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PLEASE DON"T BASH ME FOR MY CAPITALIST THOUGHTS, HELPFUL CRITICISM WELCOME
Hello Everyone. I've been doing research for the past couple of days and I've noticed that on ebay, a brand new unlocked iPhone 4 is selling for upwards of $1,000 while a brand new Captivate can be had for about $300-400.
I am still within the 30 day return period for my phone. I am thinking about returning my phone, getting the iPhone 4, unlocking it and selling it on ebay, then buying my dearly beloved Captivate for non-contract price on ebay or somewhere else.
By doing this I could make a profit of minimum $200 and max about $500. Are there any laws forbidding this? If not, then it's definitely in a legal grey area. Has anyone out there ever done this before? Thanks for the help
Update 1: Ok, purchased my second Captivate on Ebay for $380
Update 2: Traded in my first Captivate for an iPhone 4. They had to activate the iPhone in store, thus rendering my original SIM unusable and leaving me with a microSIM. I was bummed out. I thought I had to go to an AT&T store for them to transfer me back to a regular SIM. It turns out that microSIMs work in the Captivate! All you have to do is position it right Took me 3 tries to get it to work.
Phase 3: Sell iPhone 4 on ebay for a profit
What laws would prevent you from selling your property? You get the phone subsidized because you pay the 2 year contract. If you are still in your window feel free to do that, if you think it is your best option and you will actually make that amount of money on the phone.
You're not breaking any laws at all, you're maneuvering within your rights. Knock yourself out.
Thank you for the positive feedback, I feel this plan is coming to fruition
Er, I'm not sure why consulting Jesus is necessary. There is nothing morally incorrect about this.
As for legality: In some cases, eBay will prevent you from doing this (they did so with the Xbox 360, Wii, and PS3, I believe), but it is usually due to the companies contacting them and asking them to do so. In other words, it is usually something voluntarily enforced by certain companies for whatever reasons. In most cases, however, they will not do this, and I don't believe they're doing so for the iPhone 4.
I understand there are also some out there who find the concept of buying something then selling it higher elsewhere due to shortages is morally objectionable, but frankly, I haven't heard a good argument for why it is yet.
To get to the point, if you so desire to get an iPhone 4 and sell it on eBay for profit, it is entirely up to you.
good luck being able to unlock the iphone.
the jailbreak is broken on 4.02 and you need to jailbreak to unlock
all phones are shiping at least with 4.02 and soon 4.1
Yea, unlocking it is your main issue.
The only reason the phones that exist sell so high is because they're unlocked... An ATT user won't buy a locked phone for $1000 when they can buy it for $200 from ATT...
WWJD?
Seems o.k. to me...thanks for asking.
Jack
I live by WWZ(Zilch)D. So far I've gotten 2 STD's, bricked my captivate 37 times and it's caught fire (twice). This isn't working out so good for me.
I don't see any reason why this would be morally objectionable or against any laws.
Morally speaking, cell phones are not a necessity, they are luxury, so it is worth whatever people are willing to pay for it; its not like you are overcharging for medicine, food, or shelter.
Legally speaking, you purchased the phone and I am pretty sure it does not say anywhere in the contract that you must keep the phone until your contract is up; or else they wouldn't offer early upgrades since that would endorse contract violations.
And as far as WWJD, he would probably give the phone away for free and buy a new one, and I don't think you want to do that...
Lets get this straight, I'm pretty sure Jesus would use his magic to turn a huge profit and blow it on drugs and hookers. Isn't that what revelations was about? It's been a while since sunday school.
I did this back when I had an iPhone 3g. I sold it when My contract ended to get a backflip for $100 on a new 2 year, then turned around and sold it for $300+, so I had around $550 to play around with, and at&t didn't care.
Also, installed clockworkmod and quickboot on a captivate at at&t today, but didn't have time to root it
I'd say go ahead with it. I mean, $1000 for an okay phone is stupid, but if people are buying it, then it makes them stupid (or ignorant, as they apparently aren't aware of the Galaxy S series). In fact, this sounds like a good idea...I might want to do it!
