"It's a great way to recoup some money from your old phone to put towards a brand new one," said Claire Cobbledick, Head of Marketing of Gumtree South Africa. "Cellphone technology changes rapidly, which is why buying and selling is a great way always to have the latest gadget in your pocket without breaking the bank."
A recent study by Havas Worldwide has shown that 43% of 16 to 35-year-olds consider the resale value before they make a purchase, which is why taking the resale value of a cell phone into account before purchase pays dividends. "We do it for other high-value items like cars - why not do it for cellphones?" said Cobbledick.
The phone price checker is the latest offering in a series of three by the classifieds site, which also boasts a car price checker and a property checker. "These tools are ultimately aimed at helping our customers decide what to purchase and how to determine resale value," said Cobbledick.
Cobbledick believes that the latent data on the classifieds site can be immensely valuable, particularly to retailers and automotive dealerships. "There is no other portal that answers the question: "What happens to my product after it's been sold?" in a better fashion. It's telling to see, for instance, how quickly certain phones are being sold after purchase or how much value consumers place on one brand as opposed to another."
Cobbledick said that electronics remains one of the most popular categories on the site. "There are at least 17,000 cellphones being sold on the site every month, and they sell very quickly." Phones sold can range from feature phones to the latest Samsung Galaxy or iPhone. "Smart phones are in high demand, but very few people can afford to buy them new, particular pay-as-you-go customers. Gumtree offers an affordable access for aspiring techies."
