I recommend buying phones online instead of in the store, but you should be careful with trade-ins

A few weeks ago, I saw some posts on my social feeds about the pros and cons of shopping online vs. in-store. This originated from a customer whose trade-in was rejected by T-Mobile and reported as broken, even though they were confident it was in working condition before shipping. While the matter has now been resolved and Original post deletedIt got me thinking about the advantages and disadvantages of shopping online versus in-store.

These days, I usually recommend only going to a physical store if you’re in dire need of immediate assistance (like emergency phone replacement).

Not only can you find cheaper accessories through third-party stores, but your carrier’s online experience is usually much faster and less risky. You avoid handing over your account details to an unfamiliar store representative, which can sometimes cause harm Employee error or, in rare cases, fraudPlus, you don’t have to worry about the package getting lost in the mail or lost by AT&T after delivery.

However, trade-ins are a bit more complicated. There is a lot of evidence that trading instruments online can sometimes cause problems. A quick look on Reddit or other social networks reveals a long list of complaints about trade-in issues. lost packages For online system errors resulting in missed creditAnd the list goes on.

The good news is that, while T-Mobile has declined in some areas in recent years, its uncarrier T-Force team remains a major bright spot. If you run into problems, bumping them up to T-Force often resolves them without too much trouble. This is mostly true for AT&T and Verizon as well, although your experience may vary.

Even if it is resolved, these types of issues can waste your time and money. While the chances of things going wrong probably aren’t as high as angry Redditors might lead you to believe, it’s a good idea to minimize your risk if you prefer to buy phones online and are interested in trade-in offers. Here are some steps you can take or consider that may reduce your risk:

Take a short video and pictures of your old phone before shipping it. This is good for general evidence if you have to escalate your issue to T-Mobile or the delivery carrier used for the device.

Ask for in-store pickup. Every major carrier offers this as an option and it’s a great way to ensure you don’t run into problems. The representative will personally inspect your phone and although errors can still occur in the process, it is much less likely. Just be aware that sometimes there are online-only promotions that require your phone to be shipped to you.

Consider reselling the device instead. I often tell people that they should resell their phones on eBay, Swappa, or a similar provider instead of over-trading a carrier. Simply put, you’ll often get more, even if it means a little more work.

For many new flagships, you’ll earn so much that you’ll be able to buy the new model fairly cheaply (think a few hundred or so less) — allowing you to skip the repayment plans that lock you to the big carriers. Gives. 24-36 months.

There are exceptions though where a trade-in will be a better value, so it’s always important to do your homework. For example, sometimes you’ll see offers that accept broken trade-ins, while you won’t get much for a damaged phone through direct resale. It’s also not a bad idea to look at trade-in offers from retailers like Best Buy, Apple, and others, who will sometimes honor the same trade-in promotion as you would get directly from your carrier.

Activate before you reach home. If possible, it’s not a bad idea to go to your car or wait in the lobby and pull out the phone. A quick visual inspection isn’t a bad idea, but the main thing you want to do is to make sure that you can wake up your device, even if you have it fully connected to all your Android/iOS apps and preferences at the time. Not set properly. This is coming from personal experience, as Verizon sent my wife a phone a few years ago that couldn’t be activated and we had to take it back to the store for a replacement.

Have you ever encountered any issues with trade-ins, either in person or online? Have any advice you want to share or any insights you want to add? Hit me up in the comments.