The excitement for buying a used smartphone does not weigh a lot compared to purchasing a brand new phone. That is yet to be touched, installed with the latest and updated features, attractive looks, and wrapped in a stylish box. On the contrary, it may be challenging for gadget-freaks since it may not be possible to buy a new mobile all the time due to affordability.
Whatever the reasons are for switching to a new smartphone. It is necessary to know that buying a used/pre-owned mobile is more or less equal to an adventure, for the market is full of used mobiles.
So, a consumer’s savviness is natural if one wishes to buy a device and avoid deception.
Therefore, to ensure that you have grabbed a good purchase worth spending money on. Here are some helpful tips to make your experience positive with fewer chances of going horrible.
Say ‘No’ to Stolen Phones
What if you are attracted to a mobile that is reported missing or stolen, yet buying it may turn out to be serious trouble for you in the future.
To avoid such problems, demand the seller to provide you with a copy of the billing that confirms the name of the buyer, date of purchase, name of the shop along with warranty details (if applicable), and other minute details necessary to show the ownership of the mobile.
To assure whether it is a stolen phone or not, search for IMEI (International Mobile Equipment Identity) or type *#06# to compare the IMEI number retrieved on the used mobile and written on the bill. Mind that dual sim sets have two IMEI numbers.
Beware of Fake Phones
Today’s market is full of duplicate copies of their original phones that it has become difficult for an ordinary sense to differentiate between the two. Sometimes, important information like IMEI numbers is fake or has any resemblance to actual ones.
During exploring the phone’s model number and hardware specifications, you can ensure that the seller is not fleecing you. Head to Setting and compare the model number with one printed behind the phone’s back or battery. In addition, you can match hardware specifications charted by the company.
Or else, if doubt prevails, Authorised Service Centre can help you crack if the phone is genuine or not.
Physical Health Matters
Now, when you are sure that the phone is pure from robbery and duplication. It’s time to check the physical health of the used smartphone. As a fact, most of the time, buyers don’t consider it worthy of spending enough time investigating the physical health of the used phone. Thus leaving possible angles unexamined and even purchasing online. It is a must to insist the seller on physical demonstration.
It would be best if you examined used phones dents or broken and bruised edges. For touch mobiles, check sensitivity and functionality by moving your fingers on the screen. Tapping options to feel the response time and ease of navigation.
Sometimes, the scratches are so subtle that they are not visible when the screen is not lit up. So, to detect such cracks, keep your display well lit up. Finding such gaps will reflect that the phone has been under many falls and broken
Besides falls and drops, water insertion into the used phone is common. To check this out, evaluate the charging ports and battery attentively. If the mobile has a built-in battery, locate the defect in its sim card slot to indicate the fault for unibody phones.
If the battery is removable, then taking out the battery can indicate the damage through changes in color from white to red or pink, which reveals damage due to liquid leakage, leading to the decay of the phone’s internal elements.
Run a Code Test Service
To know the functionality and soundness of the phone’s different aspects are enabled with services like GSM and CDMA. This allows users to unlock special menus that are usually accessed via dialer. By searching these codes online, one can take a self-test of the phone’s receiver, vibration, sensor, and other phone aspects.
Scrutinize the Condition of the Slots and Accessories of Used Mobiles
While buying a used phone and mobile accessory, it is necessary to invigilate the latter thoroughly. Start examining from charger by plugging it into the phone and tracking the time it takes.
Be mindful of watching irregularities like if the battery is getting heated too soon, and check if the battery is draining fast. Then, scrutinize if the earphones are working by plugging into the phone and playing an audio file to limit its clarity of sound and volume. In the end, evaluate the USB slot of the phone by executing a file transfer test to check the condition of the port.
