BuyBackWorld

Sell: BuyBackWorld is a site where you can sell your old cell phone, cameras, gift cards, electronics and electronic accessories

Expected pay: NA

Husl$core: $

Commissions & fees: Not applicable

Where: Nationwide

Requirements: Electronics and the legal right to sell them

Review:

Like Gazelle, The Whiz Cells and ItsWorthMore, this site offers to buy your cell phone or other electronics. You describe your item; get a quote; they send postage and you send in the device. Easy peasy.

The problem is that a litany of consumers complain that the site is a bait and switch operation. BuyBackWorld consistently finds fault with the products sent in, dramatically cutting the offer once consumers send in their cell phone or tablet. In some cases, consumers who claim they sent in items in great condition and demanded they be returned when the site claimed they were damaged, said the items did come back with damage, as if to justify the low valuation.

While other sites have a few similar complaints, the number and severity of the complaints about Buy Back World indicate that this site has unique problems. All three of the other sites mentioned in this review would be better choices to sell your electronics.

What their users say: (From Facebook)

“The quotations offered from BuyBackWorld are reasonable, until you send your device in. While they do offer free shipping to them and they do pay to return your device (you are not obligated to take their “final offer”), what they do is still malicious. By giving a reasonable initial offer they bait the customer into sending their device to them. When received they review the device and give an adjusted offer. This is where the scam starts. The adjusted offer is always lower, usually much, much lower than the initial offer. They count on consumers who don’t want the hassle of selling themselves to cave and accept a lowball offer. I did this with two devices and two identical results. The second of the two was a 100% functional and beautiful iPad2. They offered me $45 (selling on eBay for $55 to $90) and I thought, well it’s easy so let’s do it. When I sent my iPad into them, they came back with a final offer of $12…no explanation. Got my iPad back and sold it on eBay for $90.”

“They offered me a good price for my iPhone 6 which was in great condition. Once they received it, they lowballed me and said it had a cracked screen, which it definitely did not. They are deceitful and should not be trusted. Do not use – stick with the company that starts with a G and is named after a bird.”

“I shipped a working iPad to them and followed the instructions they provided. Once they received they reported the screen had compression damage. I wrote to customer service and asked that they call me to discuss this issue in attempt to come to a resolution we could both live with since their offer had dropped from 70 dollars to 12 dollars. The cable is worth almost 12 dollars…..they replied they don’t call customers and that I need to accept or decline their offer. I recommend throw your device away rather than dealing with this organization.”

From the Better Business Bureau:

“DO NOT SEND YOUR ITEMS IN. I sent in several items, received confirmation they were received and one week later began receiving emails they did not get them. After responding and requesting attention they canceled my trade with no contact and now I don’t have my items! DO NOT GIVE THEM YOUR ITEMS”

“Sent my used iPhone 6 in. I stated that it was in average condition and they sent me shipping labels. I packed it up well and sent it in. I didn’t hear anything for a few weeks then they sent me an email stating that my phone is suffering from “LCD compression” which it was most certainly not. My new price is now $55. I knew that if i request to have it back some little employee is going to make sure that it does suffer “LCD compression” before they ship it out. Very unhappy, 1 out of 5 stars. I should have checked the reviews before I shipped.”

“Sent in a perfectly working iphone 6s plus(I have pictures of the working screen that I took immediately before I shipped it) that they originally valued at $220 spent weeks waiting on a reply or my money was just notified that my phone was rejected for “LCD compression” and offered $85! Total scam. So I am probably going to be returned a broken phone. Never should have shipped it out to them in the first place. Consumers beware”

“I sent an IPhone to BuyBack World which our IT department evaluated as being in excellent condition. BuyBack World said it was damaged and offered to pay 1/3 of its original quote. I suspect this is their business model.”

“This company is a complete and total scam! They make an offer to buy your phone that is in perfect condition so you send your phone and then they say your phone is damaged and is only worth $12 and not the $81 they had offered! This has happened to me 2 times now . So after the 1st time it happened I thought that maybe it was damaged in the shipping . This 2nd time I shipped my phone back with the hard cover on backward to protect the screen and once again they say my phone was damaged!! Will never use this company again and will be letting everyone I know that this company is a scam!”

“By email they told me they would pay me $100 for my Samsung Galaxy s6. So I sent it to them. Weeks later they tell me the phone is “password protected” (it is not!) and offered me $10! I told them to send my phone back. Buy Back World is a big scam. From reading others reviews here it is obvious I am not the only one who feels this way. Don’t send these guys your used electronics.”

Try Buy Back World