Swappa makes it easy to sell your gently used tech, but it’s up to you, the seller, to help ensure a successful sale. Making sure a sale is successful begins with accurately listing the device for sale, but it also extends to preparing and shipping the device once it has been purchased. Sellers can use the following tips to make sure everything goes smoothly.
Prepare the device before shipping
Even if you babied your smartphone or tablet while using it – you’ll want to make sure the new owner receives a clean device that is ready to use. These preparation steps include a detailed cleaning, deactivating the device with the carrier, removing any software locks, and performing a factory reset.
Clean the device
First impressions are essential, and they go a long way toward getting positive feedback. And truthfully – nobody wants to open a package to find a dirty, dusty, or fingerprint-laden device because that is gross.
The best practice for cleaning a smartphone or tablet is to use a soft lint-free cloth. This means you should avoid using rougher items like paper towels. You’ll also want to avoid getting the phone or tablet wet, as that brings the possibility of damage. That said, Apple has stated that you can use 70% isopropyl wipes, or Clorox Disinfecting Wipes. Of course, if you are using anything that is wet or damp, you should avoid getting close to things like charging ports.
Deactivate the device with your carrier
Make sure the device is disassociated with your wireless carrier before shipping. With some carriers, this is as simple as removing your SIM card. However, you should check with your wireless provider to see what steps they require (if any) to remove a smartphone or tablet from your account. Basically, this is needed to ensure your buyer doesn’t have any issues getting the device activated for use on their wireless account.
Remove any software locks
Software locks, such as Apple iCloud or Android Factory Reset Protections prevent someone from factory resetting your phone or tablet and setting it up as their own. These locks work great in that respect, but they present a real issue if you forget to remove them before shipping your phone or tablet to its new owner.
Read more: How to remove a software lock on an iPhone or Android smartphone or tablet
Perform a factory reset
At this point, your Apple iCloud or Android account should already be removed from your smartphone or tablet. The steps to factory reset a device vary depending on whether you are using an Apple device or an Android device, but the ultimate goal is the same – to ensure all of your personal data has been removed.
Read more: How to factory reset an iPhone or Android smartphone or tablet
Now that you have cleaned the device, and removed all of your personal data and software locks – you can finish the preparation process by double-checking to make sure you’ve removed your SIM card and any memory cards.
Ship the device
The main portion of this part includes packing and shipping the device, but it also includes communicating with your buyer, which is key to ensuring the sale has a positive outcome for yourself and your buyer. And it is important to remember that, as the seller, you are responsible for the device until it arrives in the hands of your buyer.
Communicate with your buyer on the sale page
Once your device sells you will have access to a private sale page. You should check in with your buyer to let them know when you’ll be shipping the device and through which carrier.
Read more: What is a sale page?
Ship within two business days of payment
Buyers like when a seller quickly fulfills a sale, but it is also a requirement here on Swappa. Sellers must ship within two business days after the date a listing is purchased.
Read more: How to ship on Swappa
Ship with a tracking number and proper insurance
In addition to shipping within two business days, Swappa also requires sellers to ship with a tracking number and proper insurance.
Having a tracking number is important so you and your buyer know where the package is while in transit. Proper insurance means making sure the package is insured for the full value of the sale (the full value of the smartphone or tablet).
As a seller, if you ship a device without a tracking number or proper insurance, and it’s lost, damaged, or otherwise miss-delivered, you are liable. If a shipment doesn’t make it to the buyer then they are entitled to a full refund. It’s then the seller’s responsibility to take it up with the shipping carrier for reimbursement. Without tracking or insurance, you’ll get nowhere.
Read more: What are the policies for shipping items on Swappa?
Follow PayPal’s guidelines for Seller Protections
Shipping with a tracking number and proper insurance are two requirements set by Swappa, but because you were paid through PayPal, you are protected by PayPal’s Seller Protections. In other words, you’ll also want to make sure that you follow PayPal’s rules to ensure those protections aren’t voided.
For example, PayPal requires you to ship to the address on the transaction details page (the address that is on the payment confirmation receipt you receive from PayPal), and they also require you to get signature confirmation of delivery on payments over $750.
Read more: PayPal Seller Protections
Now that you’ve shipped the device, the next step is to share the tracking information with your buyer. This can be done by posting the tracking information in the “Shipping” section of the private sale page. Following these guidelines will go a long way toward a successful sale, but the Swappa staff is available 24/7/365 if you have any questions or concerns. Happy and safe selling with Swappa!
Want to learn more about selling on Swappa? Read this article next: Welcome to Swappa: Getting started with selling.
