Common Mistakes to Avoid When Selling Your Galaxy Phone
At SmartphonesPLUS, many people from all over the United States sell us their Samsung phones on a daily basis because we pay top dollar for these devices, but unfortunately, many of those people neglect or simply forget to take some simple steps that could have added more value to their Samsung phones.
So, in this article, we are going to point out some of the most common mistakes people make when selling their Samsung phones and how you can avoid them.
Mistakes to Avoid When Selling Your Samsung Phone
Not Unlocking Your Phone
One of the most common mistakes we see frequently is people selling locked phones. Unlocked phones fetch a much higher price than locked ones simply because they can be used on any network.
Of course, some people knowingly sell their Samsung devices as carrier-locked, which is fine, but in many cases, they just don’t know that by simply calling their carrier, they can get their Samsung phone unlocked and sell it for a much higher price. Carriers have different requirements for unlocking phones. In most cases, you simply need to pay off the phone. However, some carriers will allow you to unlock the phone if it has been active on their service for a specific amount of time. Call your carrier to ask about their specific unlocking requirements.
How To Check If Your Samsung Phone is Locked
A simple way to check if your Galaxy phone is locked is to borrow a SIM card from a friend or family member who uses a different carrier. Power your phone off, then insert the SIM card into your Samsung device. If the phone connects to the new network and you can do things like make calls, and use mobile data (not just WiFi) it’s likely unlocked. But if it doesn’t and it displays a message like “SIM not valid,” “Network locked,” “Enter unlock code,” or similar, it’s likely locked. If you’re not sure, contact your carrier to confirm.
Forgetting to Remove Personal Accounts
This is another mistake that we see happen all too often when people want to sell their Samsung phone. Many people assume that a factory reset makes a device ready to be resold, but they often overlook an important step. For Samsung and other Android phones, it’s essential to sign out of the Google account before resetting. If this step is missed, the phone will require the email and password of the previous owner to be entered before it can be used again. This is called a factory reset protection lock or FRP lock. It was created to safeguard stolen phones from being used after a factory reset.
How To Effectively Remove Accounts From Your Samsung Phone
- Go to Settings.
- Tap Accounts and backup or Users and accounts.
- Select Manage accounts.
- Choose the account to remove.
- Tap Remove account.
Note: Removing your Samsung account may require signing out.
To find out how you can remove accounts on all types of phones and other electronics read our Guide to Removing iCloud, Google, and Samsung Accounts.
Cosmetic or Functional Damage
Cosmetic and functional damage like cracks, scratches, dents, faulty buttons, etc. erodes any phone’s value, including Samsung devices. It is advised you use your device as carefully as you can because even the slightest damage on parts of the Samsung device, like its screen, will drop the device’s value significantly (because the whole screen has to be replaced). So while the phone is in your possession, use a screen protector and case to protect the device.
Undervaluing Your Samsung Phone
Many people make the costly mistake of undervaluing and selling their Samsung phones below market value just because they didn’t take the time to know how to do market research. Market research helps you assess the value of your device in its current condition, helping you know the best price to sell your Samsung device.
How To Do Market Research Before Selling Your Samsung Phone
- Check online marketplaces: Look at recently sold listings on eBay, Swappa, Facebook Marketplace, and other similar platforms for the same model and condition as yours.
- Use trade-in websites: Check Samsung’s trade-in value or the trade in value on a cell phone buyback site. These can provide a good estimate of your phone’s worth.
- Consider the condition: Adjust the price based on your phone’s condition (mint, good, fair, etc.). Scratches, dents, and other damage will lower the value.
Overlooking Proper Cleaning
The importance of presenting a clean and good looking phone to potential buyers cannot be overstated. Just put yourself in the shoes of a potential buyer. If you had two used Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultras in front of you, one looks neat and clean, almost as if it just came out of its box. And another of the same device, same color, with stains on its back glass, fingerprints, dust around camera rings, and dirt in the speaker mesh. Which one are you choosing?
In this case, we would all choose the one that’s been cleaned. So clean your Samsung device properly before presenting it to potential buyers or listing it for sale online. It’s always a good idea to practice good phone hygiene and keep your device clean, not just when you’re getting ready to sell it, but all the time!
Using Poor Quality Photos for Listings
High-quality photos are crucial elements for listing your Samsung Galaxy phone online for sale. Poor-quality photos communicate a bad message to potential buyers; in fact, many people see poor-quality listing photos as a tactic for hiding physical issues that higher-quality photos would reveal.
There’s also the fact that high-quality photos will make your Samsung phone listing look more appealing to potential buyers. When
Choosing the Wrong Selling Platform
Selling your Galaxy phone online has become increasingly convenient with numerous platforms available. However, not all platforms are created equal. So choosing the right platform is crucial for a successful and secure selling experience.
When selling your Galaxy phone, choose a platform that aligns with your priorities: speed, security, and maximizing profit. Consider transaction speed, buyer protection features, and seller fees when making your decision. Also, consider the amount of time you will spend selling it and whether or not that time will be worth it to you. Generally you can save the most time by selling to an online an online phone trade in site.
Ignoring Scammers and Fraud Risks
Often, sellers are eager to sell their used Samsung Galaxy phone as quickly as possible. Unfortunately, this urgency can cause them to ignore or overlook the obvious red flags of a scammer.
Other times, the scammer is a pro at conning people out of their own devices and disappearing without a trace. This is why we recommend selling your device to trusted buyers like SmartphonesPLUS. So here are a few tips to recognize and avoid scammers while selling your Samsung Galaxy phone.
Tips to Avoid Scammers When Selling Your Samsung Galaxy Phone
- Be wary of: Eager buyers, requests to communicate off-platform, unusual payment methods (wire transfers, crypto, gift cards), overpayments, unusual shipping requests, poor grammar, pressure to act fast, and fake payment proof.
- Use: Secure platform payments like PayPal or Venmo, public meeting places for local sales, tracking and insurance for shipping.
- Verify: Buyer identities (if possible), payment directly with your bank/processor.
- Don’t: Ignore your instincts (it’s better to be safe than sorry).
- Consider: Selling to reputable buyback services like SmartphonesPLUS for a safe and secure transaction.
Final Thoughts
Selling your Samsung Galaxy phone can be profitable if done right. Many sellers unintentionally lose money because of simple mistakes like not unlocking their device, forgetting to log out of Google accounts, not cleaning their device properly, using low quality photos, or not being aware of scams.
By avoiding these mistakes and preparing thoroughly, you’ll ensure a smoother, more profitable sale.
Ready to learn more about selling your Galaxy phone? Check out our guide on how to properly sell your Galaxy phone.
Sell to SmartphonesPLUS for unmatched convenience and competitive prices for your device.
