How to ship a phone you sold

When your phone sells, the buyer has already paid and the money is in your PayPal account. We buy the UPS label for you (its price is a line on your receipt) and send the tracking number to PayPal for you. Your part: get the phone ready, pack it well, and drop it off at UPS within 3 business days.

1. Get the phone ready

1. Back it up if you still need anything on it: iCloud backup, or a backup to your computer.
2. Turn off Find My and sign out of your Apple Account. Settings > your name > Sign Out. A phone still signed in has Activation Lock on, and the buyer can’t use it. That’s the most common reason a sold phone comes back.
3. Erase it. Settings > General > Transfer or Reset iPhone > Erase All Content and Settings. Choose to delete any eSIM when it asks.
4. Take out your SIM card and anything else of yours, such as a case or screen protector you want to keep (unless your listing said they’re included).
5. Check with your carrier. If the phone is still on your account, remove it, and make sure nothing is owed on it. A phone blocked later for an unpaid balance is still the seller’s responsibility (see returns).
6. Clean it with a soft, lint-free cloth. Keep liquids away from the ports and buttons.

2. Pack it

• Use a small, sturdy box, not a padded envelope. Wrap the phone so it can’t move or be pressed.
• Include anything your listing said comes with it, such as the original box or a cable.
• Take a few photos: the phone powered on with the listing code, the phone in the box, and the sealed box with the label on it. Keep them until the sale is over; they help if anything is questioned later.

3. Print the label and ship

• Open your sale page and choose “Print label (PDF)”. Tape it flat on the box, with no other labels showing.
• Drop it at any UPS location or The UPS Store, and keep your receipt. Ask for a receipt if you aren’t offered one.
• Ship only on our label, to the address on it. That’s the buyer’s PayPal address. Never send the phone anywhere else or change the delivery, even if the buyer asks. PayPal’s seller rules depend on shipping to the address on the payment, with tracking.
• When the buyer’s full payment is $750 or more, the label already asks UPS for a signature on delivery.

After it ships

You don’t need to enter tracking anywhere: the buyer sees it on their sale page, and we’ve already sent it to PayPal. PayPal decides any claim or dispute; shipping this way is set up to meet PayPal’s seller rules, but it isn’t a promise.

Questions or a problem with a sale? Email support@flatfeetech.com with the listing code.