SellCell.com FAQs

SellCell is the US's No 1 phone & tech trade-in site. More people use our site to sell their phone than any other site in the US. We have been in business for over a decade helping millions of users find the best price for their old phone. We are a comparison site that compares the prices of over 40+ tech buyers to help users find the best price for their old phone & tech. SellCell also offers users a handy refurbished phone comparison. We compare top refurbished phone & tech sellers to provide the best deals for users. Our independent and unbiased comparisons show much more than just price, we display user reviews, payout options and where appropriate warranty terms.

SellCell is the US's No 1 phone & tech trade-in site. We have been in business for over a decade and have helped millions of users get the best price for their old device. We are a comparison site and save you time and hassle of finding the best price for your old phone by comparing more buyers than anyone else so you're GUARANTEED to get the most money for your phone, tablet, & tech. On top of that, our comparisons are completely unbiased and unlike some sites we operate a minimum quality standard with all our buyers – some of whom are exclusive to SellCell. We also offer a Best Price Guarantee, which means if you do find a better price elsewhere (although it's not very likely), we'll refund you double the difference. SellCell only lists trusted buyers that have been vetted by our team, so you have the reassurance that you are dealing with a reputable buyer.

As well as being about to sell your phone at SellCell we offer users a comparison of brands that sell refurbished and pre-owned phones. We compare prices, user reviews, warranty terms, payment terms and any credit options available. At the touch of a button and in seconds, SellCell can help you to find a refurbished phone, tablet, smartwatch, game console or mac at a much better price than buying brand new. All our partners are reputable and trustworthy sellers and have been extensively vetted by the SellCell Team.

It is environmentally friendly to sell your phone at SellCell.com When you have selected a buyer on our site, you will be sent a shipping label to send your phone to the buyer. The buyer will then test the phone to check the condition and functionality of the phone prior to sending you your final payment offer. If you accept the offer the buyer will then either sell the phone in it's existing condition or will refurbish the phone replacing any parts necessary to get it into sellable working order. If your phone cannot be resold and reused by someone else because it is very badly damaged it will be classed as 'Beyond Economical Repair' and disposed of in an environmentally friendly way so it doesn't end up in a landfill site.

Most of the phones are either sold in the US or sent for reuse in markets such as Asia, Africa, and India. Your old cell phone could give someone in the third world their first glimpse of the internet!

Did you know that you cannot throw your old cell phone in the trash; not only is against the law, but it is harmful to the environment. Cell phones contain many dangerous persistent toxins that accumulate in the environment, including arsenic, antimony, lead, beryllium, copper, cadmium, nickel and zinc. Always ensure you recycle your cell phone through a professional organisation, like those listed on our site, to ensure they are disposed of correctly. Check here for more facts about safe cell phone recycling

We're sorry - but we get our phone information directly from the phone buyers featured on our site - and this means that if a phone is not showing up in the search results then none of the companies are currently offering to buy that model. At SellCell.com we get you offers on the widest range of devices. So if your device is missing, then let us know, perhaps we can get it added to our list!

We welcome bulk sales and we can make it easy for business & organizations looking to sell over 20 devices. We can arrange free collection, certified data destruction and of course we guarantee to get you the best price for your old business phones.

Just contact us and we can arrange it for you hassle free and without the worry!

YES: SellCell has been around since 2008 and we’ve helped people to sell over 2 million devices worth over $250 million in that time! More people use us than any other trade-in site. We compare the prices of all the leading cell phone buyers and present you with an unbiased price comparison and help you get more cash for your old cell phones.

YES: More people have used SellCell than any other trade-in site. Why? Because, they trust our 100% impartial price comparison. We present you with unbiased facts and let you decide on the best deal. We save you time by comparing the prices of all the top buyers to get you the most cash for your old cell phones and tablets.

We vet every brand that is listed on our site. Checks include extensive company trading checks and customer satisfaction reviews. Our team monitors brands regularly to ensure they are meeting our high partner standards. SellCell also offers users a ‘SellCell Promise’ that if you have an issue that cannot be successfully resolved with any third party site we will step in and act as an arbitrator between you and the brand to find a positive resolution.

YES: Providing this is a valid claim we absolutely payout. This is not a false marketing claim. SellCell has and does pay out all valid claims. We get very few Best Price Guarantees as we offer the highest online prices in the trade-in category by comparing more buyers than anyone else. But, we do have claims every year that we payout to our users! Please note that we only offer our Best Price Guarantee on the Trade-in side of the business. More details can be found here

NO: Whether you are looking to sell an old device or buy a refurbished one we offer a comparison that includes tablets, smartwatches, iPads, E-Readers, Games Consoles, Macs and Smart Home options. We generally have most handheld electronics covered across 1000's of lines.

