In most cases, you can expect your shiny new Apple device to be worth less than you paid for it the moment you leave the store, at least after your 14-day return period. Additionally, businesses that buy in bulk can expect to pay significantly less than retail stores.
However, one of the industry’s largest resellers says neither of these things are true and that it is currently selling large quantities of iPhone 16s for above retail price…
B-Stock describes itself as the world’s largest business-to-business reseller of returned and overstock products. The company is selling many iPhone 16 models to bulk buyers and says they are currently available for a asking price of 1.5% above retail price.
According to the company, this phenomenon was last seen with the iPhone 12, and there are four possible explanations for the price premium.
4 reasons why iPhone 16 sells for more than retail price
First, while some iPhone 16 models are currently available for immediate pickup at many Apple Stores, some configurations may have longer wait times. There are countries around the world where delays are so long that some countries are willing to pay a premium for immediate delivery.
Second, retail prices in many countries are significantly higher than in the United States due to high import taxes. Technically used mobile phones may be subject to lower tariff rates, even if they are sold on the first day in their original, unopened packaging. Therefore, there is a huge demand for these in regions such as Asia, South America, and the Middle East.
Third, the same is true within the United States. All U.S. states offer some level of sales tax incentives for wholesale transactions, allowing businesses to pay a small premium rather than pay retail and be subject to full sales tax. It may be cheaper to buy in bulk.
Finally, there are resellers who are willing to pay full retail price or more to get inventory early. That’s because they may take some losses on hardware sales in order to make money from ancillary services like insurance and phone plans.
Old iPhones still sell well
B-Stock also notes that the last model to benefit from this effect, the iPhone 12, continues to sell well.
Used iPhone 12 prices are trending steadily. The generations released after the release of the iPhone 12 were very similar to the iPhone 12 in terms of features and form, giving consumers little compelling reason to upgrade.
However, the iPhone 13 is the best seller on the used market, especially the Pro Max model.
The iPhone 15 Pro Max is selling in bulk for up to 74% of its original retail price, and B-Stock says the value hasn’t been hurt by the launch of the iPhone 16.
Photo by Semeon Hrozian on Unsplash
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