Apple has emphasized device trade-ins for years now, using third-party partners for its trade-in program, including Atlanta-based Phobio in the United States.
When Daniel McGloin decided to trade in his mid-2017 Apple MacBook in February of this year, he thought he was getting a pretty good deal. The software engineer and San Diego native initiated the trade-in with Apple through the Apple Store mobile app, where he was quoted $350 for his used laptop. He felt it was in pretty good condition, with no apparent damage to the case and a fully functioning display and keyboard…
The situation soon changed after his laptop arrived for inspection. Suddenly, McGloin was told his MacBook was worth just $140, less than half what Apple originally quoted. The mysterious culprit: “display has 3 or more white spots,” the Apple Store app told him. It’s a defect McGloin doesn’t remember ever seeing, and one that he should have noticed: typically, white spots on an LCD display are evidence of serious damage or burn-in and are clearly visible. In McGloin’s estimation, however, the laptop was in “excellent” condition, he tells The Verge, and he didn’t see any white spots when he packed it up…
The Verge inspected McGloin’s MacBook in person after he rejected the trade-in offer and Phobio returned the computer to him. We could detect no such white spots or any discernible damage whatsoever. The laptop booted up and operates like new, and it has since passed numerous online diagnostic tests…
Scores of other instances of this exact situation happening to Apple product owners can be found online, too, with numerous customers citing Phobio’s “3 or more white spots” explanation as the reason for their adjusted trade-in, as well as stories of other types of apparent damage detected only after sending a device in for inspection. This isn’t just restricted to MacBooks, either. Customers often complain of reduced trade-in quotes for iPhones, iPads, and iMacs, too.
MacDailyNews Take: Have you felt you’ve gotten lowballed by Phobio on an Apple device you traded in?
If so, did you reject the Phobio offer and have Phobio return the device to you? We heartily recommend doing so, as we’ve done exactly that in the past and realized significantly more cash than Phobio was offering for the devices via eBay sales or even other trade-in companies.
We’ve also used Phobio without issue as Apple’s online tool quoted good prices and Phobio honored those quotes after being sent the devices on numerous occasions.