Financial constraints in Nigeria is forcing people to buy second-hand smartphones.
Nowadays, with the hardship of the economy, purchasing brand new phones won’t be as easy as it once seems. Cheap phones are likely to get expensive due to decrease in supply. The ones already in stock would undergo a price hike so as to enable the purchase of new ones.
As a result of this, there is a tendency for new smartphones to be delayed in Nigeria. The old ones in stock will be the target of sales for dealers, but going by the increase in prices, it might prove difficult to get them to consumers.
Since, the cost of these smartphones are incredibly high, most Nigerians, would opt for cheapest smartphones (low end smartphones). Yet, these smartphones lack desired performance and features found in high end phones.
It should be understood that my definition of cheap is something an average Nigerian can afford. So to some, a N30,000 phone is cheap, but an average Nigerian sees it as expensive.
In terms of RAM, Processor, Graphics, Camera, Screen and Battery, these cheapest phones (to an average Nigerian) are no where near perfect.
Second-hand phones come to the rescue here. A second-hand phone isn’t brand new. It is used by someone in the past, and is now being sold at a lower price.
The Price of second-hand smartphone largely depends on the duration it was used. For instance, if the phone was bought 2010, and used till now, the price would be a lot lower compared to a smartphone that was bought 2019.
Another major factor that determines the price of a second-hand phone is its working condition or newness. Irrespective of usage most smartphone sellers will not sell their phones very low if it is in excellent shape. High quality phones fall within this range.
Here are factors that affect the price of a second-hand smartphone
Duration of Usage
The worth of a smartphone depreciates with time. This is evident in the cost of old iPhones, such as iPhone 4s (released 2011) with prices as low as N12,000.
Working Condition
A smartphone in good working condition might be a little costly.
What defines good working condition of a second-hand smartphone is:
- Performance – how fast the smartphone is
- Graphics – clearness and visibility of images on screen
- Battery stand by – how long battery lasts on certain tasks
- Audio – Does sounds from speaker come out well and loud enough?
- Camera – The display of images captured by the Camera
- Touch screen – is the screen responding fast to your input?
- Internet Connectivity – Whether the phone can connect or not.
- Charging port – If chargers can charge the phone through the charging port
N.B: In Nigeria, If dealing with second-hand phone dealers, extreme smartness is needed to avoid being conned. Most times, they tell lies to get you to buy the phone.
Ownership of the second-hand smartphone
Sometimes the second-hand smartphone might be a stolen phone that has been formatted. So, if you don’t request for some proof of ownership, you might end up as a privy to theft.
All phones have IMEI (International Mobile Equipment Identity), and should the real owner go to lengths to retrieve the phone, you will be caught.
Advise
It is better to not have any phone than to have a problematic smartphone. The money spent in fixing the phone might reach the amount to purchase a brand new smartphone.
With all the fixing and repairs, the phone would probably not last long enough. So, if buying a second-hand smartphone you intend using for a long time, ensure its working condition is excellent.
Otherwise, if you intend to use the second-hand phone for a while, you should give yourself the benefit of doubt, provided the faults are to be barest minimum, such that can be repaired at a low cost.
Always keep in mind that ‘second-hand phones’ are ‘used phones’ of which condition is doubtful.
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