Recently, services for exchanging an iPhone for a new one ( trade-in ) have become quite popular in Russia. This is one of the easiest ways to get rid of your old device and get a new one in return by paying the difference. However, many people are distrustful of the trade-in, since they are often faced with the fact that the old iPhone is valued at mere pennies. There are really a lot of such stores, and when the iPhone X is valued at 15 thousand rubles, you want to twirl your finger at your temple and quickly put it on a flea market. At the same time, there are services that adequately evaluate old devices.
Many stores offer exchange of iPhone for a new one, but not everywhere it is profitable
What is trade-in?
Trade-in is a program for exchanging old devices for a discount when purchasing a new one.
When handing over a device for trade-in, it is assessed based on the relevance of the model, its technical and external condition. The amount for which the device was valued is provided to the user as a discount on the purchase of a new one. To put it in the simplest possible terms, you bring your old iPhone to the store, return it (after evaluation) and immediately receive a discount on the purchase of a new iPhone in the same store.
Which iPhones are accepted for Trade-in from Apple
For clarity, the following participants participate in Trade-in:
- iPhone 4
- iPhone 4s
- iPhone 5c
- iPhone 5s
- iPhone SE
- iPhone 6
- iPhone 6 Plus
- iPhone 6s
- iPhone 6s Plus
- iPhone 7
- iPhone 7 Plus
Accepts any colors and memory sizes. The iPhone itself must be in full working order, not drowned, with a working Touch ID, with an intact display.
The following models of any colors are offered for exchange with an additional payment:
- iPhone 6 32GB
- iPhone 6 Plus 128GB
- iPhone 6S 32GB
- iPhone 6S 128GB
- iPhone 6S Plus 32GB
- iPhone 6S Plus 128GB
- iPhone 7 32GB
- iPhone 7 128GB
- iPhone 7 256GB
- iPhone 7 Plus 32GB
- iPhone 7 Plus 128GB
- iPhone 7 Plus 256GB
- iPhone SE 32GB
- iPhone SE 128GB
Please note that only models from the list above participate in Trade-in. You cannot make an exchange for, for example, a discontinued iPhone SE with 16 GB memory.
Why did Apple launch a trade-in program in Russia?
Apple officially launched its own trade-in program back in 2013, but it did not start working in Russia. Well, now the company has come to its senses or has it decided to give Russians the opportunity to hand over old iPhones?
In fact, Apple's official trade-in program never reached us. The program for exchanging old iPhones for new ones was launched by Apple's Russian partners - retailers Svyaznoy and re:Store. Nevertheless, there was probably an indication that the program was to be launched “from above”. In June 2022, Apple’s main competitor, Samsung, launched its trade-in program in Russia. Apparently, Apple did not want to lag behind.
How much can you really get and how is the payment made?
Everything would be fine and rosy, but in reality, with this program, taking into account the size of the discounts, it is not so cheap to purchase a new device.
This move is unprofitable for the following reasons:
- Used equipment is actually accepted at a price much lower than what traditional buying points offer. For example, for an iPhone 5s, depending on its condition, they give only about 6,000 rubles, for a “six” – up to 10 thousand, and for a “seven” in good condition – up to 22 thousand.
- Items purchased under this program cannot be purchased in installments.
- Online transaction is not possible.
- The buyer does not see real money, but can only immediately purchase new equipment, taking into account this calculated small discount.
- For such an exchange, you need a complete set for a used smartphone: USB cable, headset and network adapter.
The Trade-in promotion is interesting for people who are committed to official transactions and are not ready to bother selling an old device. The program is transparent, but it is important to take into account that the main benefit of such a deal is that you can quickly get rid of unnecessary equipment for a small discount on a new gadget. But, unfortunately, we are not talking about tangible benefits for the user.
Here is Apple's Trade-in algorithm. What is done and how
1. You come to an official Apple reseller and bring any iPhone, starting with iPhone 4. The iPhone kit is not required.
2. You say that you want to trade-in your old iPhone for a new one – and which one specifically. You take off the iPhone case and show it to the consultant.
3. An employee examines your old iPhone : are there any scratches, cracks, chips, or dents? Is the case bent or the screws wrinkled?
4. You turn off the Find iPhone function on the spot, sign out of Apple ID, remove the lock password and Touch ID. There is no need to erase information.
5. They connect your old iPhone to your computer and run an unknown service program from Apple. It reads some “service data” from the iPhone.
It is not yet known whether the program determines the originality of the installed components or whether repairs have been carried out. Please note that an employee cannot make a decision on Trade-in without a conclusion from the program.
My opinion is that the closed service Apple Service Toolkit is used. It's available here, but you won't be able to enter it. Only authorized resellers and service centers have access.
6. Based on the results of this check, the seller is shown either a refusal or an amount in rubles that Apple is ready to provide as a discount on Trade-in. This amount will be deducted from the full store price of the iPhone you want to exchange for.
Example. You brought an iPhone 6s 128 GB in perfect condition and want to exchange it for an iPhone 7 32 GB. Apple priced it at 18,000 rubles.
How to take advantage of the offer
According to the terms of the store, in order to participate in the trade-in program, the buyer must follow the following algorithm:
- Bring an old smartphone to the M.Video store, and be sure to have your passport with you.
