Selling your phone to a shop or online yourself: which pays more?
Selling your phone: do you go to a shop or list it online yourself? We explain honestly what really pays more – including hidden costs you might be overlooking.
Door The Phone Shopper
Gepubliceerd: 2026-08-26
You have an old phone lying around that you no longer use. Maybe it's your previous iPhone, maybe a Samsung Galaxy that's been gathering dust in a drawer for a year. You want money for it, but you don't know what's smarter: selling your phone to a shop or listing it yourself on Marktplaats (the Dutch classifieds site)? The answer is less black and white than you think – and the winner depends heavily on your situation.
Quick summary: selling your phone to a shop generally brings in slightly less than the highest classifieds price, but saves you a lot of time, hassle and risk. For most people, the shop is ultimately the smarter choice – especially once you factor in the hidden costs of selling online.
What are your options if you want to sell your phone?
Broadly, you have three routes:
- Selling it yourself via Marktplaats or Facebook Marketplace – you set your own price and negotiate directly with buyers.
- Trading in or selling at a phone shop – direct payout, no hassle with strangers at your door.
- Buy-back services such as Swappie, Leapp or the Belsimpel trade-in service – convenient, but the offer is often lower than you expect.
Each of these routes has its own pros and cons. We'll go through them honestly – even if that means we don't always name ourselves as the best option.
Selling online yourself: attractive, but not without risk
The big advantage of classifieds is clear: you can ask the highest price. An iPhone 13 in good condition sells for €300 to €370 if you're patient and write a good listing. That sounds attractive.
But then reality kicks in. We regularly speak to customers who end up walking into our shop after a failed classifieds experience – sometimes with a story that raises eyebrows.
The hidden costs of selling online
What many people don't calculate in advance:
- Time: taking photos, writing the listing, negotiating, cancelling appointments – count on at least 2 to 4 hours.
- Shipping costs: if you post it, you quickly pay €7 to €10 for an insured parcel. Those costs come straight off your proceeds.
- Platform fees: paid listings and promoted-ad options like "Dagtopper" cost money if you want to sell quickly.
- No-shows and drop-out buyers: you arrange to meet someone and they don't turn up. Sound familiar? It does to almost everyone with classifieds experience.
- Payment risk: fake payment confirmations, counterfeit cash or buyers who later claim the device "didn't work" – it happens more often than you think.
- Price haggling: expect every buyer to want to knock €20 to €50 off your asking price.
Say you ask €350 for your iPhone, end up getting €310, pay €8 for shipping and spend three hours on the process. Your net proceeds per hour are then a lot less impressive than that €350 suggested at first glance.
Selling your phone to a shop: doesn't that always pay less?
This is the most common misconception. Selling a phone to a shop does indeed generally bring in slightly less than the theoretical top price on classifieds. But "theoretical" is the key word.
At The Phone Shopper in Nijverdal we give you a fair trade-in value straight away. No waiting, no negotiating with ten different people, no risk of scams. You walk in, we look at the device, and you have your money within 24 hours. That's also why we see customers from Almelo, Rijssen, Hellendoorn and Wierden walk in every week – the threshold is low and the certainty is high.
What determines the trade-in value at a shop?
Our technicians look at the following factors when you hand in your device:
- Model and storage capacity – an iPhone 14 Pro 256 GB is worth more than a 128 GB version.
- Screen condition – scratches or cracks lower the value the most.
- Battery health – a battery below 80% is a cost for us when reselling, and we factor that into the price.
- Functional condition – does Face ID work? Is the camera sharp? Does the speaker work?
- iCloud lock removed? – this is crucial. A device with an active iCloud account is barely sellable.
- Original accessories and box – this increases the value, though it's not a requirement.
We're transparent about what we offer and why. If a screen repair significantly increases the trade-in value, we'll tell you honestly – even if that means you wait a bit while we replace the screen before you trade it in. Want to know more about ? It's all laid out clearly on our repairs page.
Comparison: shop vs. selling online at a glance
| Factor |
Selling your phone to a shop |
Selling online yourself |
| Proceeds |
Slightly below top price |
Potentially higher, but variable |
| Time investment |
15-30 minutes |
2-6 hours on average |
| Risk |
Virtually zero |
Scams, no-shows, disputes |
| Payout |
Within 24 hours |
After delivery and buyer approval |
| Negotiation |
Not needed |
Almost always |
| Certainty |
High |
Low to medium |
| Hidden costs |
None |
Shipping, platform, time |
When is selling online actually the better choice?
We give honest advice, even if it costs us a sale. There are situations where classifieds really are more attractive:
- You have a rare or recent flagship in perfect condition (think: iPhone 16 Pro Max with box, 3 months old) – the premium a private buyer pays is then considerably higher than our trade-in price.
