Phones, consoles and electronics

They sell fast and there’s lots of demand, but it’s where it’s easiest to get it wrong. Learn to check before paying.

Before buying a phone

• IMEI: ask them to show it (dial *#06#) and check it isn’t blocked or reported.
• Account removed: no owner’s iCloud or Google account. If it’s still linked, it’s useless.
• Battery: on an iPhone, check the battery health percentage in Settings. Below 80% the value drops a lot.
• Test everything: screen, cameras, speaker, microphone, charging, buttons, Face ID or fingerprint.
• Unlocked: not locked to a carrier.

Consoles and computers

• Test it switched on with a game for a while: fan noise, controllers, disc drive, ports.
• Ask for it without the owner’s account.
• Bundles (console + controllers + games) usually leave more margin if you sell them separately.

Where the money is

• Changing a battery or screen is cheap and raises the price a lot. If you can’t do it, learn or find someone who does it at a good price.
• A deep clean and a new case change how it looks in photos.