What Does “Up To” Pricing Mean?
If we give you an “up to” price, it means we cannot confirm the exact value of your phone until we inspect it.
We only use “up to” pricing when there is something we simply cannot assess properly online.
Why do we sometimes use “up to” pricing?
Most of the time, our detailed trade-in questions give us enough information to provide an accurate quote.
But there are situations where no online questionnaire can tell us everything.
For example, if your phone does not turn on, neither you nor we can properly test the screen.
You may have accurately told us that the phone does not power on, but until one of our technicians gets it working, we cannot know whether the screen also has:
- Dead pixels
- OLED burn-in
- Touch faults
- Lines or discolouration
- Another display problem
We may therefore give you an “up to £X” price.
If the phone arrives and the screen works perfectly, we will aim to pay the maximum amount. If we discover another fault that could not previously be tested, the final value may be lower.
When else might we use an “up to” price?
| Situation | What we cannot confirm remotely |
|---|---|
| Phone will not turn on | Screen, cameras, Face ID, touch response and other functions. |
| Phone will not charge | Whether the issue is the battery, charging port or an internal component. |
| Screen cannot be tested | Dead pixels, burn-in, touch faults, display lines or discolouration. |
| Intermittent fault | What is causing the fault and how serious it is. |
| Multiple faults | Whether one problem is preventing us from identifying another. |
| Possible internal or liquid damage | The true extent of the damage and the repair required. |
Why do we ask so many questions?
Because “good”, “poor” and “broken” are not accurate enough.
Two identical phones can have completely different repair requirements and completely different values.
A broken phone might need one simple repair. Another may need a new screen, battery and internal components.
That is why we ask detailed questions instead of asking you to grade the phone yourself.
How does this fit with our Honesty Policy?
Our Honesty Policy is based on one simple principle: We Pay What We Say.
Where we have enough information to give you a confirmed price, that is the price we intend to pay.
Where we genuinely cannot know the final condition of the phone, we believe the honest thing to do is say so.
That is why we clearly show “up to” instead of presenting an uncertain price as guaranteed.
Will an “up to” price automatically be reduced?
No.
An “up to” price is not a planned deduction.
We will always try to honour the maximum price where the condition of the phone allows us to.
A reduction should only happen where our inspection identifies an additional fault or issue that could not reasonably be confirmed beforehand.
If that happens, we will explain why.
The important part
If we can accurately price your phone before you send it, we will.
If something cannot be properly tested or assessed remotely, we may give you an “up to” price instead.
The purpose is simple: to be clear about what we know, what we do not know, and what your phone could realistically be worth.