YES: SellCell will help you with any problem you have with a brand listed on our site. If you need to chase your order we recommend that you initially get in contact with the brand by email using the details listed on our Partners Page. If you do not get a timely answer or are not happy with the response SellCell will help you to chase the buyer and successfully close down any issues to a satisfactory conclusion. As we thoroughly vet our buyers & sellers to ensure they are offering the highest levels of service we get very few complaints, but if you have any issues we want to help!

When using SellCell.com you can have peace of mind that we will be there for you as a second line of defense should any issues arise. Our Customer Service Team can be reached at and will respond within 24 hours.

There are 4 easy steps to follow in order to trade in cell phone or tablet...

1.) Compare Prices
Use the search box at the top of the page to search for the cell phone or tablet that you want to sell.

2.) Choose the best deal
We compare prices from ALL the leading cell phone buyers to find you the best price for the phone / tablet you want to sell. All you have to do is choose which company you want to sell your device to. Sounds too simple to be true? Well, it's not!

3.) Post your device
After you've chosen a buyer, follow the simple instructions to post your device to them.

4.) Get paid!
Once the buyer has received and checked your device there's no messing about – you'll get your cash straight away. Sold!

We have a series of Seller's guides that will help you with every aspect of selling your cell phone or mobile device. There are some really helpful blog posts that our team have also written that may be useful for you. We also have a Customer Service Team that is very happy to answer your questions. Just email them .

Every buyer featured on SellCell goes through a rigorous background check prior to being listed on our site. These checks include trading performance, financial responsiveness and also customer satisfaction checks. Part of this background check looks at customer experience. For every buyer, we look at the major review sites (BBB, Trustpilot, Reseller Ratings, Shopper Approved, Reviews.io etc.) and this gives us an independent overview of how the buyer performs. We also include this information in our price comparison so you can see for yourself how they rate. So rest assured, when you choose a buyer you can have peace of mind that they are a trustworthy company.

In the majority of cases cell phones can be resold. Most are resold in the US and some are sent to Asia, Africa and India.

Many phones are refurbished, restoring a phone to 100% working order, before being resold. If a phone cannot be repaired, then it is classified as 'Beyond Economical Repair'.

Phones that are beyond economical repair are disposed of in an environmentally friendly way.

To learn more about the process, take a look at our in-depth guide to cell phone recycling which answers this question in a lot more detail.

YES: If you are having problems with one of the buyers, we want to know about it! We want you to have a positive experience from start to finish using SellCell.

If you're having problems then our advice is to try and contact the buyer directly first. When you placed your order with the buyer, you should have received an order confirmation email from them. If you don’t already know, this will tell you who the buyer is and it should contain contact details for their customer services.

Still having problems? Then contact us either by completing the enquiry form on Help / Contact Us page or by emailing us at

SellCell are happy to help resolve any issues with any brand listed on our website!

YES: Although the primary focus of SellCell is to help people to sell their phone and other tech in the US, we've put together a helpful guide for people who live in Canada.  We provide you with a list of the best places to sell your phone in Canada, and as with our US buyers - all companies featured in this list have been vetted so that you can sell with confidence.  So why not take a look at our guide now by clicking here.

YES: almost all of the phone buyers featured on our site will still pay you for a phone that's not working. To find out how much your phone is worth just enter the make and model of your phone into the search box at SellCell.com and click Search. Or you can click on the make of your phone in the "Search By Brand" section below the search box, and then on the picture of your device.

1.) You can use the filters to search based on the condition of your phone:

• Like New
• Good
• Poor
• Faulty

2.) If required you can specify which Network you are connected to and Memory Capacity.

3.) Then you'll see a list of all of the different cell phone buyback companies and the prices that they will pay you for your phone based on the condition you identified in step 1. Just choose which Buyer to sell your device to and Click "GET PAID"

It's also worth taking a closer look at the shipping and payment details in the price comparison. Find out if the buyback company offers free shipping and other useful information such as payment speed and how long the price offered is valid for.

Most of the phone buyers on our site DO NOT require you to send the charger. With most of the companies all you need to send is the phone and battery.

Remember you SHOULD NOT send the SIM card or memory card.

