The Value of Your Device: How ecoATM Evaluates Phones

The Value of Your Device: How ecoATM Evaluates Phones

If you were to take an educated guess of the value of the phone in your hand, what would you believe it to be? Before you guess, let’s think about a few other factors. Is it a newer model? Carrier-locked? Blemishes on the screen? These factors and several others greatly affect the worth of your phone – even more so when you’re looking to make a quick return on investment by receiving instant cash. 

ecoATM takes all these factors into account when devices are sold at our kiosks. It’s our goal to not only provide a convenient selling process but to also provide clarity on how we evaluate your devices. This helps you to make the most informed decision possible when selling – and a better experience for all! 

How Phones Are Graded at the ecoATM Kiosk

Thanks to a team of dedicated experts and machine learning technology, our kiosks provide a cash offer for your used device in just under ten minutes. 

The ecoATM Kiosk Grading Process

• Power: Does your device turn on?
• Make: Apple®, Samsung®, etc.?
• Model: Which model is your device?
• Capacity: How much device storage is there?
• Carrier: Which carrier is your device locked to?
• LCD: How is the condition of the screen lighting?
• Screen glass: Are there any blemishes or cracks?
• FMIP: Is your device’s location services turned off?

The Kiosk Grading Process

Once a device is plugged in to the kiosk, the following factors are checked by the kiosk AI. Again, like any used car, we must inspect both the outside body and under the hood:

  1. Power: Does the device power on?
  2. Make: What is the device’s make?
  3. Model: What is the device’s model?
  4. Capacity: What is the storage size for your device?
  5. Carrier: Is the device locked to a specific carrier? Which one?
  6. FMIP lock: Is your device’s location services turned off? For example, “Find My” on iPhone.
  7. LCD: Does the screen had bad pixilation or water damage?
  8. Screen Glass: Are there any blemishes or cracks on the screen?

Once each of these areas has been assessed by the kiosk, you’ll be presented with a cash offer. While some are easier to detect than others, the appearance and cosmetic condition can be tough to spot with the human eye and plays a large role in determining your device’s value.

Assessing Your Device’s Appearance

Of the factors above, one of the most common factors that affects the value of your device is the physical condition. The ecoATM kiosks use both human experts and machine learning to determine the condition of your device’s screen. 

Let’s take a look at a real-life example of an iPhone® sold at an ecoATM kiosk. Below is a photo of the phone from what would be seen from the human eye. From arm’s length, the device appears to be in good condition. 

From arm's length, this iPhone appears to be in good condition.

Below is an actual scan of the same phone from an ecoATM kiosk to highlight cosmetic device flaws that may be missed by the naked eye. As you can see, there are many knicks and scratches that have been picked up. This attention to detail is performed on all devices that are inspected by the kiosks. 

Other cosmetic conditions that can affect the value of a device include sunspots, wear from cases, discoloration and more. It’s important to always remove the screen protector before selling as well – any cracks or scratches in these will be seen as damage to the actual screen. 

Other Factors That Affect Device Value

While device condition and functionality play a large role in determining a device’s value, there are other factors that contribute to assessing your device. 

Phone Depreciation 

Does depreciation sound familiar? It’s often used when determining the value of a car and a very similar approach is taken for devices. Phone depreciation refers to how much value a phone loses over time and can ultimately impact the amount of money you’ll receive for selling your used device. 

What exactly does phone depreciation entail? The top factors include: 

  • Age: The age of a phone affects its value with the most value being lost within the first year.
  • Make and Model: The top phone brands are at the top for a reason. These brands produce quality devices that carry their value.
  • Mileage: Just like a car, a phone endures wear and tear from daily use. The mileage on a phone refers to its hours used and battery health.
  • Condition: As mentioned in the previous section, a phone’s condition will determine the selling price. The more damage, the less value the phone holds.

Market Trends/Other Outside Factors

Have you noticed how many phones and other devices drop in price when a newer model is released? This is because their value drops and there is room to be made for the newer model. Once the new products hit the shelves, any existing ones from the past releases lose more value. 

Why You Should Sell Your Devices with Us

Monetary value aside, our phones can also hold a lot of other value to them. We use them daily as cameras to capture life’s special moments, file systems to store our personal information and quick access to the place with all the answers to life’s questions, the internet. This attachment can affect how folks see their phones value, which is why we’re working towards transparent communication on our cash offers. 

We believe you should have all the facts necessary to make an educated choice. It helps when that choice not only puts money in your pocket, but also does right by the planet by helping to reduce electronic waste! If you’re interested in selling your device, find an ecoATM kiosk near you or download our mobile app.