March 9, 2021
The first months of the new year are generally seen as a time for new beginnings as the dust settles after another busy Christmas season. Resolutions, fitness schedules, garage clean-outs, closet purges, and spare-room purges are all part of the tradition of resolving the excesses of the holiday season.
The beginning of the year is also historically a time when secondhand markets experience a surge. If you were fortunate enough to receive a new smartphone for Christmas, you would need to decide what to do with your old one. Rather than letting it languish in a cupboard or worse, throwing it out, it’s a better idea and try to sell it and make some money.
Is January to March the best month to try to sell a used phone? Is there such a thing as the best time of year to try and sell an old phone? Let’s take a look at some of the most important factors.
The law of supply and demand
After Christmas, the used phone market is surely bustling. However, much of this activity comes from the supply side for the reasons mentioned above – many people have extra phones to sell after the busy holiday shopping season. As a result, it’s a perfect time of year for used phone dealers and retailers to stock up on new stock, as there are a lot of new devices hitting the market.
However, from the perspective of the buyer, this surge in supply means you might not get as good a deal for your old phone as you would otherwise. Although January to March is usually a month of sales and bargain hunters, there is also a certain amount of belt-tightening after Christmas as people begin to watch their pennies once more.
So, what is the best time to hang on to your phone before attempting to sell it? The release dates of new models are an important factor to remember. When Apple releases a new iPhone every fall, there is a sudden influx of older devices into the market as early adopters try to get their hands on the newest version. This lowers the cost of a used phone.
Looking to sell your old phone at least a month before a new release helps to avoid this decrease in value. With iPhones, this is fairly easy as Apple has a fairly consistent routine for new models – selling used iPhones over the summer is usually a good bet. With Samsung phones, it is slightly more difficult as the release dates tend to vary, meaning you have to keep tabs on mobile phone industry news.
Finally, to complete the circle, the run-up to Christmas is always a good time to sell any kind of in-demand item. As smartphones become more durable and customers seek more value, it’s no longer just brand new handsets that people find in their stockings – pristine condition used and refurbished smartphones are just as good as brand new models. As the market expands, late autumn will become an increasingly good time to trade in your old phones to meet rising demand.
JNA Dealer Program distributes thousands of handsets worldwide on a monthly basis several thousand in stock at any one time. If you’re thinking of getting into the used smartphones market, or already in the market and looking for a new reliable supplier, contact our friendly trade team today.
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