The Best Time to Get Cash for Your Old Android Device

Feeling the need to always have the latest Android device can be an expensive hobby – especially when you consider that some of the flagship Android devices this year had an initial retail price of over £500.

Luckily there are now ways to deal with this cost – and we’re not just talking about expensive contracts which last even longer than your phone. Selling your old gadgets and putting that money towards new devices is becoming more and more popular by the year – and there are ways to make sure you get the most money possible.

Time of year

Seeing as the idea of giving tech as a present became a bit of a phenomenon in 2013, now is actually the perfect time to be trading in your old tech - but you need to act quickly. Data from Cashforphonescomparison reports that some Android devices actually lost value following the first month in 2013.

Caption: Technology gifts were popular in 2013. Image from Yahoo.

Experts say that recycling companies will initially put prices up after Christmas to encourage people to trade-in the tech they no longer need, but will then reduce the values offered for a while when they have received enough.

This is all because the companies have to be able to manage where they are sending these devices afterwards. Most companies will sell them on as second-hand in the UK, or send phones to people in developing countries to give them a means of communication.

Tracking re-sale values of your Android phone

However you decide to sell you phone, tracking the value on a variety of sites is great if you are trading in later in the year.

Some mobile phone and gadget recycling comparison sites will show you how much a devices value has fluctuated since its release, which is a great way to try and work out when you’ll next get the best price for it. Most of these sites will also freeze the price you are offered for your mobile phone for up to two weeks too – so if you think you’ve found a good price then it’s certainly worth freezing it.

You can also monitor how much other people are making for their old phones using eBay and Gumtree. It doesn’t take too long to have a little browse on these sites once in a while after all.

Consider new Android releases

According to further data from Cashforphonescomparison – Samsung’s Galaxy S4, released in April 2013, has already lost over £170 of its value on the site. Which means, if you’re excited to upgrade to the manufacturer’s expected Galaxy S5 over the next few months, you’re going to have to beat the crowds.

Caption: Samsung’s Galaxy S4 was one of the most popular devices last year. Image from Digital Trends.

Experts from the site say that on the release of a new device like this, recycling companies will initially put the values they offer up, to encourage people to trade-in the old to put money towards the new. But the same logic applies as around Christmas, if they are sent in too many in the rush – that price will go plunging down.

Last year Samsung trade-ins increased by over 120 percent on the site following the release of the S4, which saw the Galaxy range as a whole see a depreciation of around 20 percent in value.

New releases are bound to affect the prices you receive on eBay and Gumtree as well, as you’re no longer trying to shift the latest gadgets – but simply its predecessor.

It’s all about the research

As long as you ensure that your phone is in tip top condition, there’s no reason you can’t walk away with a heavier wallet after selling your old Android phone. But, let’s face it, as with anything you’ll make a little bit more by just paying attention and doing a bit of research.

Watch out for pricing after the announcement of Samsung’s Galaxy S5 or LG’s expected G Pro 2 – and if they go up then that’s probably a great time to trade-in. If not, simply keep an eye out, recycling companies are always looking for a reasons to encourage people to send in their phones.