Ask Jerry: What do I need to know about buying a used phone?

Welcome to Ask Jerry, where we talk about any and all the questions you might have about the smart things in your life. I'm Jerry, and I have spent the better part of my life working with tech. I have a background in engineering and R&D and have been covering Android and Google for the past 15 years.

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The right way to buy a used phone

Lev asks:

Jerry I appreciate the ways to save money that you share and I have a question. I need a phone and was thinking about buying used. Is there anything special i should know or need to look out for?

Thanks

Heyo Lev! It's great to hear from someone else who likes to be a little frugal; that can be tough if you're a tech enthusiast.

This is an awesome question because yes, there are a few extra steps you should take if you're buying a used phone, especially if you're buying it through a private sale via online classifieds or eBay. Getting a great piece of equipment at a good price is important, but knowing how to keep from getting ripped off is even more important.

Buying a used phone gives you access to high-end devices and features without paying the early adopter tax. It's also more eco-friendly, if that's your thing, and it avoids the instant depreciation a phone experiences once it's sold. Phones are a lot like cars and are worth significantly less as soon as you've bought one.

Sadly, people are people, and there are folks out there trying to move their junk to you and your money to them. Here are a few things you can do to prevent it.

Do these things first

Look at a reputable seller first. There's a very good chance that a place like Back Market will have the phone you want. You also might be able to buy it recertified from the manufacturer or on Amazon. It may cost a little more, but buying from a place you can 100% trust can be worth a few dollars.

Understand any return policy. A private party sale probably won't have any sort of return policy, but other ways to shop might. Make sure you know what that policy is and how it works before any money changes hands.

Ask questions. Make sure the photos you see are of the actual device for sale. Ask if there has been any exposure to liquid or third-party repairs. Anything you can think of, just ask. You might feel like a pest, but if a seller wants your money, they can put up with a few questions.

Check the IMEI/ESN. Especially for any private sales. You can use these numbers to make sure the phone isn't blacklisted due to non-payment, reported lost, or even worse, a stolen device. Call your carrier with the number, and they will run a check for you before you buy anything.

Ask for a photo showing the phone being charged. Ideally, make sure today's date is shown, too. This lets you know the port isn't broken or the battery hasn't gone squirrelly.

Don't feel like any of this is you asking too much. You're about to spend a good bit on money and there are some answers you need to make sure this is the right phone to buy. Anyone selling a phone should understand.

Other things to keep in mind

Saving money is sweet, but there are a few downsides to buying a used phone. Some are obvious, like it will have a shorter update and customer care period because it's already a bit older. Others aren't as obvious.

There is already wear on the battery. I always talk about the battery in a phone, and that's because it's what goes bad first. Unless you damage something, the reason you stop using an old phone will be the battery. The battery starts to degrade the first time the phone is powered on and cannot be improved. This matters because the person who had it before you might have used the dickens out of it, and there could be more wear and tear on the battery than you realize.

Be prepared for some cosmetic imperfections. The glass will be covered with tiny scratches you can't see, but there may be some you can. Don't buy a phone with obvious mechanical damage, but know that even one that looks perfect probably isn't.

With these two things in mind, I suggest you never buy a used foldable. It's damn near impossible to change the battery, meaning only the company who made it can do it and they love to charge out of warranty prices whenever they can. Wear and tear also means something different for foldables because those tiny scratches on the glass cause stress that leads to breaks and fractures near the hinge.

Companies making foldables are working on making things better, but today I would suggest you only buy your foldables new — with a warranty — from the manufacturer or your phone carrier.

None of this should scare you away from buying a used phone, because the positives outweigh the negatives. Spending half as much to get what was touted as the very pinnacle of tech just last year sounds like a good idea to me!