Stupid question alert!! Why do people buy iphones off of ebay?

[NinnJinn]

Might be a stupid question to some, but I have always wondered why do people pay close to retail on iphones off of ebay when you can go into the cell phone store and sign a contract and get the phone for hundreds of dollars less...

Just curious...

 

[Garrett]

some people don't want to sign a new contract or they are on a carrier like T-Mobile that doesn't offer an iphone but the customer still wants to use an iPhone on that carrier.

 

[thepushercg]

the main reason is the contract. i do not want to be tied into a two year agreement with anyone even thou im not leaving verizon anytime soon.

 

[5er driver]

That's not a stupid question if you don't know the answer. I bought my factory unlocked 4 in July last year off ebay, NIB. I paid a bit more for it than I did for my factory unlocked 4S from Apple two months ago. Yes I paid retail prices for both phones but I can use ANY provider/carrier in the world. I travel a lot. I don't have a contract with anyone, I have prepaid plans. At the moment I have a data option along with a prepaid plan for calls & texts. The flat rate data costs €9.90 a month, the first GB is unthrottled. I rarely approach a GB of data use in a month.
In the long run all this is cheaper for me than to buy a phone for $25 or more, have a 24 month contract, and have to use the phone world wide.

Sent from my iPhone 4 using iPF.net

 

[Pringles]

What they said above is valid who wants to be tied to a company for two years. On top of that do u really want the same phone for two years. New phones come out all the time and to be able to change your phone when you want is great. Also if u get tired of the phone u can sell it and most of the time especially with iPhones u can almost get back what you paid retail for and maybe even more in countries that don't have the iPhone.

Stores are now also offering in store credits for people who bring in there used phones why because the still sell for a good amount in other countries
Check out eBay iPhone 4 is still going for a pretty penny

 

[sprof]

I signed a 2 year contract with AT&T in October and bought an Atrix 2. I wasn't happy with the battery life and overall size of the phone but was past 30 days when I realized it wasn't the phone for me. I ended up selling it for $300 and bought a 32gb iPhone 4 for $319 from eBay. Originally I could have chosen from the Atrix 2 or a 8gb iPhone 4. So for an additional $19 I have a like new 32gb. Works for me.

 

[Weber]

I come from the little island of Malta, were everything is priced high due to lack of competition by providers. I could have got my iphone 4s free with a two year contract, however i would have ended paying $3500 minimum for the package. I bought it unlocked at retail price. I will be having only monthly contract with a better price, thus ,securing better offers as time passes, and can change providers as it suits me, whereas with a two year contract I would have stayed stuck with the same price for two years. Everyone knows how these companies keep coming out with better offers over time. Depends how you see it then )​

 

[Kuhns787]

If you are a phone geek like I am the ability to try new phones without having the contract is why I like buying off of Ebay. Then when I get bored with it back on Ebay it goes and on to the next one. LOL

 

[wizzkid16]

I always go for a sim only contract then u can go and swap your phone any time you

 

[nikemoore1987]

Cuz I owe AT&T a cancelation fee still and my phone broke so I adopted the non contract h20 service for only $60 a month 1 gig of data unlimited talk and text just can not send photos and it's 3G