A smartphone is a complex device in terms of its technical sophistication. Today, the market is overfull with many out-of-service and defective mobile phones, so the risk of getting a poor-quality device is pretty high.
There are many factors to consider when you buy a used phone, from cosmetic problems like scratches to technical issues such as the dead battery. The risks can be minimized with a proper inspection of the device, but what exactly is worth looking for? How to become aware of all the intricacies and be satisfied with the quality of the device?
We put together a few rules to follow in order to become assured that buying a second-hand device does not turn into problems and loss of investment.
Pay attention to the visual condition of the device.
The first obvious thing you will check is the cosmetic condition of the phone. Smartphones are the highly overused technology on the planet, and, chances are, the phone you’re going to buy could have been through physical abuse that might have decreased its life span. Hence, it is important to inspect the device from each angle. Also, always look for damage indications that may not be easily detectable. Check for deeper dents or maybe signs of repair.
Remember to check functionality
Apart from such obvious criteria as the touchscreen the modern smartphone has a great deal of hardware performed as various sensors that give the gadget the opportunity to "feel" the area around it or as batteries that degrade in performance over time. Of course, some of the functional tests can be done manually like speaker check or touchscreen test. However, some aspects cannot be checked without software, for example network modules or whether some crucial components of the device are authentic.
Make sure the device is not blacklisted
How can you be 100 percent assured a used phone does not turn out to be ‘’hot merchandise‘’? Knowing if your device is blacklisted can make all the difference. All smartphones have an IMEI - a unique identifiers generated by the manufacturers. There are entire lists containing these identifiers. They are often used for locating lost and stolen devices.
And finally, personal data
It's obvious that consumers' phones hold bank card info, emails, files, photos, social media accounts, browsing history, passwords, Wi-Fi credentials and much more. Taking the basic steps— deleting data from the device or doing a factory reset —might not be enough. When you delete a file, the data is simply removed from its current location and transferred to another location, where it can be restored by special software.The data on the phone must be completely erased and this fact should be confirmed by an appropriate certificate.
Buyback is the answer!
There are a lot of free applications that can diagnose the phone and delete data, but few of them are reliable and of high quality. Such software often steals data or simply simulates activity, returning the device without any testing.
NSYS Buyback is advanced management software offering a wide range of options for significant optimisation of the trade-in and buyback processes in your company.
- Run functional and cosmetic diagnostics using your white-labeled app to know exactly what you are buying.
- Protect yourself from buying lost and stolen phones thanks to in-built IMEI checks.
- Create customized questionnaires to buy back phones in proper condition directly through your website.
- Keep all buyback deals in one database: no item losses, no spreadsheets
NSYS Buyback is a perfect solution for your business.
Interested in trying NSYS Buyback out? Send us your request and our team will contact you to schedule a free demo.
