QUICK ANSWER:  Most bad decisions about selling a phone in India come from a handful of persistent, well-meaning myths — that old phones are worthless, that OLX always pays more, that a cracked screen kills resale value, that brand exchange is the best deal, or that repairs are worth doing first. None of these hold up against the actual data. Below, each myth is checked against reality, with a one-line summary table and a few extra pro tips at the end.

MYTH #1  "My phone is a few years old, so it's basically worthless now."

THE FACT:  Premium phones hold on to serious value well past the two-year mark.

iPhone Pro and Pro Max models typically retain 68–78% of their value after two years and 48–58% after three. Even a Samsung Galaxy S Ultra — which depreciates faster than iPhone — holds roughly 48–55% after two years. A four-year-old iPhone Pro Max is still commonly worth ₹40,000 or more. 'Old' and 'worthless' are not the same thing for a premium device — check your specific model before assuming otherwise.

MYTH #2  "OLX and classifieds always pay more than a buyback platform."

THE FACT:  Asking prices and completed sale prices are very different things.

OLX listings often show asking prices 8–15% above buyback platform quotes — but that's before negotiation, ghosted buyers, and the 2–6 weeks it typically takes to close a deal for a premium phone. Once you account for the time cost and the fact that most sellers end up negotiating down from their asking price, the real gap between OLX and a specialist buyback platform is often much smaller than it first appears — while the safety and speed trade-offs remain firmly in the platform's favour.

MYTH #3  "A cracked screen means my phone isn't worth selling."

THE FACT:  A cracked screen typically reduces your offer, not eliminates it — and not all 'cracked screen' damage is the same.

A cracked screen with working touch response usually reduces a phone's value by roughly ₹4,000–₹12,000 depending on the model — a meaningful deduction, but nowhere close to zero. It's also worth knowing that a crack in the outer glass layer alone (glass damage) and damage to the actual display panel underneath (screen damage) are two different things with two different valuations — glass-only cracks with a fully functioning display are typically valued higher than damage that affects the display itself. Even a phone that won't turn on at all commonly retains 20–40% of its working-condition value, because components like the processor and camera module are still worth something. Don't assume a damaged phone belongs in a drawer — get it quoted.

MYTH #4  "I should wait for a big sale or festive offer before selling my phone."

THE FACT:  Festive sales affect new-phone prices — not what buyback platforms pay for your old one.

Discount events like Diwali or year-end sales are about brands moving new inventory; they don't drive up demand for used devices. What actually moves your phone's resale value is proximity to the next flagship launch in its own product line — the closer you sell to that announcement, the more value you lose. Timing your sale around your phone's own launch cycle matters far more than any retail calendar event.

MYTH #5  "Trading in my phone at a brand store gets me the best deal."

THE FACT:  Exchange programmes are convenient, but they typically pay less than a cash sale.

Brand store and retailer exchange programmes commonly value your old phone 20–35% below its open market cash value, and the payout comes only as credit toward a new purchase — not cash you can use however you want. Exchange makes sense if convenience matters more than maximising value, or if you're purchasing from that specific brand anyway. If you want the most money in hand, a direct cash sale usually wins.

MYTH #6  "I don't need to remove my Apple ID or Google account — I'm just getting a quote."

THE FACT:  Skipping this step is the single most common way sellers accidentally destroy their phone's value.

An iPhone with an active Apple ID (iCloud Activation Lock) or an Android device with Google's Factory Reset Protection still triggered cannot be resold by any platform — full stop. A phone that could have been worth ₹1,00,000+ becomes scrap value of a few thousand rupees. This step takes about three minutes and should always be completed before a factory reset, not after.

MYTH #7  "All phone buyback platforms pay roughly the same price."

THE FACT:  Specialist platforms calibrated for premium devices often pay meaningfully more.

A platform that buys everything — budget phones, tablets, laptops, premium flagships — prices all of them through the same generic system. A platform that focuses exclusively on premium smartphones builds pricing, technician training, and buyer relationships specifically around flagship device value. That specialisation commonly translates into a 10–20% stronger offer for the same premium phone in the same condition, compared to a generic all-device recycler.

MYTH #8  "I should get my phone repaired before selling it, so I get a better price."

THE FACT:  Repairing your phone usually costs more than it adds — and it can quietly break something the crack never touched.

Screen repairs at authorised service centres typically cost ₹12,000–₹28,000 for premium models, while a cracked screen usually only reduces your resale offer by ₹4,000–₹18,000. The math rarely works in favour of repairing first. There's also a less obvious cost: opening up a phone to replace a screen or component breaks the factory water-sealing (the adhesive and gaskets that keep the device water- and dust-resistant), and third-party repairs rarely restore that seal to original spec. That's a genuine downgrade to the phone's condition, not just a cosmetic fix. The one common exception is a battery replacement already covered under an active warranty like Apple Care+ — that's free value worth claiming, since it's done by Apple itself. Otherwise, sell as-is and let the buyer factor in the repair cost.

PRO TIP  Keep your original box and bill — they add to your phone's value.

Beyond the phone itself, having the original box and purchase invoice/bill handy genuinely helps your resale value. They serve as proof of authenticity and original ownership, which buyback platforms and buyers factor into their trust and pricing. If you still have them, include them when you sell — most platforms, including Reuz, factor this into the final offer.

Stop guessing. Get the real number for your phone.  Check your phone's actual value at reuz.in in 60 seconds — free doorstep pickup, transparent inspection, same-day payment.

Skip the guesswork. Know exactly what your phone is worth.  Get your free quote at reuz.in — free doorstep pickup, transparent inspection, same-day payment.