Right this second, you probably have a small, powerful computer in your pocket or purse. I’m talking about smart phones —and not only are they powerful, they’re valuable. So how can you get the most for yours when you’re ready to upgrade? That is our featured “make more” segment of this podcast.
My guest is Brian Morris of Flipsy.com, a website that helps you determine the value of your phone and find a buyer for it. Welcome to Easy Money, Brian.
Brian, for folks who aren’t familiar, what is Flipsy and how does it work?
Flipsy.com is the leading online pricing guide that provides accurate values for books, devices, and other items based on current market trends. Flipsy is used by sellers to determine how much their items are worth and by buyers who are seeking fair prices. Flipsy additionally offers a search engine that compares current buyback offers (what sellers can instantly get paid for their items).
Does Flipsy just work for phones? Or other electronics too?
We actually started by providing values for text books. But now we handle iPhones, iPads, Android phones and tablets on Flipsy. Those are our core categories, but we are also getting into pricing and selling of collectible magazines, Star Wars action figures, video game consoles —and more.
OK, so know there are lots of possibilities on FLipsy, folks. But for this interview we will stick with phones and tablets, since everybody has those. Flipsy doesn’t actually buy people’s phones. So how do you arrange the sale for me?
Flipsy lets you instantly compare current offers from dozens of companies competing for used products. If you see an offer you like, you’ll be directed to the buyer’s website to complete your transaction. Online buy back companies guarantee their quotes for 7 days or more. They pay shipping and often provide packaging materials if needed.
And, I assume you have vetted these buyers?
Flipsy.com only lists offers from trust verified stores who have a proven track record of conducting safe online transactions. Flipsy monitors review sites, customer feedback and rating services to make sure stores are maintaining good customer relationships.
How does Flipsy figure out what my phone or tablet is worth?
Flipsy monitors real-world transactions to determine accurate current market values. The value of any item is driven by the market, so Flipsy displays values based on what people are actually buying and selling products for today.
And I assume your phone or tablet has to be in great condition in order to sell it?
No, any Flipsy.com vendors purchase items in a variety of conditions, including New, Like New, Very Good, Good, Fair, Poor, and Broken. No matter what condition your item is in, you can sell it on Flipsy.com.
OK, so let’s whet people’s appetites. I have in my hand an iPhone 6s. I’m a little behind the times. It has 64 gigs. How much can I get for it via Flipsy?
We have offers on Flipsy for as much as $184 for that phone in like-new condition. $130 if it’s just in good condition.
Nice! Now let’s go high end. What’s the highest offer on Flipsy right now for a smart phone?
That would be the iPhone X make/model. There are offers on Flipsy to buy that phone for up to ____ dollars.
And how about a tablet example: give me one iPad and one other tablet example. How much money can people potentially make off of those?
$185-$540.
I imagine sometimes there’s a gap between what Flipsy says a phone or tablet is worth and what buyers are offering. What then?
The solution is a price alert. Flipsy Price alerts automatically notify you via email when an offer matches your set price for an item you want to sell. They’re the best way to quickly cash in when the price is right.
