Flipkart’s sale: How mobile exchange discount works on Mi A1, iPhone SE, etc

Flipkart's 'Festive Dhamaka Days' sale is on with exchange discounts on Xiaomi's Mi A1, Mi Max 2, Apple iPhone SE, etc. We explain how this 'exchange' works.

By: Techy all news | Gopalganj |Updated: October 8, 2017 6:55 pm

Flipkart' Festive Dhamaka Days: Exchange offers on Apple iPhone SE, Xiaomi Mi A1, Mi Max 2 and how they work.

Flipkart’s ‘Festive Dhamaka Days’ sale is on for the next 11 hours or so, and mobiles like Xiaomi Mi A1, Xiaomi Mi Max, Redmi Note 4, Apple’s iPhone SE, iPhone 7, etc all have exchange discounts on them as well. The Flipkart product page for many of these mobiles will say: Upto Rs 14,000 off on exchange.

Now for consumers this might seem like a really good deal, especially if one considers the price of Mi A1, which is Rs 14,999. If you actually get Rs 14,000 off, then the price is effectively Rs 999 in case of the Mi A1 and the Mi Max 2, which has a similar deal. But the exchange discount does have a catch, and we explain why these high discounts are not really possible to score .

First, what is exchange discount on mobiles, smartphones ?

Essentially Flipkart, and even Amazon, will offer further discount on the final price of a smartphone if you are trading in an older mobile phone for this. So if Flipkart has listed Xiaomi Mi A1’s price as Rs 14,999 and promises Rs 14,000 off on exchange, this means the maximum discount you can get for your older smartphone. Effectively if you did get Rs 14,000 off, the phone would cost Rs 999. But there’s a slim chance of that actually happening.

What’s the catch with these exchange offers? 

Chances are your older mobile phone, unless it is an Apple iPhone devices (6s and above) or the Samsung Galaxy S8, it won’t fetch such a high price on the Flipkart exchange value. Users should note that under the ‘Buy with Exchange’ value, the company has already determined the price for various models of mobiles across each brand. Also Apple users are at a considerable advantage here as even the older iPhones have a higher exchange value compared to many other mobiles.

How do I check the value of my old mobile phone on Flipkart for exchange? 

As we’ve pointed out, the value of each mobile is pre-determined by Flipkart. In order to check the value of your old phone, click on the ‘Buy with Exchange’ option on the product page. A separate pop-up opens on the page itself. Choose the model number, the brand name from the list and see the value that is listed for the product. If you wish to trade the older mobile for the new phone and think the price quote is worth it, enter the IMEI number and hit ‘Buy with Exchange.’ If your mobile is not listed, then the exchange scheme doesn’t apply.

Apple iPhone models will likely fetch a higher price compared to most other brands.

What are terms and conditions of the ‘Buy with Exchange’ scheme for Flipkart? 

Flipkart has a list of terms and conditions for the mobile phone. A user has to agree to these before accepting the exchange offer. Also it is best not to lie about the condition of the device because if they don’t match, then the company might not accept the mobile phone at the time of pickup.

Flipkart’s terms and conditions say that “brand and model of the old device” has to match what you’ve claimed. So if you are claiming to trade in an iPhone 6s, then it has to be an iPhone 6s at the time of pickup, not any other phone.The phone should switch on for a minimum of 30 seconds without connecting to charger, adds the company.

Also the IMEI number of the old mobile has to be the same as the one provided when hitting buy. Most importantly the screen should have not cracks. The body of the phone should not be sporting major dents or have buttons missing either. The mobile phone has to be unlocked, all data removed, etc. For Apple iPhones, the iCloud had to be deactivated, and the device has to be in a working condition.

So how much off can I get under exchange for my old mobile phone, if I don’t have an iPhone?

Xiaomi Redmi Note 3, Redmi Note 4 users can expect between Rs 3150 to 3500 off on the final price. Older models from Xiaomi might only fetch Rs 1200 on exchange. The rates are similar across the brands as well. In fact, the only smartphone we saw fetching Rs 14,000 off was the Samsung Galaxy S8. Unless you are exchanging it already for Apple iPhone 8 Plus, trading this in for a mid-range phone doesn’t make sense.

Apple iPhone SE also comes with up to Rs 15,300 off under exchange on the website. Again the maximum discount is determined by the model of the phone, and unless there’s another iPhone on the list, don’t expect a very high price cut.