HomeBlogHow Buying From iPhones.LA Works: Pickup, Delivery or Shipping
Buying · 5 min read
How Buying From iPhones.LA Works: Pickup, Delivery or Shipping
Buying a used iPhone, iPad or Mac from us, step by step: what a listing tells you, signing in, pickup, local delivery or shipping, paying and the warranty.
On this page
This page explains exactly what happens when you buy a device from us, from the listing to the handoff, so there are no surprises. It covers iPhones, iPads, Macs and everything else on our shop. We are based in Long Beach and sell across Los Angeles and Orange County, and we ship anywhere in the US.
There is no retail storefront to walk into. Every device is listed online with its own page, and you pick it up from us in Long Beach, have it brought to you, or have it shipped.
1. Read the listing
Each listing is one device, and when it sells the listing comes down. Before you decide, the listing tells you:
- The photos. Taken here, of the device you would receive. The one exception is a new arrival still on a stock image of its model, and the listing says so until its own photos are up. We do not photograph around damage.
- The condition. Sealed, open box, or a grade from Excellent to Used. Sealed, open box or used explains every word.
- The battery. Read off the device and printed as a number, not a description. If a battery is below Apple's service threshold, the listing says so.
- The IMEI or serial check. Lost or stolen reports, carrier blocks, Find My and the carrier lock, with the result and the date. A check we have not done shows a dash.
- The carrier. Unlocked, or the carrier it is locked to. We cannot unlock a carrier-locked phone, and nobody else honestly can either: only that carrier can.
- Anything we found. A replaced part, a cracked back, a management profile that was bypassed. A disclosed issue is sold as described.
- Apple's coverage. When a device is still covered by AppleCare+ or Apple's own warranty, the listing says until when.
If anything on a listing is unclear, call or text before you buy. We would rather check the device for you than sell you the wrong one, because we do not take change of mind returns on used devices.
Every item also has its own link, so you can send a listing to someone and they see that exact device, its photo and its price.
2. Sign in
Every order is placed signed in, with a one-time code we send to your phone or email. It confirms who is buying, so a delivery or a pickup is never set up for someone who cannot be reached. It also keeps your orders together if you buy again or sell to us later.
3. Choose how it reaches you
| Option | When | What it costs | How you pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pickup in Long Beach | Usually the same or next day | Free | Online by card, or cash or Zelle when we meet |
| Local delivery | Same day or next day | Priced by zone, shown at checkout | Online |
| Shipping | Two to five business days | A flat rate, shown at checkout | Online |
Pickup. We text you the exact spot with your time. Before you leave, check the device over: put your SIM in, compare the battery with the listing, and look at the glass in daylight. If you would rather see it before paying at all, choose to pay in cash or by Zelle when you collect. That request does not hold the device, so another buyer can still take it until we confirm your time.
Local delivery. We bring it to a public place near your address in Los Angeles or Orange County, and confirm the exact spot with your time. The price depends on the distance from Long Beach, and checkout draws the map and shows your price before you pay. The areas page lists the cities we cover.
Shipping. A flat rate anywhere in the US, added at checkout. It is insured for what you paid and needs a signature, so it cannot be left at the door, and the tracking is sent to your email and phone.
4. Pick your times
For a pickup or a delivery, tell us the times you are free as you check out. We confirm one by text or email. A person answers the phone from 9am to 5pm Pacific every day if you would rather settle it by talking.
5. Pay
Online, you pay by card or Apple Pay through Stripe, and we never see your card number. Card payments carry a processing charge, shown on its own line before you pay. Sales tax is calculated by Stripe from your address. Delivery or shipping, the charge, and the tax each have their own line, and nothing is added afterwards.
Paying cash or by Zelle at a pickup carries no card fee. We never take payment by any method that asks you to send money to a stranger first.
6. At the handoff
Take a few minutes with the device before you go. On an iPhone, the used iPhone checklist is the short version of what to look at. On a Mac, see buying a used MacBook. Everything should match the listing. If it does not, say so on the spot.
After you buy: the warranty
Every used or open box device comes with a 60-day warranty on factory hardware defects. If a part stops working on its own under normal use within 60 days of purchase, tell us. Once we inspect it and approve the claim, you choose a refund or an exchange for the same or a comparable model.
The warranty does not cover physical or liquid damage, misuse, software problems, normal battery wear, a device opened or repaired by anyone else, or accounts and passcodes added after purchase. An issue the listing disclosed is not covered, since you bought it knowing. To claim, return the device with everything it came with, signed out of iCloud.
A new, factory sealed device is sold unopened, so it comes with Apple's one-year limited warranty instead of ours, and a claim goes to Apple. AppleCare+ on a device stays with the device.
If you need to cancel
If you cancel an order you paid for online, we refund what you paid less a restocking fee. A local delivery cancelled once we are on the way, or where nobody meets us, costs the delivery fee and a cancellation fee. Both fees are shown before you pay, and neither applies to a device that is faulty or not as described, or to a mistake of ours: then you get everything back.
Selling or trading in at the same time
If you have a phone to part with, you can trade it toward the device you are buying and get a trade-in bonus on top of its value, or sell it for cash on the sell page.
Shop hand-tested used iPhones
Every device IMEI checked, battery health shown. Pickup in Long Beach, local delivery, or shipping anywhere in the US.
Frequently asked questions
Do you have a store I can visit?
No. There is no retail storefront. Every device is listed online, and you collect it from us in Long Beach, have it delivered across Los Angeles and Orange County, or have it shipped.
How fast can I get a device?
Pickup and local delivery are usually the same or next day, once we confirm a time with you. Shipping takes two to five business days with tracking.
Can I pay cash?
Yes, for a pickup. Choose to pay when you collect and bring cash, or pay by Zelle. Paying cash means no card processing charge.
Do you take returns?
We do not take change of mind returns on used devices, because each one is unique and priced for what it is. A device that is faulty or not as described is covered, and every used or open box device has a 60-day warranty on factory hardware defects.
Can I buy a carrier-locked phone and have you unlock it?
No. Only the carrier a phone is locked to can unlock it, on its own terms. A locked phone's listing names the carrier, so you can check its requirements before you buy.