Best Buy - Trade iPhone 4/4s for free iPhone 5. (conditions, of course.)

[Harvey]

Until June 29, Best Buy is offering to trade iPhone 4/4s for a free iPhone 5.

The free phone deal is a result of two ongoing promotions happening at Best Buy right now. In May, the store began offering any iPhone with a two-year contract for $50 off, bringing the iPhone 5's usual $199.99 price down to $149.99. Now when a customer brings in an iPhone 4 or 4S they will get a $150 trade-in credit, making the iPhone 5 free.

But there are some caveats. Customers have to be eligible for an upgrade at Verizon, AT&T and Sprint (no T-Mobile) to get the offer and they will have to pay the carrier activation fees and sales tax. The credit can't be used towards a different phone and the deal is only offered at physical Best Buy or Best Buy Mobile locations.

See the article for other terms and conditions.

 

[kmmatney]

Upgrading for free is always good, but as a 4S owner I think it's worth it to see what comes out in fall. I'm personally hoping for a new iPhone with a larger screen, but we'll see...

I actually made $50 profit when sold my 3GS on Ebay and upgraded to the 4S.

 

[gevorg]

FYI: if you live in a large metro area, you can easily get $300+ cash for your iPhone 4S within a day or so after posting on CL

 

[Harvey]

FYI: if you live in a large metro area, you can easily get $300+ cash for your iPhone 4S within a day or so after posting on CL

I saw similar comments in the replies posted in the Yahoo article. I guess this deal is good for those who don't have a ready market for their 4s and those who ould prefer one stop shopping for the upgrade.

The other side of that coin is another quote from the artilce:

However, Best Buy does say that if a customer's iPhone 4 or 4S is worth more than the $149.99 price of the iPhone 5, they will "receive the positive difference in the form of a Best Buy gift card in addition to a free iPhone 5."

If you're on the fence, this could still be a good deal if you bring proof of the resale value of your phone with you.

For reference, one of my sisters called to ask what I thought her iPhone 4s is worth. Her model number is MD276LL/A. Searching Google for model MD276LL/A used finds this site that quotes the price of her phone in good condition at $249.99.

That would cover the sales tax in NY and a couple of nice goodiies to go with it.

If the best you can do is to break even after taxes, etc., you'll have a nice, new, shiney toy with a better display, and it will be worth more the next time you you want to sell it or trade it in for whatever comes next. :thumbsup:

 

[Hooptymobile]

I went to best buy and tried trading in my 4s and the since my contract was only 1 year in that it would cost 200.00 because its am early upgrade. Too many policies, just have to wait in this upgrade.

 

[richardycc]

I thought this was a good deal then I realized an Iphone 4 or 4S is easier worth at least $150.

 

[lyang238]

This is geared more for the Iphone 4 rather than 4s users I would say. 4's in good condition can get around $150 for what Best Buy is offering. You may be able to get more on CL but then you have to deal with meeting up and making sure your phone is good, ect. you know the drill.

 

[Harvey]

My sister went to Best Buy. They told her she won't be eligible for their offer until her current contract is up, next month, but that they would still give her the $150 trade in, then.

I thought this deal was worth posting for those who happen to be in exactly the right situation for it to work out really well. My sis will have to wait until then to see if they'll still offer the rest of the deal, including the extra $50 and the offer to give her a further gift card for the current value of her 4s, then.

 

[Sentrosi2121]

Kind of on the fence with this one.
I'm an original iPhone4 holder but the specs I see on the 5s/6 make me want to wait a bit. I'll have to compare the specs of the 5 to the 5s/6 right now to make that decision. The primary one is the camera as I take a crap ton of pics with it.

 

[Staples]

What is so alluring about the 5s? I have seen that it has a dual LED flash and a battery that is 20% or so bigger. Probably a new faster CPU too but the iPhone 5 hasn't exactly ever been slow at anything.

Anyway, I bought into their buy back program with my last phone (it was a motorola that is worth nothing now days) and they gave me $140 credit. After tax, I got out with an iPhone 5 for $22.xx. This was two weeks ago.

 

[Raider1284]

Anyway, I bought into their buy back program with my last phone (it was a motorola that is worth nothing now days) and they gave me $140 credit. After tax, I got out with an iPhone 5 for $22.xx. This was two weeks ago.

So you bought into their buy back program, and they offered you less credit then what they were giving everyone else for free? Hopefully this is a typo and they gave you much more then $150 for your phone.

 

[Staples]

They gave me $140 for a crappy phone that is worth less than $100 used on Ebay. They are offering $150 if you trade in an iPhone.