Are you angry that online auction giant eBay isn’t allowing you to sell your smartphone with Flappy Birds installed for $1,000 or more? Well we’re likely now approaching the tail end of the Flappy Bird phenomenon anyway, but some companies are still finding creative new ways to capitalize on the craze before it vanishes. One such company is UpgradeSwap.
Just like big names such as Gazelle and uSell, UpgradeSwap buys used gadgets through the mail and pays various rates depending on device model, carrier and condition. The company claims on its website that it pays out much more for devices than its top competition, and a company representative said on the phone that it dishes out up to $100 more than top rivals such as Gazelle and uSell for some devices.
A quick test seems to align with the site’s claims.
I navigated through menus as if I was looking to sell an iPhone 5 32GB for AT&T on UpgradeSwap, Gazelle and uSell, and found that UpgradeSwap indeed offered the most money for the handset. USell found several quotes on third-party sites, the best of which was $195, while Gazelle offered me $205. Meanwhile, UpgradeSwap offered me $255 for my used iPhone 5. A few additional tests with other devices yielded similar results.
Now as an added bonus for a limited time, UpgradeSwap is offering smartphone and tablet sellers even more money when they sell devices that have Flappy Bird installed.
No, you won’t get $1,000 for your Flappy phone like many people were asking on eBay, but the company is paying out “a little extra money” as an added incentive for phones with Flappy Bird installed. Of course this is for promotional purposes only, and all phones are erased when UpgradeSwap receives them.
How much extra is the company paying for Flappy Birds? A representative said over the phone that it depends on the device model and the condition of the device being sold, but it will likely be in the ballpark of $10, $15 or maybe even $20. Considering UpgradeSwap already appears to be paying out more for used gadgets than similar services, that’s not a bad deal at all.
Those looking to take advantage of the promotion should get an online quote for their Flappy phones and tablets on the company’s website, and then call UpgradeSwap’s customer service number for more information about the Flappy Bird bonus.
