New Experience: eBay Seller
I'm very much against iPhone cases because they make the already large phone all the much bulkier. I'm also not gentle with my iPhone in the least, and I've dropped it numerous times. My phone obtained some scratches that Steve shook his head over, but I thought they gave the phone character. It no longer looked like Generic iPhone, it was Valette's Well-Used and Loved iPhone.
So if we do that math: no iPhone case + lots of dropping = a few scratches, mostly. Some bigger than others, yes, and okay, then my volume button fell off, but everything still worked just fine.
Until it didn't.
One day the power-off screen kept popping up randomly, then it wouldn't go away. When the screen went to sleep, it wouldn't wake up, choosing instead to blink the Apple logo at me until I plugged it in. Then it would resume randomly attempting to be powered off.
It was pretty awesome timing too, because my internet usage at work had just been severely limited. I was mostly without internet for a full 8-hours every day. I could access my email and Twitter so long as I kept the phone plugged in, but then I couldn't listen to music from my iPod and streaming internet radio was out.
Classic First World problems, here.
I checked Craigslist and found a bunch of iPhone knockoffs for $200. I checked eBay and found a bunch of used iPhones for $500. I considered the three months until I could upgrade to the newer iPhone 3Gs without paying $600. I considered signing another 2-year contract with AT&T. I considered crying.
I was saved by a dear friend who just happened to have a barely-used iPhone sitting in her car. There was a clandestine meeting, code words, and an exchange of money in a dark abandoned parking lot (read: back table at Kaladi Brothers Coffee).
Within two hours I had a fully functioning iPhone with all of my settings and apps and contacts. It was missing some characteristic scratches, and Steve immediately made me put a case on it, but it worked and that's all I really wanted.
Then I sold my old one on eBay.
I've never sold anything on eBay before, and it was surprisingly easy. I took some well-lit and well-composed photos of my scratched and broken iPhone, and listed out every way it was scratched and broken. No refunds, as-is. If I got $50 for it then I would be happy.
And I got a whole lot more than $50. The sale of my old phone meant that my replacement phone only cost me $30. Which is fantastic.
