Apple Recycling Program -- different amounts for two of the SAME MODEL iPhone??

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My wife and I went to the Apple Store tonite and each got an iPhone 5S. The guy who did the sale for us told us about the Apple Recycling Program that could get us a discount via a gift card. We figured what the hey, let's see if we can get something for the iPhone 4.

So he entered the data for my wife's iPhone 4 -- that it was backed up, that Find My iPhone was disabled, etc. -- and it returned a value of $79. Great!

After that, he did the same thing with my iPhone 4 but got....$47??? He didn't know why, and the manager also didn't know why, but they both said there's nothing they could do about it because it was all handled by corporate in California.

But here's the thing: my wife and I bought the iPhone 4 -- both of them -- on the exact same day (on the exact same receipt), they came from the same shipment (after that store had sold out the first batch), they were both the black iPhone (the white one was still a long way from being released), they were both AT&T (at the time we bought 'em, AT&T was the only provider servicing iPhone), and they both had the same capacity (16gb). Both were in perfect working condition, and had no scuffs or cracks or anything.

Really, why did mine give less of a discount??
 

chscag

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Really, why did mine give less of a discount??

Hard to understand isn't it? But why didn't you just decide to sell both your iPhones privately rather than recycle them thru Apple? I've seen the iPhone 4 sell around here for more than Apple gave your wife for her phone.
 
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dauber
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Honestly, neither of us thought we'd be able to get ANYTHING for the iPhone 4, considering that nowadays providers are literally giving away the iPhone 4S for FREE with some plans. I was actually going to just keep my iPhone 4 as a portable gaming device or something, but I figured what the hey, see if I can get more than ten bucks for it via the recycling program...

Plus, I really don't want to sell a cell phone privately...I just wouldn't feel secure doing that...I know I'd forget to do something very important. I would have either kept the iPhone 4 or donate it to a battered women's charity or something...
 

pigoo3

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The "Apple Recycling Program" usually does not give the best values. Apple partners with a 3rd party company that takes care of the details.

This company is basically no different than any other company on the internet offering to purchase used electronic equipment. So they have to offer you less...so they can resell it to make a profit.

Using a company like this can make things faster & easier...you just get less $$$ than if you resell it yourself on eBay or CL.

- Nick
 

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