Apple hasn’t increased iPhone prices for several years, even though it has made significant changes to its iPhone lineup, like eliminating the cheaper 128GB versions from all iPhone models. While that’s good news for consumers, the iPhone is still an expensive device. That’s why it may be a good idea to use any carrier discounts, financing offers, and trade-in deals that can reduce the iPhone’s price. Luckily for iPhone users, Apple offers a trade-in program that lets buyers turn in their old iPhone for credit that can be used for a new iPhone purchase.
In theory, that’s the simplest trade-in option, as you’re dealing directly with the vendor. But there is one big mistake you may be making when dealing with the Apple Trade-In program, one that’s not immediately obvious: you’re shipping your old phone back to Apple instead of bringing it to a retail store. These are the two options Apple offers. Customers can ship the old iPhone back to Apple or hand it in at a retail store.
Buyers have a 14-day window to ensure Apple gets the old iPhone. After that, Apple will evaluate the handset and determine whether the initial trade-in estimate still applies. Regardless of how you give Apple your old iPhone back, you should receive the same amount of credit. But that’s not going to happen if the iPhone gets damaged in transit, which is a risk specific to shipping the handset using the kit Apple sends to your home. Apple can reduce the payout to make up for the damage, or offer you $0, after discovering the iPhone is damaged in a significant way.
What iPhone owners say
Even if you know you’ve sent in a working handset that’s in good condition, Apple will determine the trade-in value of the product it received. If the delivery process damaged the handset in any way, Apple will tax you for it. The best option is to bring the iPhone to the nearest Apple retail store to trade it in. iPhone owners who have used the Apple Trade In program only to discover the iPhone was damaged in transit shared their experiences online.
One Reddit user explained that they traded an iPhone 11 for an iPhone 17, their second experience with the trade-in program. While the first time they had no issues, Apple downgraded the payout from the initial $100 value to $40 the second time, citing “Bent device without evident screen lifting, Display has more than 2 white spots OR individual diameters exceeding 2mm.” Apple provided images to show the damage. The user had their own photos showing the handset was in good order before being shipped to Apple. “This damage was totally unexpected, and I wish I had driven down to an Apple Store to do the trade-in in person,” the user concluded. In follow-up comments, the iPhone owner said he could not get the original $100 payout, despite escalating the case.
Another Reddit user and his wife upgraded from the iPhone 15 Pro Max to the iPhone 17 Pro Max using Apple’s trade-in program. They both mailed in their handsets, but the woman’s device was reported as “back glass cracked,” and the trade-in value was adjusted to $0. The Redditor said that both of them had AppleCare+ for the iPhone 15 units, so it wouldn’t make sense to send in a broken device.
What if there’s no Apple retail store nearby?
While trading in an old iPhone in person at an Apple store is the safest idea, not all iPhone owners live near one. After all, you’re trying to get a deal on a new iPhone, not spend more money to travel to an Apple store. There might be a way to prove to Apple that you sent a functional iPhone in good condition.
One Reddit user shared their story about trading in an iPhone 14 Pro. They tried handing in the old handset at an Apple retail store, but Wi-Fi issues prevented the process. They used the mail-in kit after that: “It left my house in great shape… near excellent almost… and Apple emailed me a revised value of $0 because of a cracked/non-functional screen. That’s absolutely not how it left me, and since I can’t prove that it happened in transit, they are telling me they won’t honor the initial quoted value.”
Another Reddit user responded to the thread, saying, “I record a video, doing a 360 of the device to show no physical defects, then power the device on and off. I finish the recording by packing and sealing the box and adding the label.” They added that they’ve used the process to trade in countless devices for all family members for nearly a decade. “Only once did [Apple] try to revise the value and it was corrected when I contacted Apple and offered to show the video. They took me at my word when I described what was in the video and approved the original amount.” This account is not a guarantee that Apple will stick to the original quote for an iPhone damaged in transit, but it’s something to consider.