- An employee of the service area will evaluate the device and offer a certain amount of discount that the store is ready to provide for the old telephone.
- If the client is satisfied with the proposed amount, then he can proceed to select a new gadget, and then pay 100% of the price of the new device with the old one, that is, there is no need to make an additional payment.
Of course, in order to receive such a big discount, the phone that the client wants to exchange must be in good technical condition and have a presentable appearance. There may be minor damage in the form of scratches, chips or abrasions. If the device has significant flaws, for example, a broken screen, there is also a discount for it, but the percentage will be minimal.
In fact, this special offer allows you to exchange your old mobile device for a new one completely free of charge. Not all stores can boast such favorable conditions. The overwhelming majority of sales representatives are required to make a minimum payment of 30% of the price of the purchased gadget.
A couple of thoughts about the official Trade-in Apple
The Russian version of “trade-in” differs significantly from the American one. In the USA, you will receive a gift card with a denomination equal to the value of your previous iPhone and can use it at any other time.
In Russia, you are required to choose a new iPhone model on the spot from the assortment available here and now. You can’t leave to think about the certificate or wait for the desired iPhone model to be delivered to the store.
Besides this, I have a question about the price that Apple charges for older iPhones. It is clear that this is not charity. But what kind of prices??
For example, I have an iPhone 7 Plus with 256 GB ideally. This is how much my iPhone costs on online flea markets:
DamProdam buys iPhone 7 Plus 256 GB in perfect condition for 37,000 rubles;
On Avito they offer an iPhone 7 Plus 256 GB in perfect condition for 44,000 rubles;
Apple gives some 25,000 rubles for the iPhone 7 Plus 256 GB. WTF?
Well, one more thing. Trade-in conditions are determined not by re:Store, but by Apple . All complaints about prices are against them. On the contrary, the restaurant is great for launching this program first and immediately throughout Russia. The only strange thing is that Apple is hiding behind them.
Where is the best trade-in for an iPhone?
Let's start with one of the most popular iPhones - iPhone 7 256 GB. A good workhorse, but quite old by modern standards. Let's assume that you decide to exchange it for an iPhone 11 with the same 256 GB memory.
Trade-in iPhone 7
This iPhone 7 (PCT) was offered for exchange. Good condition, nothing has been changed, complete set
We go to the re:Store website (there is a special section dedicated to Apple trade-ins) and see how much the store is willing to offer for the old iPhone 7. 8,000 rubles. Yeah, not a lot.
re:Store somehow prices old iPhones (and not only) too cheaply
If we subtract this price from the cost of the new iPhone 11,256 GB, we get (73,990 - 8,000) 65,990 rubles . Of course, it’s cheaper than buying it at full price, but somehow the old iPhone was priced too cheaply. And this, by the way, is the maximum price that a store is willing to pay for such a phone, that is, in fact it may turn out to be even lower. We didn't check it so as not to be upset.
Greatsteve and DamProdam have made everything much more convenient, since these services are specifically designed for exchanging old Apple equipment for new ones. At DamProdam, the cost of our exchange will be much lower - 60,140 rubles . Considering that we are talking about a smartphone in good condition , it is unlikely that anyone has an iPhone 7 in “like new” condition. This is if we talk about the Rostest smartphone, which differs from the others only by an additional year of warranty.
Trade-in iPhone
Now they are the ones that are popular - these are the Greatsteve , DamProdam and Big Geek . Some people prefer to use trade-in services from re:Store , since it is an official Apple reseller.
Now this is the most popular trade-in stores
But which of them will have the most favorable ? It’s very easy to check this - just go to the website of each store and calculate. This is what we will do.
Exchange conditions for trade-in at MTS
- Salon employees only accept the devices themselves, without accessories such as headphones, chargers, USB cables, etc. Moreover, you do not need to present receipts, warranty cards or preliminary diagnostic reports.
- Before taking your smartphone to the MTS sales office, remember about logins and passwords for your accounts. So, on iPhone you need to disable the “Find iPhone” function, if it is enabled, on Android devices you need to log out of your Google account. Devices with unlocked accounts will not be accepted for trade-in: the store employee will not be sure that you really are the owner of the device.
The approximate cost of a smartphone for rent can be found on the MTS online store website. To do this, you need to go to the card of any gadget, click the “I’m renting out an old device” button and select your model. However, the final cost will be announced in the MTS showroom - it depends on the condition of the used device.
What M.Video products are covered by the promotion?
The trade-in program is not new, and has previously launched similar promotions. For example, in 2022 there was an offer for Apple brand products, in particular iPhone and Samsung Galaxy. And before that, there was a promotion for products from the Apple and Samsung Electronics brands.
With the “trade in” offer still in effect, a buyer can save up to 50 thousand rubles by purchasing a smartphone of the “Samsung Galaxy S9 bkb S9+” brand. The maximum discount that the store can offer is specified in the rules of the promotional offer.
Important! It is worth understanding that the official document indicates the maximum amount of the discount that the seller can make. If the smartphone is in poor technical condition, then the discount percentage will naturally be lower.
Here you can also find information about fixed store discounts for a specific phone model. The obtained values are summed up with other promotions and discounts, if any. You can also buy a smartphone on credit. Detailed information about the characteristics of this equipment, reviews and price can be found on the company’s official website www.mvideo.ru, in the corresponding section.