- You have all the time in the world and enjoy negotiating.
- You're selling several devices at once – then it's worth setting aside an afternoon for it.
For a two-year-old mid-range phone with a 78% battery and a small scratch on the screen? Then the classifieds proceeds, after deducting all costs and hassle, are rarely better than what a good shop offers you.
Benefits of trading in at The Phone Shopper
If you choose to sell your phone to a shop, it matters quite a bit which shop. At our place in Nijverdal, there are a few things we deliberately do differently:
- Immediate valuation on the spot – no online form that sends you a disappointing offer three days later.
- Payout within 24 hours – no hassle with transfers that are "on their way".
- No obligation – think our offer is too low? You simply walk away, no fuss.
- Repair + trade-in combination – sometimes a new battery or screen repair before trading in pays off. We'll do the honest maths for you.
- Trade-in as a down payment – you can also use the trade-in value as a discount on a refurbished phone from our webshop.
Want to know what your device is worth? Check our trade-in page or just drop by at Willem Alexanderstraat 11 in Nijverdal. No appointment needed.
What can you do to get more for your old phone?
Whether you choose the shop or online: a few simple steps always increase the proceeds.
- Make an iCloud or Google backup and then remove your account from the device. Without this, the device is barely sellable.
- Perform a factory reset – make sure all your personal data is gone.
- Clean the device – a clean device looks better and is valued higher.
- Find the original box and accessories – this increases the perceived value.
- Check the battery health via Settings → Battery → Battery Health. Is it below 80%? Then you might consider having the battery replaced first by our – that usually raises the trade-in value by more than the repair costs.
- Note down the IMEI number (dial *#06#) – handy for both online sales and trade-ins.
Frequently asked questions
How much will my phone fetch if I sell it to a shop?
That depends on the model, condition and age of the device. An iPhone 13 in good condition typically fetches between €180 and €260 as a trade-in. A Samsung Galaxy S22 sits in a comparable range. At The Phone Shopper we always give an immediate valuation on site – just drop by or send us a message for a first indication.
Is selling a phone to a shop safe?
Yes, this is the safest way to sell your phone. You have no contact with unknown buyers, no risk of counterfeit payments and no shipping hassle. The payout is direct and transparent.
Do I need to make an appointment to hand in my phone?
Not at The Phone Shopper in Nijverdal. You can simply walk in during our opening hours. Our technicians look at your device on the spot and make you an offer straight away. You're also welcome to call: +31 548 549 536.
What if my device is damaged – does that have a big impact on the trade-in price?
Visible damage lowers the value, but less than you sometimes think. A cracked screen is repairable for us; we factor the repair cost into the offer. In some cases it pays to have the screen repaired first before trading in. We'll always do the honest maths for you. Also take a look at our for an idea of the costs.
Can I trade in my old phone for a refurbished device?
Yes, that's actually a popular option with us. You use your trade-in value as a down payment on a refurbished phone from our stock. That way you pay less for your new device and get rid of your old one straight away. All refurbished devices with us have at least 85% battery capacity and come with a 2-year warranty.
Which is better: trading in at a shop or using a buy-back service like Swappie?
Buy-back services are handy if you want to post the device and don't live near a good phone shop. The downside is that you send the device first and only get a final offer afterwards – which can be disappointing. At a local shop like The Phone Shopper you know where you stand straight away, without having to send anything.
Refurbished iPhones, Samsung and iPads
Save up to 50% on a refurbished iPhone. Every device goes through our 50-point inspection and comes with a 2-year warranty.
Our services
Why The Phone Shopper?
- 2-year warranty on all refurbished phones
- 30 days to change your mind on devices and accessories (spare parts: 14 days) and free returns
- Free shipping within the Netherlands from €50 (accessories and parts) or €150 (phones)
- Professional 50-point inspection
- Pay securely with iDEAL, credit card, Bancontact, Apple Pay and Klarna
- Customer service available on working days, 10:00 - 18:00
Device condition
Every refurbished phone is sold in one of four conditions:
- New — Unused, in original packaging
- As good as new — No visible signs of use
- Lightly used — Minimal signs of use
- Used — Visible signs of use, technically fully sound
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Contact
The Phone Shopper
Willem Alexanderstraat 11
7442 MA Nijverdal, Overijssel
Tel: +31 548 549 536
E-mail: info@thephoneshopper.nl
KvK: 75693623 | BTW: NL002427182B29
Opening hours: Mon 13:00-18:00 | Tue-Wed & Fri 10:00-18:00 | Thu 10:00-20:00 | Sat 10:00-17:00 | Sun closed
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