he was meeting the buyer at Starbucks. He was able to sell his iPhone, and he even made some nice money on top of it all to buy some accessories for his new iPhone 4. When you have a product like this, the demand is so great that you will be able to choose your buyers. I recommend picking someone reasonable to ensure a smooth transaction; it’ll be a better experience for both of you, and it may be the difference between a sale and no sale.

There you have it! This should help you finance your Verizon iPhone upgrade, and probably make a little money in the process.

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