Spark Trade-in misleading

Forums › Spark New Zealand (including Skinny and BigPipe) › Spark Trade-in misleading

kitty251

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#322920 6-Oct-2025 14:05

Has anyone used Spark trade-in? On the website it says I would get $902 for my 256GB iPhone 15 Pro max however when I took it into the Spark store they said I would get $630. This seems very misleading. Looking to sell privately now.

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#3422174 6-Oct-2025 14:16

Did you ask in store why the difference? Would be interesting to know what they'd say about it

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Oblivian

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#3422177 6-Oct-2025 14:23

That is between scuffed and well worn display pricing.

There are clauses all over it. Estimated only. Confirmed in store. And 'may change periodically.'

Not 'this is the exact amount'.

kitty251

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#3422178 6-Oct-2025 14:24

They said it was because it wasn’t new and still in the box 🙄 Who on earth would trade in a brand new phone! It is still in perfect condition and has excellent battery health.
I did get the $700 discount so I wonder if that has something to do with it?

Goosey

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#3422182 6-Oct-2025 14:37

It’s not misleading

https://www.spark.co.nz/online/legal/terms-and-conditions/trade-in

toejam316

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#3422190 6-Oct-2025 14:54

Condition of the device you're trading in affects its value, generally those devices get taken in and refurbished to some degree, and I think maybe sold through talk is cheap?

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Asteros

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#3422192 6-Oct-2025 15:00

I can only talk from my recent experience. 2 weeks ago I went into Spark Westfield Newmarket to ask about getting the 17 Pro Max and trade in my 13 Pro max. The sales associate mentioned that Spark sends off the trade in to be assessed off-site by a third party company and they are very particular about searching for defects. Apparently they are quite strict and somehow most phones in perfect or excellent or very good condition get hundreds deducted off trade in. By his tone it sounds like he didn't really agree with their decisions.

I thanked him, walked across to One NZ and they said they assessed trade in phones instore. They looked at mine and said it would get their full trade in amount from the website in good condition and I put my order in with them.

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gzt

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#3422197 6-Oct-2025 15:10

kitty251: They said it was because it wasn’t new and still in the box 🙄

Some people do retain boxes for resale. It's usually worth cleaning up a bit before a tradein process. That said, One NZ has the better review above ; ).

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#3422198 6-Oct-2025 15:11

As per the T and C...

"The value presented to you at the Spark store is the amount Entelar is offering to purchase the device from you, and:

If you want to continue with the device’s sale to Entelar based on this value, the store or agent will send the device to Entelar."

XPD / Gavin

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mattwnz

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#3422203 6-Oct-2025 15:22

Maybe they need to show an estimated range. But the 17pro max isn't that much better than the 15 pro max. I am sure many people would buy the 15 pro max off you for the trade in price they offered in store.

muppet

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#3422208 6-Oct-2025 15:31

The title of this forum post is misleading.

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#3422216 6-Oct-2025 16:25

So did the OP read the terms and conditions?.

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tardtasticx

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#3422229 6-Oct-2025 17:04

I have a chat going with spark support too.
I have a 15 pro in perfect condition, always been in a case and never repaired.

The online estimate when I bought the iPhone air said up to $800, and to complete it by going in store within 30 days to complete it. I went to spark today they said the estimate is now $760, but I’ll only get around $500. I asked why, as it’s a great condition phone. She said it was due to the phone not being new in box, or get this, because it’s not been recently repaired by them. What? Who’s trading in a brand new in box phone and why is a repaired phone valued more than a perfectly ok one?

she was hesitant to give me the terms and conditions to review, eventually I said I’ll go ahead with it - got the paperwork and refused to sign.

Waiting for spark support to reply now and will see what happens but I suspect it’s a case of me selling on Trademe now.
OneNZ didnt pull this stunt when I got my 15 Pro from them. I got around $700 trade in for my 12 pro max at the time, the same as was told online and no threats of being given less if they receive the phone at the warehouse.

gzt

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#3422243 6-Oct-2025 17:41

tardtasticx: The online estimate when I bought the iPhone air said up to $800, and to complete it by going in store within 30 days to complete it. I went to spark today they said the estimate is now $760, but I’ll only get around $500. I asked why, as it’s a great condition phone. She said it was due to the phone not being new in box,

That is starting to sound dodgy and misleading. I gather the online estimator says nothing like checkbox or conditions original box?

gzt

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#3422244 6-Oct-2025 17:44

kitty251: They said it was because it wasn’t new and still in the box 🙄

I gather Spark did not specify that in the estimator process?

gzt

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#3422249 6-Oct-2025 17:49

Text from the estimator:

Is your phone fully functional and in excellent condition?

Please confirm that your phone meets the following conditions:

It powers on and functions normally
Charges properly and stays on without shutdowns
Display is clear, no dead pixels, light spots or screen burn
All buttons are fully operational
Not network locked
Camera(s) capture clear images without damage
Body and display are free of scratches, dents or scuff marks

(detail)

Front Image
Trade in and save up to $1,340
when you buy iPhone 17 Pro interest free and remain on a $65 or above Pay Monthly Mobile plan, and trade in iPhone 16 Pro 128GB.

Limited time offer. Min $99 deposit. Full terms

Buy now
Step 1

Get an estimate
Answer a few questions about your mobile device's condition and get a trade-in estimate online.

Trade-in calculator

Device

Condition

Estimate

Is your phone fully functional and in excellent condition?

Please confirm that your phone meets the following conditions:

It powers on and functions normally
Charges properly and stays on without shutdowns
Display is clear, no dead pixels, light spots or screen burn
All buttons are fully operational
Not network locked
Camera(s) capture clear images without damage
Body and display are free of scratches, dents or scuff marks

Yes, it's in excellent condition

Make sure you’ve picked the right condition, we’ll double check it when you bring your phone into a Spark store.

Fully functional and in excellent condition
To proceed with your phone trade-in estimate, please confirm that the following conditions are met.

If you notice any discrepancies, particularly in the physical appearance, please select "No" so we can address specific concerns and adjust the estimate accordingly.

Operational status:

The phone turns on and works normally. All features are accessible and working as expected.

Charging and battery:

The device charges properly, maintains its charge and stays powered on without shutting down unexpectedly.

Display quality:

The screen should be free of dead pixels, light spots, green or pink lines and screen burn, providing a clear and vibrant display.

Button functionality:

All physical buttons, including power and volume controls, are fully operational and responsive.

Network locked:

A network locked device is restricted to work only with a specific mobile provider.

The device can't use SIM cards from other networks until unlocked.

Unlocking usually requires contacting the provider and may involve conditions or fees.

Camera condition:

The camera(s) are undamaged and capture clear images and videos without any defects.

Physical appearance:

Please carefully inspect the phone's body and screen. Make sure there are no scratches, dents or scuff marks. This step is crucial, as physical wear is often missed or underestimated. The exterior should be in pristine condition.

Nothing about box in there.

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