IMO, the iPhone 4 should sell for around $500 unlocked on eBay...
So you do have a backup phone right?
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I897 using XDA App
Hydrocharged said:
I'd say go ahead with it. I mean, $1000 for an okay phone is stupid, but if people are buying it, then it makes them stupid (or ignorant, as they apparently aren't aware of the Galaxy S series). In fact, this sounds like a good idea...I might want to do it!
IMO, the iPhone 4 should sell for around $500 unlocked on eBay...
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Yeah my projected value of $1000 may seem a bit high, they average around $600-$800 for unlocked 16GB brand new iPhone 4
sevenvt said:
So you do have a backup phone right?
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I897 using XDA App
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Ah I foresaw this as a problem as well, I figured I would just purchase a captivate at non-contract price now, and wipe and exchange the original Cappy for the iPhone 4 so I won't go through any withdrawal symptoms while the iphone is selling on ebay. Yeah I'll have to front some money but I should double my investment. Plus, I got $250 for selling my 1 yr old unlocked iphone 3G so I already have some spending money. Man people will pay lots of money for iCrap
Ryukeima said:
Legally speaking, you purchased the phone and I am pretty sure it does not say anywhere in the contract that you must keep the phone until your contract is up; or else they wouldn't offer early upgrades since that would endorse contract violations.
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actually, and correct me if I'm wrong, fairly certain the terms of service for buying a SUBSIDIZED phone (which, if you buy as an upgrade is subsidized) requires you to activate and use it on your line. they claim if you don't use it on one of your lines, they will charge you the difference or equivalent early termination fee.
now for how they enforce that or how often is probably extremely low. for instance, my sister used my mother's upgrade option to buy an iPhone 4 and the AT&T corporate store even did the process for us in the store. clearly they don't genuinely care, but I believe it's within their right to charge you for breaking the terms of the contract.
And then if the iphone doesnt sell and ask those people on ebay are just waiting for rubes? I would be careful of using ebay as a measuring stick for the actual selling prices on the iphone, considering its off contract price.. Edit: nevermind there is none, all contract. I wish you luck with your iphone... Personally if I was going to buy a 1000 dollar phone I just get an ipad, hope no one is that smart
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I897 using XDA App
If I were to buy a $1000 phone, it'd be a Samsung Galaxy S with a bug-free Froyo and without any trace of Touchwiz
I'd definitely do that. I actually did it once with the iPhone 3GS, made a really nice profit. I usually find ways to get my phones for decent prices and save my contract for an iPhone to do what you're thinking of doing.
Hydrocharged said:
If I were to buy a $1000 phone, it'd be a Samsung Galaxy S with a bug-free Froyo and without any trace of Touchwiz
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No no a galaxy tab
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So I have been wondering for a while how we here on XDA like to buy our phones.
I hope to catch most everyone with the following categories. And please leave a comment on why you buy the way you do.
Please help me figure this out!
I always have to buy them outside from my country because immediate availability and better price
I trade my Phones on XDA, good deals lol
Sell my old phone on eBay and buy the new one I want at full retail.
--
Sent from my HTC Supersonic.
I shop around for the best place to cash in my subsidization upgrade. Got my Focus for -$22 on contract!
online
I will look for online stores that can provide me handsets at discounted rates with complete reliability.
got my used T-Mob HD2 on ebay.. not available in my country, so the only possibility is to buy it from there..
I like buying my phones online since I get a better selection to choose from and no dealing with pushy salespersons....
Sent from my Droid using XDA App
I normally buy phones from Craigslist since people in my area don't really seem to know the worth of phones. I got my MyTouch4g the week after it was released for 300. Then I sell the older phones on eBay.
I prefer eBay or something like that. Contracts try to hold you down.lol
I shop for mine online. Best deals hands down.
Sent from my shoe, I mean....Epic shoe... I mean Samsung Epic! http://mobilehighway.blogspot.com/
Prefer prepaid full retail, or second hand.
I won my current phone though Huawei IDEOS for free
Almost always off contract, but I try to buy used or refurbished.
