Is it Safe to Buy a Phone from eBay?

When looking for a new smartphone on a budget, finding the best phone for the lowest price is often one of the biggest considerations.

With eBay renowned for being the place to find bargains, it is often one of the first places someone seeking a cheap phone will look.

However, purchasing a phone on eBay must be done with caution. While dedicated second-hand device stores, such as second-handphones.com, will offer benefits like warranties, returns and a clear grading system, eBay sellers may not offer such services.

While most eBay sellers are genuine, there is also the risk of scammers on online market sites.

To help you find genuine reconditioned phones for a reasonable price, we take a look at whether or not it is safe to buy a phone from eBay, what you should look out for and what alternatives you can use.

Why Do People Choose to Purchase Phones on eBay?

Firstly, we should take a look at why eBay is a popular site for people looking for phones.

Big Selection

With thousands of people selling their used devices on eBay, there is a vast variety of phones available on the platform. Therefore, if you’re looking for something specific, then the chances are that you’ll find it on eBay!

Unlocked Phones

Some phones will be locked to a specific network, such as Vodafone or O2. This makes buying a new phone when you use a SIM from a different provider a bit trickier. On eBay, there are many unlocked phones available, making it easier to find a device not restricted by a particular network.

Cheaper

Part of the appeal of eBay is that you will often find devices being sold for far less than they would be when purchased new in phone stores. This is a big draw for many people who cannot afford the latest devices brand new, or for those who don’t really care about phones and just want the cheapest they can find!

Problems With Buying Phones from eBay

While there are some potential benefits of purchasing a phone on eBay, there are also many things to watch out for.

Stolen Phones

One problem with phones sold on eBay is the risk that the phone being sold has been stolen. eBay themselves highlight this as a concern in their guide to buying phones safely on eBay.

In the guide, they recommend that people looking to purchase a phone through eBay ask the seller for the IMEI number or checkMend certificate number so that the buyer can check the phone has not been reported as lost or stolen.

This suggests that the sale of stolen devices is a known problem on eBay.

Misleading Descriptions

Another main problem with purchasing phones on eBay is the way phones are described in listings. This issue can present itself in a number of ways.

Missing information

Firstly, there may be errors in the type of phone being listed.

Private individuals selling their devices on eBay may get details wrong, such as the specific phone model. They may also be unsure about whether the phone is locked or unlocked. Information that an established mobile phone dealer would know to include may be missed.

Gradings

Secondly, there may not be an adequate grading system in place. Grading systems are used by established phone dealers to describe any wear and tear the phone may have. For example, a phone listed as “very good” may be perfectly useable, but with some slight cosmetic damage, such as scratches.

These gradings can be subjective, and unless there is a consistent grading system used by a seller, it can be confusing trying to work out the condition the device is going to arrive in.

Here at second-handphones.com, we have a grading system in place for all of the devices we sell which clearly informs the buyer about the state the phone is in; our system is used consistently across the site.

Scams on eBay

Although eBay has a buyer protection policy, you never want to be in the position of having been scammed. Some scams on eBay are very sneaky, and unless you read the descriptions properly, you could be agreeing to pay for something that you aren’t expecting.

Description Tricks

One of the biggest scams on eBay comes from the clever use of words in descriptions. For example, a listing of “iPhone XR box and instructions” may be a listing literally for the “box and instructions” from the device, and not include the phone itself.

Sellers may also hide important information within a lengthy description. For example, the fact that a phone has a faulty battery may be buried in a huge paragraph about the phone and may be missed by someone just skimming the text.

Fake Phones, Low Prices

A low price is always going to appeal, but if it looks too good to be true, it probably is. It is unlikely that someone is going to be selling a good quality, recent model of iPhone for £50, so have a look at the prices of similar products to compare.

There are many counterfeit smartphones listed on eBay. These are fake phones that look more or less like the real deal but are created in inferior ways, without the security that genuine devices offer. If a phone is listed very cheaply, it may be a fake.

Payments

eBay use PayPal as a way to safely and securely checkout. This method helps to recover funds more easily if a purchase does turn out to be a scam. Because of this, some eBay scammers will try to get you to pay using other methods, not through the site. This makes it much harder to get your money back if it is a scam.

As you can tell, there are many risks to buying from sites such as eBay. If you are looking to buy a phone for less, then it is always worth checking out dedicated second-hand phone stores, such as second-handphones.com, first.

Here, you will find the protection and added security of warranties, complete product descriptions and the option to return a device if it’s not quite what you’re after.

Browse our selection of second-hand devices, including iPhone and Samsung models, and find the perfect phone for you today!