Apple launches iPhone trade-in program at UK retail stores

Posted:
in iPhone edited January 2014
Apple's iPhone trade-in program, which recently debuted in the U.S., is now also available to customers at its retail stores in the U.K.



The new program allows customers to bring in previous-generation iPhones to trade in for store credit toward the purchase of a newer model. Apple also touts the environmentally friendly aspect of the program, as it discourages users from simply throwing away their used electronics.

Trade-in values for legacy iPhones, as well as other hardware Apple accepts, can be viewed on the company's official U.K. website. The company began accepting iPhone trade-ins at its U.S. retail stores in late August.

The prices offered by Apple's "Reuse and Recycling" program are comparable to dedicated trade-in companies and local carriers. For those looking to upgrade to a new iPhone, it may be more convenient to use Apple's program, as it gives shoppers the ability to receive store credit for their legacy devices while browsing at an Apple Store.

For example, Apple's online trade-in calculator powered by Dataserv reveals that an unlocked 16-gigabyte black iPhone 5 in perfect condition would net 220 pounds. A similarly specced iPhone 4S has an advertised trade-in value of 150 pounds.

But trade-in options may also be more limited for U.K. customers, as major U.S. based providers like Gazelle don't accept trades from international customers. U.S. customers can compare current trade-in rates in the AppleInsider Trade-in Guide.

Comments

  • Reply 1 of 19
    The trade in value is considerably higher in store than it is online. The amount on the recycle page is not accurate.
    If you have any money left over from the trade after picking up a new phone, it goes onto a retail gift card.
  • Reply 2 of 19
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by MazeCookie View Post



    The trade in value is considerably higher in store than it is online. The amount on the recycle page is not accurate.

    If you have any money left over from the trade after picking up a new phone, it goes onto a retail gift card.

    How would you have any money left over if you just traded a one year old £700 phone for £65 to buy a new one at £700 again?

  • Reply 3 of 19
    With a contract, an iPhone 5 may sell back for £250, handset cost is £99. £151 remains.
  • Reply 4 of 19
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by MazeCookie View Post



    With a contract, an iPhone 5 may sell back for £250, handset cost is £99. £151 remains.

    Contract? What is that? The base cost for a 16GB iPhone 5S is £549, the 64GB model is £709.  Any other option is hire purchase, subsidized by a carrier and any unpaid contract hire fees would need to be re-paid if selling on a phone before the completion of the contract purchase. Otherwise, we could keep going into a store day after day, 'buying' a phone for £99, then taking a £250 'sell back' credit the next day. Nobody sells an iPhone 5S for £99, anywhere.

  • Reply 5 of 19
    crowleycrowley Posts: 10,453member
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by AppleInsider View Post



    A similarly specced iPhone 5S has an advertised trade-in value of just 2.25 pounds.

    4S seems more likely.

  • Reply 6 of 19
    andrewb123 wrote: »
    Contract? What is that? The base cost for a 16GB iPhone 5S is £549, the 64GB model is £709.  Any other option is hire purchase, subsidized by a carrier and any unpaid contract hire fees would need to be re-paid if selling on a phone before the completion of the contract purchase. Otherwise, we could keep going into a store day after day, 'buying' a phone for £99, then taking a £250 'sell back' credit the next day. Nobody sells an iPhone 5S for £99, anywhere.

    By contract I mean subsidised handset. In the UK, it's referred to merely as a contract.

    Edit: plus, the second you receive your handset on contract, you are free to sell it if you like, regardless of how many outstanding months you have left, it is your property the second the contract is processed. So, you are wrong, you can sell the phone before the contract has ended, in the UK atleast.
  • Reply 7 of 19
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Crowley View Post

     

    4S seems more likely.


    I think they may have accidentally clicked 'No' in answer to the question about the phone working correctly.  I did this by mistake at one point too <:(

  • Reply 8 of 19
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by MazeCookie View Post





    By contract I mean subsidised handset. In the UK, it's referred to merely as a contract.



    Edit: plus, the second you receive your handset on contract, you are free to sell it if you like, regardless of how many outstanding months you have left, it is your property the second the contract is processed. So, you are wrong, you can sell the phone before the contract has ended, in the UK atleast.

    But you would be tied in for at least £40 a month for two years, costing nearly £1000 so it wouldn't make sense. You can only gauge the worth of a trade-in based on real off-contract phone prices, unless your phone is over two years old and out of contract (by which time it would be knackered anyway).

  • Reply 9 of 19
    crowley wrote: »
    4S seems more likely.

    I think it might be £225 for the 5.

    Edit: or not. It's to early to decipher. Need coffee.
  • Reply 10 of 19
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by andrewb123 View Post

     

    But you would be tied in for at least £40 a month for two years, costing nearly £1000 so it wouldn't make sense. You can only gauge the worth of a trade-in based on real off-contract phone prices, unless your phone is over two years old and out of contract (by which time it would be knackered anyway).


