“Apple’s trade-in program ensures that the customer experience starts — and restarts — with Apple again and again. Right now, Apple needs cellular service provider partners,” Chris Maxcer reports for MacNewsWorld. “Down the road, however, when these providers end up selling services a la carte, Apple will be ready with products, channels and customers ready to buy Apple and add services later.”
“In the meantime, Apple’s trade-in program doesn’t seem particularly dangerous — nor does it look compelling to tech-savvy users who know their way around eBay. Apple’s reported US$120-to-$250 trade-in values tend to be less than what many customers could potentially get if they just sold their iPhone themselves — or used a trade-in or broker service from a company like Best Buy, DeviceFlip, Gazelle or NextWorth,” Maxcer reports. “Heck, even Amazon has an electronics trade-in program that lets customers send in iPhones in exchange for Amazon gift cards — with free shipping, no less. Right now, an AT&T-based iPhone 5 with 16 GB could go for more than $400.”
Maxcer reports, “What Apple brings to the table, though, is convenience. Plenty of customers are willing to give up potential iPhone sales money in favor of an easy process without risk.”
Read more in the full article here.