倫敦達人 The Explorer

I picked a second hand iPhone 4 Black 16GB (O2 network) today from a shop called BASEO on Tottenham Court Road today.  It cost me £340 for this mint second hand phone and it came with a "geninue" iPhone 4 box (but not the original one came with the iPhone I purchased), a charger, a cable and a headset.  According to the shop assistant, the last user owned it for a month, and sold it because he/she had an upgrade iPhone 4S.  The phone had screen protector from both sides. I didn't see any scratches and light marks.  The steel frame is clean and free of scratches.  This phone is "as good as new", in my view.  On display, it was listed £380 but I managed to talk it down to £340! (this makes me a happy folk.)

Note:

Original Box - means the phone comes with the very same box it contained the phone from factory (I guess)

Geninue Box - means the phone comes with a geninue iPhone 4 case (for example, I bought this iPhone 4 16GB but my "geninue" iPhone Box said iPhone 4 32GB)

Boxed - means it could be any boxes but not the original box or geninue box. It can come a black containter too.

THE IDEA OF GETTING A NEW IPHONE IS OVER-RATED:

I never understand why people are upgrading from/to iPhone 3G, iPhone 3GS, iPhone 4, iPhone 4S and iPhone 5 (which is not released yet) so unconditionally and whole-heartly, like there is no tomorrow (and like money is not an object).  I decided very early on that I'm not going to buy a brand new iPhone 4.  I'm not an iPhone fan but I can't use any other phones (HTC, Samsung or anything else) either. Why? I am a runner and I record all my running data and maps with Nike + and appearntly Apple and Nike + are locked in together (I can't find Nike + on Android system).  I learn this fact in a hard way <-- I bought a brand new Samsung Galaxy S2 for £360 in October 2011 and tried to search Nike "damn" + on Android market to no avil.  I think I hurt my fingers by re-typing "Nike +" over 100 times on Android market.  I almost convinced myself if I re-typed 1000 times and Nike + would actually appear.  Then it never worked and I sold my Sumsung at a lost - £250, three weeks ago.

REASONS WHY I WANTED TO GET A SECOND HAND IPHONE 4:

Since then (two weeks ago), I embarked on a journey finding my perfect second hand iPhone 4.  I also looked at the new iPhone 4 too but I cannot convince myself spending £500 for a phone that will be retired so shortly (once iPhone 5 comes out).  It is also strange that iPhone 4 and iPhone 4S prices do not really differ that much - same prices, basically.  Buying an iPhone 4 (new) is like dumping your cash into rubbish bin, as of "today", don't you agree?

Let's do a quick price comparsion here and do the math together:

Apple US sells a new iPhone 4 (8GB, unlocked) at $549, which is about £350.

Apple UK sells a new iPhone 4 (8GB, unlocked) at £429.

Carphone Warehouse sells a new iPhone 4 (16GB, on O2, pay & go) at £499.

Carphone Warehouse sells a new iPhone 4S (16GB, on O2, pay & go) at £499.

Amazon sells a used iPhone 4 (16GB SIM free) at a range between £280 to £500.

eBay sellers also auctioned their used iPhone 4 at the range between £280 and £500.  Starting points are generally at the point of £250.

Mazuma, interestly, purchases second hand iPhone 4 (16GB, working condition) at £210.  (I kind of worked out the margins the sellers are getting, if they are frequent dealers.)

Wicked Gadget sells a used iPhone 4 (16GB, Grade B, black, no original box) at £324.99.

Major Deal sells a used iPhone 4 (16GB, Grade C, black, no original box) at £299.99.

I figured that it will be fair if I picked up a second hand iPhone 4 (without box and accessories) at or between £250 and £280 or a second hand iPhone 4 (with original box and accessories) at or between £310 and £340. 

SECOND HAND IPHONE MARKET:

This second hand iPhone 4 is a whole new ball game, my friends.  There are terms like "used phone", "second hand phone", "reconditioned phone", "refurb phone (stands for refurbished phone)", "factory unlocked" and or "O2 network only (or Vodafone or other providers)".  In the second hand iPhone trades, phones are also categorised by "Grade A", "Grade B" and "Grade C" conditions - various degrees of light marks and scratches (and usually dusts and dirts which are un-mentioned by the sellers).  Sellers also described if the phones are sold as "phone only", "comes with original box", or "boxed".

It is a very big market and there are many types of dealers who are trading in second hand iPhone market daily.  I monitored the second hand iPhone market very closely, almost like a commodity trader on a typical trading day in a bank in the City.  

BAD EXPERIENCE & A MISLEADING SECOND HAND IPHONE DESCRIPTION:

My first buy-in was last Friday and it was big mistake.  I bought it from a trader on Amazon.  It was an iPhone 4 (16GB, black) at a price of £329.  This seller described the phone as an "used phone" in excellent condition with light scratches at the back.  I was impressed with the word "excellent" and it proved I was too naive.  The defintions of "excellence" in the eyes of buyers and sellers are very very very different.  I received the phone on Friday morning.  The used phone came with a black container which it looked like it was a refurb phone's standard black container.  There are three lengthy dragging lines of light marks, right in the CENTRE of the front screen and the right bottom corner of the fornt screen.  It was a joke and it was a biggest misleading item description I have ever seen in my entire life.  The phone was filthy with dust at the slience mode switch and it looked beaten (being used a lot).  I called up the seller and expressed my concerns immediately.  This seller kept arguing the phone was "excellent".  I RETURNED THE PHONE IN THE SAME DAY TO THE TRADER, WITH HUGE DISSAPOINTMENT AND WASTE OF TIME.  Note: The Seller received the phone the day after and he still claimed the phone was in excellent condition, despite the very evident "light marks".  (THIS GUY WAS/IS AN INIOT!)

THINGS TO NOTICE WHEN BUYING A SECOND HAND IPHONE 4:

Black container - first alerting sign - it meant it could be a "refurb phone", a phone with good working parts from many other used iPhones.

"Excellent condition" - second alerting sign - don't be naive, used phone are not excellent.

Used phone - third alerting sign - is the phone covered by Apple warrenty? can you still walk into Apple retail store and demand a replacement phone (if there is a hardware default)? "Used phone" and "refurb phone" are different.  You cannot get a replacement phone from Apple if you bought a refurb phone.  Refurb phones are being tempered mechnically within and are not covered by warrenty!!!!!

Boxed - fourth alerting sign - does it come with the original box? does it come in a geninue box (which is an Apple box but not the box comes with the phone)? does it come with a black container? or does it come with a box (just a box or bubble wrap)?

I hope this helps you when you buy your second hand iPhones. Why pay top dollars for a brand new iPhones which will be replaced very quickly anyway?  Your monies will be better off invested in a pension fund or even in a holiday travel fund, in my view, sincerely!!!!