    If you are talking about an iPhone 5 to a 5S, I was describing a hypothetical situation, merely the rules of the game.

     

    Regardless, some people may want the newest phone each year or to change carrier, so start a new contract and pay the network the remaining 12 months fee, and trade in the previous generation for current generation. Who knows.

  • Reply 11 of 19

    Just checked the value of my 4s with Apple/UK: it's a lot lower than the cash value offered by a dedicated second-hand electronics outfit (entirely separately to my 5s purchase direct from Apple). Do we know what Apple do with the items?

     

    The outfit I use (it's CEX, just to give them a plug since they've given me good service previously) resell the used units at equally public prices so their economics are clear. Apple might just be scrapping them (I do hope not), or selling them on to another reseller, perhaps overseas. If so, their prices will be lower - unless they sacrifice some margin on the new unit.

  • Reply 12 of 19
    richlrichl Posts: 2,213member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by AppleInsider View Post



    For example, Apple's online trade-in calculator powered by Dataserv reveals that a 16-gigabyte black iPhone 5 in perfect condition would net 55 pounds. A similarly specced iPhone 5S has an advertised trade-in value of just 2.25 pounds.

     

    Apple's trade-in programme was showing £185 for a 64GB iPhone 4S in good condition when I looked. That's only about £5 less than the best recycling price that I could find online.

  • Reply 13 of 19
    It makes sense they would expand to every place they can. They don't want folks. Rocking old ass hardware. But many folks don't want to spend the money, especially if they feel they need it unlocked. But if they have no reason to hang onto an old one why not get some money out of it to offset costs
  • Reply 14 of 19
    Their price goes down significantly if it is network-locked, something others don't penalise for. For eg. iPhone 4 32GB from £105 to £35 (O2 Recycle will give you £110). Bizarre.
  • Reply 15 of 19
    kevtkevt Posts: 195member
    My iPhone 4S 32gb white, mint condition 2 year old with accessories.

    Apple trade in £54

    Cash4phones offered £185

    Ten companies over £170

    Average selling price on eBay (last 10 similar tems sold in uk) £240. Less eBay/paypal fees = approx £210

    Can anyone guess which option I'll take when my 5s arrives?

    Complete rip-off, Apple. An insult to your loyal customers.
  • Reply 16 of 19

    Apple's new buyback program is great in a couple of ways.  First, it keeps old electronic waste out of our landfills, thus helping the environment and secondly, it puts a little green in our pockets.  While I applaud this, I have found that other electronic recycling programs such as Reboot Charity enables you to do the same thing but with a big difference...  Reboot Charity uses the proceeds it gets from recycling old iPhones to help the needy, unlike Apple who just  continues to add to their own stockpile of cash with their buyback program.  Check out Reboot Charity here.... 

     

    http://sell.rebootcharity.org.

  • Reply 17 of 19
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by kevt View Post



    My iPhone 4S 32gb white, mint condition 2 year old with accessories.



    Apple trade in £54



    Cash4phones offered £185



    Ten companies over £170



    Average selling price on eBay (last 10 similar tems sold in uk) £240. Less eBay/paypal fees = approx £210



    Can anyone guess which option I'll take when my 5s arrives?



    Complete rip-off, Apple. An insult to your loyal customers.

     

    It obviously isn't in perfect condition, then, unless it's locked to a network, in which case the resell value is significantly lower where ever you sell it.

     

    Apple offers £160 for a 32gb white 4S (unlocked) online, so I doubt it would be less in store, as it's cash online, and goes back into Apple's wallet instore.

  • Reply 18 of 19
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by kevt View Post



    My iPhone 4S 32gb white, mint condition 2 year old with accessories.



    Apple trade in £54



    Cash4phones offered £185



    Ten companies over £170



    Average selling price on eBay (last 10 similar tems sold in uk) £240. Less eBay/paypal fees = approx £210



    Can anyone guess which option I'll take when my 5s arrives?



    Complete rip-off, Apple. An insult to your loyal customers.

    Don't expect Apple to do you any favours.

     

    They're the ones that drop the DVD (which they can get mass volume discounts on...) from the iMac and charge you a 'bloody cheeky' £65 for an external one.  And also up the price of the entry model in addition by £100.

     

    Lemon Bon Bon.

  • Reply 19 of 19
    Originally Posted by Lemon Bon Bon. View Post

    Theyre the ones that drop the DVD (which they can get mass volume discounts on)


     

    Yep. The ONLY consideration for removing the optical drive was PRICE, and even then, Apple is in the wrong because they could have gotten a bulk discount.

     

    Come ON.

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