We compare the prices from lots of different phone buyers on the site to get you the best deal. They each have slightly different definitions of 'working' and 'non-working' but as a guide here are the general definitions:

To be considered as "Like New":

• Device looks brand new with zero signs of use
• Flawless condition with no scratches or cosmetic blemishes of any kind
• 100% fully functional

To be considered as "Good":

• Light to moderate signs of wear or scratches consistent with normal use
• 100% fully functional
• Most common device condition (80%+ of devices)

To be considered as "Poor":

• Heavy signs of wear (eg. excessive scratches, dents) but otherwise 100% functional

To be considered as "Faulty":

• Device is damaged or faulty
• eg. smashed screen, faulty screen, faulty camera / charging port / microphone, etc.

Please note that very few Buyers will accept devices that have evidence of Water Damage as this will completely blow the mobile device's mother board.

Basically, if it can still be used as a working phone then that's what the phone buyer will treat it as and pay you accordingly. If it is a non-working phone then you can still sell it and all you need to do is select the "Faulty" condition on the comparison page to get the top prices. The above definitions are a general guide so when you have chosen which phone buyer to sell your phone to it is worth double-checking their Terms & Conditions.

To find out the 'working' and 'non-working' prices for your phone just enter the make and model of your phone into the search box at SellCell.com and click Search. At the top of the screen you will see up to 3 filters:

1. Network
2. Capacity
3. Condition

Under condition choose either "Like New", "Good", "Poor" or "Faulty".

Take a look at the shipping and payment details as well as the price offered in the price comparison. This will tell you if the buyback company offers free shipping and other useful information such as payment speed and how long the price offered is valid for. Then just choose which Buyer to sell your phone to and Click "GET PAID".

It will be difficult to ultimately know if your iPhone is suffering from water damage as the internal LDI's (Liquid Damage Indicator) are hard to access being enclosed within the phone itself. But iPhones usually also have two external LDI's. These are located in the headphone jack and dock area. To see them, you will need a torch. You should be able to see either a red or white dot. Red indicates water damage, whereas white will indicate no water damage.

If both dot's are white then your iPhone is perfect fine.

If your iPhone has two red positive dots then it's likely your phone has been affected by water damage. Although, there are two more LDI's on the inside which are hard to access as you will need to take your iPhone apart.

If your iPhone has one red dot and one white dot then it will also need to be diagnosed for water damage by the inside sensor too. Check out our You Tube video on how to diagnose water damage on an iPhone.

YES: you can sell your financed phone. On the device / price comparison page look for "Got a iCloud Locked or Blacklisted..." link to the right of the Condition filters. Here you'll find prices specifically for phones that are financed.

If you can't see the link then the buyers are not providing us with a price specifically for a financed device. Under these circumstances, set the condition filter to "Faulty" to get your price.

What is a financed phone?

These are devices that are still under contract by the carrier they were originally leased by; but the account holder is still making payments on these devices. Devices with a remaining balance on them are not able to be unlocked or activated on another user’s account. If a financed phone stops getting payments made on it, it will turn into a blacklisted phone.

A good real life example of this would be someone wanting to upgrade their phone while still owing money on it, but not being able to afford to pay the phone’s remaining balance owed all at once. They can sell their device through SellCell, receive payment, and pay off the existing loan they have for that phone, allowing them to then upgrade (or maybe even downgrade).

YES: you can sell your passcode locked phone. On the device / price comparison page look for "Got a iCloud Locked or Blacklisted..." link to the right of the Condition filters. Here you'll find prices specifically for phones that are passcode locked.

If you can't see the link then the buyers are not providing us with a price specifically for a passcode locked device. Under these circumstances, set the condition filter to "Faulty" to get your price.

What is a passcode locked phone?

This occurs when the user has forgotten the passcode and then enters it too many times in a short space of time. This can then disable the device. iPhones give you a cooling down period to try and remember the passcode before finally disabling the device. If the user cannot remember the passcode with iPhones, the only way to resolve this is to totally erase your device and start again. This deletes everything saved, unless it is backed up. Google allows you to go into the security setting and reset your password and recover your account

YES: you can sell your blacklisted phone. On the device / comparison page look for "Got a iCloud Locked or Blacklisted..." link to the right of the Condition filter. Here you'll find prices specifically for phones that are blacklisted.

If you can't see the link then the buyers are not providing us with a price specifically for a blacklisted device. Under these circumstances, set the condition filter to "Faulty" to get your price.

What is a blacklisted (bad IMEI) phone?

