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Trading up to the next iPhone? Gazelle has a deal for you

Trading up to the next iPhone? Gazelle has a deal for you

For a limited time, Gazelle is offering to lock in prices for used iPhones until Oct.1, after the next iPhone is rumored to hit stores.

For those planning on upgrading to the next iPhone model in September, Gazelle is taking the gamble out of early trade-ins with an extension of its price-lock guarantee.

Consumers who plan on selling a used iPhone to Gazelle can get a price quote locked-in now, but don’t have to mail in their iPhone until Oct. 1. It’s widely rumored that the next iPhone model will go on sale Sept. 21. If rumors are true, this would give sellers enough time to hold on to their current iPhone before replacing it with a newer model.

The extension only applies to quotes made on Gazelle between Monday and Aug. 31. There’s no obligation for sellers to go through with the trade-in, but it’s a safe to bet that gadget-buyback sites will pay less for iPhones by Oct. 1. The used value of iPhones tends to decrease as a new iPhone launch day approaches.

The Massachusetts-based electronic trade-in site has extended its typical 30-day quote guarantee to encourage more trade-ins from consumers looking for the best deal but skeptical about Apple’s launch rumors. Rival buyback site NextWorth requires gadgets to be mailed in 21 days from the order date.

Anthony Scarsella, Gazelle’s chief gadget officer, says the site began to see a spike of iPhone trade-ins last week. But that means sellers would have to go without their phone, or use an alternative phone in the meantime.

As of Monday, Gazelle offered $277 for an AT&T iPhone 4S 16GB model in “good” condition. Scarsella said that offer could lower to $100 by the end of September.

“We’re buying so many phones and it floods the markets,” Scarsella said. “That tends to drop pricing.”

Those planning to sell another type of phone, like an Android or BlackBerry, won’t see the same price fluctuation as iPhones, Scarsella said. Despite the typical launch-day dip, Apple products do hold their value longer than most gadgets.

This is the first time Gazelle has extended its price guarantee, but there are no current plans to repeat this offering for iPad sellers.

“People can do without their iPad or tablet for a month, two months,” Scarsella said. “People don’t want to be without their phone.”

[Thanks: http://news.cnet.com]

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