First there were queues and waiting list for the sought after iPhone.Now, consumers are dying to get rid of them as they turn to online sites in a bid to flog their pre-loved and unwanted new devices.
Consumer enquiries to SellMyMobile.com, a UK site that allows consumers buy nearly new phones at a fraction of the prices offered in-store, has surged by 70% by late last year, according to the Guardian newspaper.
Amongst the top phones on offer include the BlackBerry 8520 Curve, Apple’s iPhone 3GS 8Gb and Nokia 5800 Xpress Music.
The iPhone3GS 8GB retails for as little as $206 on Sellmymobile, while the iPhone 4 16GB model is available for the equivalent of $283, a fraction of their new price equivilant.
eBay’s Australian site, has offers on similar model which were new or nearly-new starting for just over $100, right up to the retail asking price of $999.
One model listed on the online auction site, an iPhone 3G 8GB model was priced at AU $104.38 offered by an individual from USA had already 14 bids on the item.
On quick glance, it appears a vast majority of the phones offers were from Australians, with labels such as “unwanted” and “brand new in the box” descriptions attached.
One iPhone user I spoke to purchased their brand-new device online from the US for $300, a mere third of the price charged here.
To purchase the same phones outright from carriers would set users back almost $1000.
Similarly, a litany of brand new and used Blackberry 9700 Bold models were on offer on eBay starting at AU $103.50, and were also listed on the UK mobile site for similar pricing.
Most other brands and models desired were all available on the sites.