This is when the devices IMEI number, or international mobile equipment identity number (a unique set of numbers that allows for carriers, law enforcement, etc. to identify a specific phone), has been blacklisted by that phone’s original carrier, an insurance company, or other entity. Bad IMEI phones are unable to connect to any cell towers (at least here in the US) to make calls or go on the internet, basically making them an overly expensive iPod.

An example of this would be if someone lost their phone and reported that phone as “lost” to whoever has agreed to insure their phone for them, and after receiving a replacement phone from that insurance company, they then found the phone they had thought they had lost. The phone would now be useless, but assuming their insurance company doesn’t need it back, they would be able to sell it to us for a competitive price. The most common scenario is someone getting tricked into purchasing one of these devices. A lot of times people will sell a phone that they still owe money on to an unsuspecting customer, and once the sale is final they will stop paying their bill, making that phone they just sold blacklisted. For the person that just bought the phone, the phone is now useless on all carriers

If you have an Apple device that is locked to an iCloud account, you must unlock it before you sell it. If you don't you may find the buyer will reduce the amount of money they will pay. If you have not unlocked the account you must price it as "Faulty" condition.

If your phone is cracked, then generally speaking this would fall under "Faulty" condition.

Having said this the buyers definitions vary slightly, so some buyers might accept a cracked phone as "Poor" condition if it is 100% fully working.

Our advice is to check the buyers definitions carefully and if in doubt contact them and they’ll be able to advise.

YES: Phone buyers do accept water damaged phones but unfortunately these would be classified as in "Faulty" condition. So when you’re on the comparison page, you’d need to select “Faulty” for the condition filter in order to get the best deal for your water damaged phone.

When the recycler receives your device they will inspect and test it to make sure it matches the condition you specified when you placed your order. This process will involve checking every function of the phone. If the condition doesn’t match what you specified, then the recycler reserves the right to provide you with an adjusted offer. They’ll contact you by email if this is the case and you’ll have the opportunity to either accept or reject their new offer. If you reject the offer, then the recycler will simply return the device to you.

We have 4 conditions to select from. Just select which represents your phone's conditions best and this will help you find the best price and buyer for your phone.

Our conditions are:

Like New:

• Device looks brand new with zero signs of use
• Flawless condition with no scratches or cosmetic blemishes of any kind
• 100% fully functional

Good:

• Light to moderate signs of wear or scratches consistent with normal use
• 100% fully functional
• Most common device condition (80%+ of devices)

Poor:

• Heavy signs of wear (eg. excessive scratches, dents) but otherwise 100% functional

Faulty:

• Device is damaged or faulty
• eg. smashed screen, faulty screen, faulty camera / charging port / microphone, etc.

Buyers conditions may vary slightly from these, so check prior to placing an order.

TIP: We recommend always taking a date stamped photo of your device prior to sending the device in.

Before you send your phone to the buyer you should wipe all the data from your device and backup your data and images so that you don't lose them. You can follow your manufacturer's support guides in doing this or review our How-to Guides.

For peace of mind all of our buyers will wipe your data anyhow so there will be nothing left on your device. Check the terms and conditions of the service that you choose, but the ultimate responsibility for your data is always yours.

Tip: We also recommend that you remove the SIM and any memory cards before sending your cell phone/device. Check out our How-to Guides on how to restore your factory settings and wipe your data. Remember also if you have an Apple device to deactivate your iCloud account!

NO: you don't need to. None of our featured recyclers will need your SIM card and we recommend you to remove the SIM and any memory cards before sending your cell phone/device to any of our recyclers. Remember your SIM card may have your own personal data on it.

Tip: Remember to remove any memory cards & wipe your data before you send your device.

IMEI stands for International Mobile Equipment Identity and is a serial number unique to every GSM phone. A GSM phone has a SIM Card and is usually AT&T or T-Mobile. You will usually find it printed on the back of your phone under the battery. It should be 15 digits long. You can find your phones IMEI number on the backplate of the phone, which is usually under the battery, or, on some phones, you can type *# 06 # into your keypad and your phone will display it's IMEI number.

The IMEI number could also be referred to as the MEID or ESN number.

IMEI stands for International Mobile Equipment Identity and is a serial number unique to every GSM phone. You will usually find it printed on the back of your phone under the battery. It should be 15 digits long. You can find your phones IMEI number on the backplate of the phone, which is usually under the battery, or, on some phones, you can type *# 06 # into your keypad and your phone will display it's IMEI number.

