Yes, the Christmas period is about the thought, not the cost, but often a phone is rather personal. Buying a second-hand phone is a valid option; they often come sim free, allowing the recipient to choose the network provider. Plus, second-hand phone retailers often put out offers around Black Friday and Christmas, where you may be able to get a screen cover or even a case to match the phone as part of the price.

Here’s what to look for when buying a phone as Christmas Gift:

Watch out for extras; someone else will have to buy

Depending on what make or model of device you end up buying as a gift, keep any extra accessories in mind when thinking about the price. For example, many phone manufacturers have ditched the headphone jack, so a dongle to go from a USB-C or Lightning plug to a 3.5mm audio connection may be needed. You won’t have to worry about a new charging cable, but a screen cover or case may be something you want to think about or even buy to go with the gift.

Watch for red privacy flags.

Some tech products often have privacy and security implications; if you’re buying second-hand, you may want to consider whether the seller is reputable. For example, has each phone been wiped off the banking info, frequently visited locations, current location, photos and conversations? These are are all things we blindly trust our devices with, so if it is a refurbished device, it may be worth checking with the retailer about the grading of the device as well.

Just sticking to the latest models.

The common mistake people make while buying phones online is they only choose the latest models without even considering the older ones. Depending on the purpose of the phone, you may want to select a phone because of what it does, so for example, camera specifications, usage of apps, internal speed, etc. Also, maybe think about the different models of phones from Apple to Samsung to Huawei, maybe even compare the features of each one to see what suits you the best.

Not doing your research.

Doing research and looking at customer reviews is essential when buying a phone online. We would also suggest reading a few blogs posts that review a certain model of phone, so you know exactly what you are looking for and what features are likely to suit your requirements.

After reading through these tips in this article, you can see that buying a phone as a gift is not nearly as complicated as expected. At Used Mobiles 4U, we have a range of makes and models from iPhones to Samsung smartphones, so you’re bound to find the perfect gift this Christmas.