There are several pitfalls when trying to get rid of an old phone. This guide is to help maximize the value of the phone and reduce possible headaches.
Repair your phone... if it makes sense.
If the screen is damaged or the back glass is broken, these will reduce the value of whoever is getting the device. Replacing the screen is usually an easy and quick fix for just about any repair shop. On average its $150 to $200 for most iPhone screens and $130 to $400 for Samsung screens. However, most places will trade in a phone at $300 to $400 if it has a broken screen but will give $700 to $800 if it is fixed.
The back glass is another story. The iPhone back glass is way more expensive than a Samsung or other Android phone. If you are able to find a place with the laser machine to take off just the glass and replace it, this will make sense as those repairs usually cost $150. If the repair shop has to replace the whole housing it usually is not worth doing. These start out at $300 but are easily more expensive and most of the time and may or may not come with the Apple logo on the back. Some carriers will not take in a trade in without that logo, same goes for Samsung phones. Samsung back glasses can cost around $100 to $150.
Remove the iCloud or Google account
You will need to know your iCloud username and password for this. If you need to change your password and know your passcode, this is easily done. All you have to do is open Settings > [your name] > Password & Security then press Change Password. With your known password you can sign out on the phone by opening Settings > [your name] then scroll to the bottom and press Sign Out.
On Android Phones this is a bit easier process but the steps may be slightly different depending on who makes your phone and what version Android it is running. Open settings > Accounts > [your google account] and then press remove. For good measure you should also remove any other accounts listed there.
If you do not do this step, the person buying the phone will have to enter your account information should they ever factory reset the phone and may try to contact you again for this information. If they can not reach you the phone will be a brick for them.
Factory Reset the Phone
Factory resetting the phone will remove all of your data, apps, and allow the new owner to put their account information in it. If you did not remove your account information then it will be locked to that account still and require that log in to proceed.
To reset your iPhone open Settings > General > Reset and press Erase All Content and Settings. Follow the prompts and once it has rebooted it is ready to sell.
Android is almost the same process except the steps may be different depending on who makes your phone. If all else fails, open Settings and press the search magnifying glass icon and search for Factory Reset. The General steps for factory reset are open Settings > System > Advanced > Reset Options > Erase All Data > Reset Phone > Erase Everything and then input your unlock method (Pattern, PIN, etc). Once it has rebooted, it is ready for sale.
Who will buy this phone?
There are plenty of good and bad options. There are usually phone ATMs that will give you bottom dollar for the device. These should really only be used as a last resort. Some repair shops may buy them from you if they are in good condition or let you use them as a trade if you buy a new device from them. Game Stop has started to buy old phones as well but does not give much for them. Your highest amount that you can get for the phone is either through your carrier or selling it yourself online. Your carrier generally will give you more for it than someone else will.
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