To find the IMEI on your Android device:

1. Tap Settings from the Home screen.
2. Scroll toward the bottom and tap About phone.
3. Tap Status.
4. Scroll down and the IMEI number is listed there.

IMEI is a 15 digits long serial number unique to every GSM phone. IMEI stands for International Mobile Equipment Identity. On some iphones, you can type *#06# into your keypad and your phone will display it's IMEI number.

If this does not work you can find it on the about screen:

1. Tap the Settings icon
2. Tap General
3. Tap About - you will find your IMEI about 14 lines down just under your serial number.

The ESN (Electronic Serial Number) is a serial number unique to each and every CDMA phone. A CDMA phone typically does not have a SIM Card and is usually Verizon, Sprint, Virgin Mobile, Boost Mobile, Metro PCS, Cricket or Alltel.

An ESN may NOT be clear for activation by a new user for the following reasons:

• The device is still "Active" on your account
• The account associated with the device has an outstanding balance
• The device has been reported as lost or stolen

An ESN can also be referred to as an MEID (Mobile Equipment Identifier) .This number is tied to a carrier and helps record the activity and status of the device.

Prior to inspection, the buyback company will check to ensure that the ESN has been deactivated. If the ESN is not clear for activation, they will notify you via email and hold the item. They will ask you to contact your carrier and clear any issues that are causing your item's ESN to be active so that they can pay you the full amount.

Unfortunately, if you are unable to clear your ESN for activation, the buyback company will consider your phone to be in "Faulty" condition, since it is only worth its value in parts and cannot be activated by a new user.

MEID stands for Mobile Equipment Identifier. Is also often called an ESN number.

If you have an Apple device that is locked to an iCloud account, you must unlock it before you sell it. If you don't, you may find the buyer will reduce the amount of money they will pay.

Removing your iCloud account from your device is easy and can either be done via the device itself or via iCloud.com.

Please follow either Option 1 or Option 2 instructions below. Option 2 is recommended if your device is faulty.

OPTION 1

Removing iCloud account via your device:

1. Turn device ON
2. Select Settings
3. Select iCloud
4. Press Delete Account
5. Enter Apple ID password when prompted
6. Select Turn Off

Please note: The above process must be done before wiping or restoring the device.

OPTION 2

Removing iCloud account via iCloud.com:

1. Device must be switched OFF
2. Log into iCloud.com with Apple ID and password
3. Select Find My iPhone
4. Select device from All Devices drop down (top, centre of screen)
5. Device should appear as Offline
6. Select Remove from Account
7. Select Remove on confirmation message

To find out which model of iPhone you own, you’ll need to find the model number.

Settings
Go to Settings > General > About. To the right of "Model" you’ll see a model number beginning with an "A" i.e. A1920.

Look on your device
On the iPhone 8 and later models you'll find the model number on the SIM tray. Carefully remove the SIM tray and look for a model number beginning with "A" i.e. A1920.

Prior to the Phone 8 you can find the model number on the back of the device in very small text. Again, look for a model number beginning with "A" i.e. A1920

You can then use the following page to work out what model of iPhone you've got.

https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT201296

To find out what model of Samsung phone you own you can either look in Settings or look for it printed on the device.

Settings
Go to Settings > About phone. You should see a model name i.e. Galaxy S20

Printed on the Device
If you look at the back of your device, towards the bottom of the phone Samsung print the IMEI, serial and model numbers on the phone.

If you take the model number which will look something like “SM-G950F” and search for this in Google it’ll tell you what model you have. So for example "SM-G950F" is a Galaxy S8.

To find out how much your cellphone or mobile device is worth just enter the make and model of your cellphone, tablet or device into the search box at SellCell.com and click Search. Or you can simply click on the make of your phone below the search box in the "Search By Brand" section and click on the picture of your device.

Then you'll see a list of all the different cellphone buyback companies and the prices that they will pay you for your phone, you will also see some filters at the top of the page which you can use to select the following:

1. Network (if applicable),
2. Capacity (if applicable) and
3. the Condition of your device either 'Like New', 'Good', 'Poor', or 'Faulty'

Once you have selected the correct condition for your phone and if required the Network & Capacity, then you will see below a full list of buyers and how much they will pay your device.

Make sure that you have got the correct device otherwise the buyer may change their offer.

Once you are sure you have got the right device then choose the best deal for you from the list of buyers below by clicking "GET PAID".