I will buy it on Contract. I can get any phone of my choice at cheaper price and it doesnt matter that after contract gets end I will have to gave my phone back.
Most of the time I pay the upgraded price of the phone. Ie. Whatever it cost with a 2 year extension.
Sent from my DROID RAZR using xda premium
Has anyone heard if and when they will be carrying this phone?
THANKS.
Sent from my Nexus One using XDA Premium App
Good question and it appears the answer is yes.
My only issue with Best Buy. Is that I'm a NON-contract customer with T-Mobile USA. And Best Buy always wants to charge an arm + both legs for anyone who wants to buy off contract. They specialize in selling with contract, they don't like us non-contract folks.
I'd love it if they'd price match a non-contract price, even the T-Mobile store's $549. Just because Best Buy has some nice protection and buyback type plans. (Not saying I'd nessisairly use their plans, but nice to have options if you want them.) But for me, they're not an option if they do the Sensation like all their other non-contract phones, that they sell for way over regular retail price. I'm sure their non-contract price for the Sensation will be about $650 . They're already selling the EVO 4G out of contract for $599, while you can get that at Amazon off contract for just $469.99, regular retail price for that one is $499.99
Available on the 15th, according to Best Buy Mobile employees
Found out from a friend, that Best Buy WILL price match T-Mobile's price. Plesant news for me . Now I just need this thing unlocked and rooted so I can buy one .
just walk into a walmart and buy it today...i got mind yesterday
Thanks for that info. As for me I buy at Best Buy because well i have credit there and don't want to open up credit anywhere else.
18 month no interest is not a bad deal for me since i always pay off my purchases within a few months so it works for me.
I really hope they match and have this phone on the June 15.
Ok, right to the point, I need some money, real fast. I had an idea and need to know if it will work. Could I sell my inspire for about $300, keep my sim card, buy a cheap phone, like, an iphone2G, pop in the sim, and use it just like nothing happend, would that work? or would I have to do someting in order for it to work. My bill is due on thursday and im not gonna be able to pay it. It must be payed by then or they will shut off my service. I love this phone, but I need the money, not just to pay my bill, but other reasons as well. What do you guys think? I can always go back and buy a better phone later on, not worried about that now.
Opinions needed.
I think you'll have a hard time gettin $300 out of it when they can be had for so much cheaper now, new.
Tx Redneck said:
I think you'll have a hard time gettin $300 out of it when they can be had for so much cheaper now, new.
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alright, what do you think is a reasonable price?
That's really dependent on its condition and how good a salesman you are or how bad the potential buyer wants the phone..
Best Buy has it for $0.... So good luck
Sent from my Inspire 4G using XDA App
A quick check on eBay shows many used Inspire auctions in progress with bids in the $250 - $300 range. You can't compare a free phone at Best Buy to this, because that free phone comes with a $1500 contract. People will pay much higher than the carrier subsidized price to get a contract-free phone.
henrybravo said:
A quick check on eBay shows many used Inspire auctions in progress with bids in the $250 - $300 range. You can't compare a free phone at Best Buy to this, because that free phone comes with a $1500 contract. People will pay much higher than the carrier subsidized price to get a contract-free phone.
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thats kinda what I was gonna say... I dont see whats wrong with $300 or maybe $250, its in MINT condition, its been in a otterbox defender the whole time, so absolutely nothing wrong with it. If i had to Id throw in the 16GB class 10 SD as well.
Edit: BTW Its about a month and a half old
My real question was, if i sell it, will who ever buys it be able to use it with their own SIM Card, since i still have service and am under contract, would i be able to keep my sim and use another phone?
BAleR said:
My real question was, if i sell it, will who ever buys it be able to use it with their own SIM Card, since i still have service and am under contract, would i be able to keep my sim and use another phone?
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I bought ans Aria, then about a year later, bought an Inspire using an upgrade option on another account, but I don't have any problems using the Aria SIM in my Inspire, nor any other combinations of phones and SIMs on the other accounts in my plan (I have 4 total accounts in my plan). Also, I loaned my wife's Aria to a friend that had some AT&T non-smart phone and he plugged his SIM into it and it worked fine. His wife has a data plan with her iPhone on the same account and it worked fine without even upgrading to another data plan.
