Phone buying guide
How to prepare a phone for trade-in
Protect data, document condition, preserve evidence, and avoid common valuation disputes.
Verify eligibility before erasing
Read the promotion’s model, condition, ownership, financing, activation-lock, and timing requirements. Confirm that the serial or IMEI is accepted and that any device payments are handled correctly.
Take dated photographs or video of every side, the working display, identifiers, and packaging before shipment. Evidence does not guarantee a dispute outcome but improves documentation.
Protect accounts and data
Complete a tested backup, transfer authenticator access, remove payment cards where required, disable activation locks, sign out according to platform instructions, and erase the device only after the replacement works.
Removing an eSIM can be separate from erasing content. Confirm which line is active before deleting a profile that may be difficult to restore.
Control shipping risk
Use the required label and packaging, retain tracking and weight receipts, and meet the deadline. Do not include accessories unless requested because they may not increase value and can complicate processing.
Review the final grade promptly. Know whether rejecting a revised value returns the original device and who pays for that return.
Editorially reviewed: July 20, 2026