Tip: to help you make you mind up which offer to accept there is some really useful information on this page:

• Reviews below the Buyer's logo you'll see the buyers current rating on one of the major review sites (BBB, Trustpilot, Reseller Rating, Shopper Approved, Reviews.io, Google Review or eBay Rating)
• Shipping & Payment in the comparison pay particular attention to the shipping and payment details. This tells you if the buyer provides a free shipping service, how long it takes for you to get paid once they recieve your device and how long the offer is valid for.

Most of the phone buyers will keep their offer open for 14 days, so it's always wise to take the best offer as soon as possible. Our advice is that it's best not to wait: cell phones are a very quick changing technology and the price you are offered today might be much lower in a few days, so if you see a price that's attractive you should accept the offer straight away and make sure you post your phone to them without delay.

Each buyer has different terms and conditions. Pay particular attention to the shipping and payment information in the price comparison. Here we indicate whether or not the buyer provides a free shipping serivce, how long it takes to get paid and how long an offer is valid for.

SellCell.com is a mobile phone recycling price comparison site. We do not actually buy the phones ourselves so you would not have sent the phone to us. The way it works is that you go on to our site and search for your phone then our site compares the prices for that phone from all the different phone buyers so you get the best deal when selling your old mobile.

You choose which phone buyer you want to sell your mobile to and then you click through from our site to the phone buyers site to place your order. This means your order is not actually placed with us but direct with the phone buyer and so if you have any queries about your order you will need to speak direct to the company you placed the order with.

When you placed your order with the phone buyer you should have received an email confirmation from them with their details and how to contact them. Or go to our Help / Contact Us page and you will see that there is a link to all the phone buyers we feature on our site. Please initially get in contact with the customer service department at the company you placed your order with and they will be able to help you.

If you need extra support chasing your buyer the Customer Service Team at SellCell will help you. Simply drop us an email with your Order Number and the name of the Buyer you sent your phone to and our team will help.

Each buyer on our site has different payment terms.

When you are on the cellphone / device comparison page, you will be able to see how long each buyer takes to pay once they recieve your device.

There is also other useful information in the price comparison like how long their offer is valid for and whether the buyer will pay for the shipping of your device.

To find out more information on the buyers featured on our site check out our Partners page.

Each buyer on our site offers a variety of payment methods: most will offer payment by Check & Paypal, some will offer Bank Transfer.

To find out more information on the buyers featured on our site check out our Partners page.

How you need to ship your device is dependent on which Buyer you have chosen to send you device to. Most will offer a Free Shipping service where you simply need to print out a shipping label. Some will even send you a free shipping pack so you don't even have to package the device yourself.

Our Top Ten Tips for Shipping: If you have been provided with a padded envelope by your buyer we would suggest you put a piece cardboard folded around your phone and tape the sides to stop it sliding about in transit. You can then put this in the padded envelope for added protection.

1. Take a photo of your device before you send it
2. Remember to fully charge your device
3. Clear off any personal data & deactivate any linked iCloud accounts
4. Remove the SIM and memory card if there is one
5. Make sure the phone is switched off
6. Pack your phone in strong rigid packaging
7. Secure the device against movement
8. Do not send more than two phones in the same packet unless using a courier
9. Make sure your name & return address are clearly visible
10. Remember if your cellphone or mobile device is valuable to opt for a tracked shipping method with insurance

SellCell.com is a cellphone recycling price comparison site. We do not actually buy the phones ourselves so you would not have sent the phone to us. The way it works is that you go on to our site and search for your phone then our site compares the prices for that phone from all the different phone buyers so you get the best deal when selling your old cellphone. You choose which phone buyer you want to sell your cell to and then you click through from our site to the phone buyer site to place your order.

This means your order is not actually placed with us, but direct with the phone buyer and so if you want to know whether they have received your phone and check on the status of your order you will need to speak direct to the company you placed the order with.

When you placed your order with the phone buyer you should have received an email confirmation from them with their details and how to contact them.

Alternatively go to our Help / Contact Us page and you will see that there is a link to all the phone buyers we feature on our site. Please get in contact with the customer service department at the company you placed your order with and they will be able to help you.

Generally No. Almost all of the phone buyers we feature on our site offer a Free Shipping service. Some will even send you a free shipping pack so you don't even have to package the device yourself.

Search for your phone and in the comparison results you can see whether the buyer will pay for shipping of your device. We will also tell you how long their offer is valid and how long it takes to get paid once they recieve your device.