In short, the SIM is the account and the phone doesn't matter. You shouldn't have any problems.
For a good comparison for asking price check craigslist.org. See what they are going for on there. You could also post an ad to sell it there.
Yeah y would u compare contract price with no commitment price.
U can easly get in between 250 to 325 depending on the condition and accecories you have.
Sent from my Inspire 4G using XDA App
ahm12 said:
Yeah y would u compare contract price with no commitment price.
U can easly get in between 250 to 325 depending on the condition and accecories you have.
Sent from my Inspire 4G using XDA App
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Don't forget the local market affects price too. The more people selling them the lower the price. Supply and demand.
Sent from my HTC Desire HD using XDA App
yeah, theres a slew of em goin for $275-$300, its gonna be tough, but my sd card is worth $50 bucks alone. hoping thats the deal breaker. and the otter box defender case.
Exactly, 300 is a fair price and what is to be expected for a fairly used contract free Inspire. A new one can go as high as 425 off contact.
Sent from my HTC Desire HD using XDA App
Reminds me of a joke from "Larry The Cable-Guy" about crashing your truck to get the insurance money to make the truck payment....
One thing you'll need to do is call AT&T to change your data plan to an iPhone data plan. Nothing will change with the rate, but they have two types of plans. One is a smartphone plan that our Inspires use. The other is an iPhone plan with the same data/cost, but they need to know or you won't be able to do anything on it. Other than that, yes, you should be able to do this no problem.
zuriken said:
Reminds me of a joke from "Larry The Cable-Guy" about crashing your truck to get the insurance money to make the truck payment....
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Haha, thats funny... im not sellin it now. Thanks to a good friend.
I sold my first one, unlocked, with a bunch of accessories for $400 on Craigslist.
ya if you unlock it first you open up your market greatly..
crip said:
ya if you unlock it first you open up your market greatly..
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Definitely, if you look on eBay there differences of hundreds of dollars between locked and unlocked phones.
Bottom line is I'll be joing the T-mo family, and I'm coming over because of cost.
I'm going to be picking up a Used/New Sidekick 4G off of craigslist. I'm looking at spending between 150-200. I need the Keyboard and the Touchslide is out of my cost range. I'm going on the family value plan for 99.89 for two lines. Any suggestions on this phone or anyother with a keyboard. What pitfalls could i get into with buying one off craigslist, can these phones be blacklisted like sprint(I.E. bad ESN), I know they take sim cards. Any other tips
Thx
With Tmobile, I'm pretty sure that popping in your sim card before you buy will tell you whether the esn is clean. I have always used keyboard phones, and for my taste, i'd say the other option besides the SK would be the G2... I think the SK4G has a better keyboard, but I prefer the G2 in just about every other way, the main one being the awesome development by XDA members and Cyanogen etc. that has and is being done for the device. That phone has been out for almost a year, but I am tempted to buy a new one and keep using that sucker. Lol. But I like the SK too, I think it's a great little phone, and the guys here have done some really good stuff with it.
Good luck with your switch!
I just bought my daughter a brand new SK4G for $149.00 at the local T-Mobile store at the Mall. It was an upgrade for an AT&T "pursuit" she had running on T-Mobile. Just a "heads up" for you in case you wanted to check new from a dealer than "Craig's flea market".
My bad, I am on a "classic plan". If you are a heavy texter, no better keyboard IMHO.
Sent from my SGH-T959 using xda premium
Tmobile will price match so go online and you can probably find someone giving it away free with a new contract then just show them the website. That's what I did and I used amazon wireless to show them, walked out of the store with a free sidekick
xmeatizmurderx said:
Tmobile will price match so go online and you can probably find someone giving it away free with a new contract then just show them the website. That's what I did and I used amazon wireless to show them, walked out of the store with a free sidekick
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They told me on the Value Plan I have to pay retail for the phone, and I don't even qualify for the rebates, however different rep's have told me different things on the rebates.