Buy used phones and laptops cheap, repair or unlock them, and resell on Swappa, Back Market or eBay.
Why that grade Swappa's fee model is published; margin figures are modelled from typical parts cost against realistic resale comps, not independently audited. Course-seller index 3/10.
Figures are researched estimates, not guarantees. Check local rules before you trade.
Phones depreciate fast enough that sellers routinely underprice broken or locked units relative to what a buyer with basic repair skill can extract, and Swappa's tech-savvy buyer base pays fair prices for verified working devices.
Broken/locked phones bought for $50-150 and repaired for $30-80 in parts commonly resell for $150-350 (50-100%+ margin); working, underpriced phones resold with good listings typically net 15-30% margin.
Someone with basic repair skill (or willing to learn screen/battery replacement) and access to reliable IMEI verification tools.
Anyone unwilling to verify IMEI status before every purchase — this single step is what separates a safe flip from a total loss.
Buying a stolen or IMEI-blacklisted phone without checking is a real and common way to lose your entire purchase — the device becomes legally unsellable the moment you try to activate or list it.
6 steps to your first paying customer
Buying in is not one of these steps — the Startup cost above is what you need in hand; this is what the steps cost on top of it.
Look on Facebook Marketplace, pawn shops and 'broken phone' local listings priced for a quick sale.
Done when You've bought at least one phone priced meaningfully below its working resale value from Facebook Marketplace, a pawn shop or a 'broken phone' listing.
Always check IMEI/serial status against blacklist/stolen/carrier-lock databases before buying — this is the single most important verification step.
Done when Every phone you've bought passed an IMEI/blacklist check clean before you paid for it, with no exceptions.
Watch out: A blacklisted phone is unsellable no matter how good the repair job — this check is non-negotiable.
The rest of the playbook: what to charge, what you need in place before you take money, where the first customers come from, and what each step costs.
Free forever · no card · 30 secondsAnyone can source from the same local listings.
Genuine repair skill that lets you buy 'broken' devices others pass on
A reliable IMEI-verification process that builds buyer trust and repeat business
None as a standalone asset, though repair skill transfers directly into a local phone-repair side business.
Same idea, different rules. One playbook, with the facts that actually differ overlaid per market.
CeX's physical trade-in stores add a local sourcing/selling channel beyond online marketplaces.
E-waste import restrictions exist in some developing countries — check destination-specific rules before cross-border resale.
Used-electronics import bans exist in several markets for e-waste reasons — verify before shipping internationally.
Swappa's flat listing fee model is generally preferred over eBay's percentage for electronics specifically.
Buy bulk 'grade A' vintage clothing bales wholesale and resell items individually online or at markets.
Buy undervalued items at estate sales, or get paid to clear a deceased person's home and keep what's valuable.
Buy undervalued trading cards and flip them raw or via PSA grading for a profit on eBay.