Tip: if your phone is a higher value model and worth more than $50 we recommend sending it by courier rather than using the Free Shipping option, because it means that your device is tracked and insured. You should be very careful when you package your item to make sure it is not damaged during transit. If you still have your device's original packaging, sending it this way is a fantastic way to send it. If you do not have the original packaging, make sure that you cushion your item well. You can use bubble wrap, cardboard or other packaging material to cushion your item.

You can send as many phones as you want. If you are sending more than 20 devices then please contact us and we can get you the best price and arrange a free courier service to collect your devices.

Don't forget though that one company won't always offer the best price for every single phone: our advice is to use our cellphone price comparison service at SellCell.com and check who is offering the best price for each separate phone in your collection: that way you won't miss out on an excellent offer from one company for a specific phone!

You should receive your shipping label as soon as you’ve placed your order with the recycler. They’ll send you an order confirmation email, and the shipping label is usually attached to this.

If you have not received your shipping label then you’ll need to contact the buyers customer services team. You can find their contact details on the order confirmation email or you can use our Help / Contact Us page which has the contact details for all of the buyers featured on SellCell.

Steps for buying a refurbished / pre-owned cell phone from SellCell are as follows:

1. Go to the buy refurbished / pre-owned homepage and use the search box to search for the cell phone or tablet that you want to buy
2. We compare prices and find you the best deal. All you have to do is choose which company you want to buy the device from
3. Click on “BUY NOW” and complete the checkout process, placing your order
4. Your new phone or tablet is promptly dispatched to you

A refurbished phone is a device that has been refurbished back to 100% working condition. When a device is sold through SellCell in 90% of cases the buyer will sell this device back again through their site or other International markets. In some cases the phones will need to be refurbished or repaired to get them into full working order. This means that the buyer may swap the battery or charging port or in some cases replace the screen. The buyer will then put the device through as many as 40 functional checks to ensure that it is operating perfectly. In many cases refurbished phones actually have more tests completed to check they are working than brand new phones, so you can rest assured that they will be excellent alternatives to a brand new phone. Buying a refurbished phone is a genuine alternative to buying a new phone, providing all the benefits of a new phone at a much cheaper price.

All refurbished phones are 100% fully working, but there are different grades of cosmetic condition. Every company has slightly different definitions but as a guide, here are the general definitions.

Like New
Looks just like a brand new phone with zero signs of use. No scratches or marks anywhere on the screen or body

Excellent
Device is in pristine condition with minimal signs of use. Screen is in excellent condition with no scratches. Might have some very light scratches on the body

Very Good
Device is in very good condition with only light signs of use. Screen is in excellent condition with no scratches. Might have some light to moderate marks or scratches on the body

Good
Device has visible signs of moderate use. Screen may have some small scratches. Clearly visible marks and scratches on the body

Fair
Device has excessive signs of use. Expect some scratches on the screen and excessive scratches, marks and possibly even some dents on the body

YES: If you're looking for a high quality device that offers all the benefits of a brand new phone but at a much cheaper price then a refurbished phone is for you! Refurbished phones can be hundreds of dollars cheaper than buying the same phone brand new. Don’t believe us check out our savings report which shows you how much you will save. Refurbished phone buyers listed on our site will also offer a range of warranty plans on the phone you have purchased and payment plans to stagger payments if necessary.

Not only are you making a big cash saving but you are also doing your bit to help the environment when you buy a refurbished phone. Buying refurbished means that the device will extend its lifecycle and also reduce the possibility of it being unnecessarily scrapped or thrown away, which helps reduce the mounting electronic waste crisis. You can read more about how buying a refurbished phone is helping the environment in our cell phone recycling guide. We have also put together the Ultimate Guide to Buying a Refurbished Phone that will be very useful too.

You've come to the right place! Use SellCell to find the best deal for your refurbished / pre-owned phone.

To get started, go to the buy refurbished homepage and use the search box to search for the cell phone that you're interested in buying.

We do the hard work for you by comparing the prices of the top sellers and provide you with a price comparison to help you get the best deal!

Simply click on "BUY NOW" and place your order on the sellers website

YES: We do list other refurbished products as well as phones. If you head to the Buy section of our site you will see a range of buyers prices for refurbished tablets, smartwatches, games consoles and mac laptops. We are updating our refurbished products section daily, so check to see if the product that you want is available on a regular basis.

You have come to the right place here at SellCell if you want help with buying a refurbished phone. The Buy section of our site will provide some helpful tips about things to consider in buying a refurbished phone.

