Is It Better To Take Advantage of a Trade-in Offer or Buy a Phone Through eBay?

By Craig Johnson

Welcome to Ask Clark, a column designed to answer your financial questions, by money expert Clark Howard.

Should I Trade in My Old Phone or Buy One Through eBay?

Wolfgang from Florida asks: "I have T-Mobile and want to upgrade from the Samsung Galaxy S7 to the S10 or S20, but they don't offer the S10 or S20 on the trade-in. Would it be best for me to just buy an S10 or S20 on eBay and just keep the S7 as a backup phone if needed?

The latest Samsung S21 models run from $799 to $1,199 on Samsung.com, but a recent search on eBay found some S20 models for a little more than $500.

“I have had good luck with buying phones on eBay for a fraction of the price. So I’m just wondering if I should do that without being able to take advantage of the trade-in.”

Clark’s Take on Whether To Trade In Your Old Phone or Buy One Through eBay

Clark says: The listener has the right idea by looking for a cell phone that's not the latest model, as that can be a good way to save money.

What To Know Before You Buy From eBay

Before you buy from a third party on eBay, make sure you do some research on potential sellers by checking out their profile and product pages. Here are a few things to look for:

  • A high feedback score: A yellow star means that the seller has at least 10 positive feedback ratings. Learn more here.
  • Negative comments: Read any unfavorable remarks about the seller; reviews can warn you of potential problems with that vendor's products or customer service.
  • Refund policy: If you choose to buy from a third-party seller, be aware of the refund policy and any warranty information.

eBay has a Certified Re-Newed program that ensures that the pre-owned phones you buy will work like new. Here's what to know before you buy a refurbished phone.

To hear Clark’s full take on this question, listen to the segment:

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[ This article was originally published on Clark.com ]

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