Time for a cleanout – eBay says Aussies have $6.4 billion worth of unused mobile phones stashed away

The yearly mobile refresh cycle has led to Aussies sitting on at least $6.4 billion worth of old mobile phones, says eBay. 

The statistic has been announced by eBay using their own data for pricing and Mobile Muster, the federal government accredited mobile phone recycling program, with their data showing Aussies have around 24.5 million handsets in their homes just laying around unused. 

It’s a timely reminder with phones like the iPhone 13 and Samsung’s new folding Galaxy Fold 3 and Flip 3 now hitting retailers and telcos around the country. Pricing for new mobiles has been rising over the years as technology improves, so flipping an old phone on eBay – especially old Apple, Samsung and Google phones which are among the top sellers on eBay – is a pretty good plan if it’s still in decent condition.

eBay Australia’s Head of Luxury and Consumer Selling, Brooke Eichhorn said, 

“Most of us have at least one handset gathering dust at home. Our data reveals Aussies could make hundreds of dollars selling their pre-loved phone – a significant amount to either put towards one of the latest phones or set aside ahead of the expensive Christmas period.”

For those looking to find out how much their phone is worth, eBay has an online tool which can estimate the value of a phone based on the model, storage, condition, colour and any accessories it may come with, giving you an instant estimate. 

These aren’t guaranteed prices of course, just based on eBay’s history of selling phones, which they do a lot of with pre-owned phones accounting for almost a third (30%) of all mobile sales on eBay.

It’s not just about getting rid of your old phones either, with eBay also partnering with Samsung to launch an official eBay Store where you can get the brand new Galaxy Z Fold 3 or any number of Samsung devices ranging from monitors and phone accessories to washing machines and heaps more.

If you haven’t sold a mobile phone before, there’s a few things to know about selling, ranging from making sure your ad looks great to ensuring none of your personal data goes with the mobile when you sell it. On this front, eBay has you covered with a list of things to do:

• Preparation is key: Make sure your phone is properly backed up so you don’t lose your data when you switch to your new model. For people concerned about the data on their old phones, Mobile Muster has how-to videos on how to manage phone data.
• Ease of listing: Once you have the information it is simple to list all the details with pre-filled templates for each phone model or a barcode scanner available. Add any key information your buyer should know in the description, highlighting any wear and tear.
• Make it eye-catching: Include at least three clear photos with natural lighting against a solid white backdrop if you can – including photos of any accessories you are selling with it.
• Contactless selling: eBay is also the only selling platform that offers a fully contactless selling experience. If you buy postage on eBay with Sendle, you have the option of courier pick-up for your parcels at your home at no extra cost (compared to regular Sendle prices). We recently also added a printer-free option with Sendle if you don’t have access to a printer and you’re shipping from an eligible pick-up service location

It’s a good opportunity to clean out those drawers of old phones and make some cash ahead of Christmas, or even just to declutter around the house. If it’s not sparking joy anymore, it’s time to move it on.