We also have some interesting User Guides that may be helpful too:

• Ultimate Guide to Buying a Refurbished Phone
• Tips to Consider when Buying a Refurbished Phone

If you have any general questions feel free to email our support desk at

A refurbished phone is one that has been pre-owned by someone else but has been restored back to full working condition by a specialist. When a device has been traded-in or sold to a buyback company 90% of the time the buyer will sell the device back as a ‘refurbished device’. With every device the buyer will test it to see if there are any issues with it that require repair. Post testing a repair technician will restore the device back to 100% working order by rectifying any faults. Common faults in refurbishing a phone are changing the battery, proximity sensors, charging ports and screens. When this has been done the buyer will perform a full diagnostic test on the device to make sure it passes its quality approval. All refurbished devices will be 100% fully functional but may be priced differently according to how they look, or their condition. Some refurbished phones will be in perfect condition with no dents or scratches and be more expensive, others will still fully work but have a few more blemishes at a lower price point.

Like New
Looks just like a brand new phone with zero signs of use. No scratches or marks anywhere on the screen or body

Excellent
Device is in pristine condition with minimal signs of use. Screen is in excellent condition with no scratches. Might have some very light scratches on the body

Very Good
Device is in very good condition with only light signs of use. Screen is in excellent condition with no scratches. Might have some light to moderate marks or scratches on the body

Good
Device has visible signs of moderate use. Screen may have some small scratches. Clearly visible marks and scratches on the body

Fair
Device has excessive signs of use. Expect some scratches on the screen and excessive scratches, marks and possibly even some dents on the body

Each seller will have their own list of accessories that will be included in the box, so check these out closely when you place your order. As a general rule refurbished phones will come with a new generic box and a charging cable.

Each seller will have their own shipping timescales set. When you place your order with the seller be sure to check these details closely. As a general rule, most sellers will dispatch the product within 24 hours of you placing an order.

Each seller will have their own returns policy that they offer with each device that they sell to you. Prior to purchasing the device check closely what this is and be clear to understand the timescales that you have to return the device if it is faulty.

All sellers listed on our site will have a warranty policy in place to cover issues with your device when you have received it. Warranty periods for refurbished devices can range from a few months up to 12 months. When you are comparing which buyer to buy your refurbished phone check out the warranty cover that will be included as standard with your phone. SellCell will clearly display this in their comparison. Some buyers will also offer a warranty top-up option when you purchase the device also.

Be sure to check the warranty conditions with each seller when placing an order. If you need to subsequently raise a warranty claim you should review these warranty terms and then liaise directly with the seller that you purchased your refurbished phone from. You can find the customer service details of each partner on our Partners Page

If you are missing a device from your order get in contact with the seller immediately by email. You can find the customer service details of each seller listed on our site at our Partners Page.

SellCell, as a comparison site, does not get involved with the fulfilment of the order but if you are experiencing any issues with the seller we are more than happy to support in chasing them for you. You can contact SellCell customer service .

If you have not received your order first of all check your email to see if there are any updates from the seller. Check your spam to ensure that you haven’t missed an email. Also check to see if you have any courier tracking details that you can review to identify where your device is. Alternatively contact the seller directly quoting your order number. You can find the details of every seller listed on our site here on our Partners Page

If you are unhappy with any element of your order including the accessories initially check your warranty provided from your seller. If you have just received the device and accessories and are unhappy contact the seller directly. You can find the details of each Seller on our Partners Page

Initially contact the seller of the refurbished device by email listing out the issues that you have connected to your device. Quote the order number in your email. You can find email addresses of all the sellers on our Partners Page. We suggest giving the Seller a reasonable amount of time to respond to you. Also check your email spam to see if their response has gone in there.

If you are unhappy with the response or need help chasing SellCell will act as an arbitrator and chase the seller for you to try and find a full resolution. We can’t control the final resolution but will make sure that it is properly investigated and will support you at each stage. You can contact the SellCell customer service desk .

SellCell thoroughly vet each partner on our site to make sure that they are a reputable business with a good trading history. We complete many background checks. We also offer transparency to all our users by listing each partner's user reviews. These user reviews can be from a number of review sites including Google, Trustpilot or Reseller Ratings. We will display the score of each of these for you to review closely before you decide which seller to order with.

We also take any issues or complaints about partners seriously and will investigate thoroughly with the Sellers Management Team should any serious issues arise.

If any user has a complaint to make about a Seller please email our who will respond promptly and begin an investigation and revert back to you at each and every stage. SellCell have your peace of mind at the centre of everything that we do.