Trade-ins can win a customer for a new phone and add a profitable second line of used devices, or they can quietly lose money on every handset that arrives. The difference is process: check the phone, grade it consistently, price it from the same bands every time and keep a record tying the device to the seller. This guide fits shops using mobile shop software or Mobile Shop ERP, and is useful on paper too.
Before you quote
- Identity: record the seller's name, ID details and phone number. Many shops keep a copy as required by their own policy and local rules.
- Device identity: note the IMEI and check that the number on the device matches the box or settings.
- Lock status: confirm the phone is signed out of the owner's account and not locked or reported, using the checks available to your trade.
- Function test: screen, touch, camera, speakers, charging, buttons, battery health and connectivity.
Grading
| Grade | Description | Typical route |
|---|---|---|
| A | Fully working, light signs of use | Clean and sell with a short warranty |
| B | Working, visible scratches or worn edges | Sell at a lower price band |
| C | Working with a defect such as a weak battery | Repair, then re-grade |
| D | Faulty or damaged | Spare parts or sale to a parts buyer |
Photograph each phone at intake and attach the photos to the record, so a later dispute about scratches ends quickly.
Pricing from the bands
Base the offer on the current resale price of the model and grade, less the expected repair and cleaning cost and a margin for the risk of holding stock. Use a table that managers update weekly, because used phone prices move with new releases. Staff then quote from the table, and exceptions need approval.
Refurbish, warranty and resale
Parts and labour used in refurbishment go onto the device's cost, so the margin on resale is real. Give resold phones a clear warranty period, stating what it covers, and link the sale to the IMEI. If the device is later flagged as lost or stolen, your intake records show who sold it and when, which protects the shop. For stock accounting see inventory valuation. Ask us to configure the trade-in flow for your counter.