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Terms and Conditions

Last updated: July 2026

1. Important Information

Please read these Terms and Conditions carefully before submitting a device sale order through The Gadget Trader website.

By submitting a sale order, you confirm that you have read and understood these Terms and Conditions and agree to be bound by them, together with our applicable Website Terms of Use.

We recommend saving or printing a copy of these Terms and Conditions for your records.

These terms apply to individuals and businesses selling eligible electronic devices to The Gadget Trader.

2. Placing an Order and Forming a Contract

Our website is primarily intended for individuals and businesses based in Great Britain and Northern Ireland. We reserve the right to accept or decline orders from outside these territories at our discretion.

When you submit a sale order through our website, you provide the information required for us to assess your device and provide an initial valuation. Your order will be subject to these Terms and Conditions.

For further information about our selling process, please refer to the “How It Works” section of our website.

You must be the legal owner of each device you send to us or have full legal authority and permission to sell it.

We reserve the right to request proof of purchase, proof of ownership or other reasonable documentation relating to any device submitted for sale.

If we identify any concerns regarding the ownership, origin or legal status of a device, we may suspend processing, withhold payment where legally permitted, or cancel the transaction where appropriate. We may also refer the matter to the relevant authorities. If payment has already been made in circumstances where the transaction is subsequently found to be unlawful or based on a material misrepresentation, we reserve the right to seek recovery of the payment where legally entitled to do so.

Ownership of a device will transfer to The Gadget Trader in accordance with the agreed transaction and applicable law. We will confirm the relevant payment arrangements as part of the sale process.

Neither party may transfer its contractual rights or obligations without the other party’s prior written consent, except where permitted by law. The Gadget Trader may transfer its rights or obligations to a successor or service provider where appropriate and legally permitted.

3. Initial Valuations and Revised Offers

All initial valuations displayed on our website are indicative and are based on the information you provide when submitting your order.

The final amount payable may differ from the initial valuation following our inspection and testing of your device.

Our assessment will take into account factors including, but not limited to:

• The physical condition of the device.
• Its functionality and performance.
• Battery health and charging cycles, where applicable.
• Screen condition and display defects.
• Account locks, security restrictions and network status.
• Missing components, unauthorised modifications or other faults.
• Whether the device matches the make, model and condition selected on the sale form.

If the device does not match the information supplied, we will contact you with a revised offer explaining the adjusted valuation.

Any revised offer will be communicated using the contact details provided with your order. You will be given an opportunity to respond in accordance with the applicable sale process.

We will not treat a revised offer as accepted merely because you have failed to respond unless such a process has been clearly disclosed in advance and is lawful in the circumstances.

4. Cancellation Policy

You may cancel your order before sending your device to us by notifying us in writing.

Where a statutory cancellation right applies to your transaction, we will respect that right and any applicable legal requirements.

Once your device has been dispatched to us, cancellation and return arrangements will depend on the status of the transaction, whether a revised offer has been made or accepted, and the rights available to you under applicable law.

If your device does not meet our acceptance requirements, we will explain the available options, which may include accepting a revised offer or arranging a return where applicable.

Nothing in these Terms and Conditions is intended to exclude or restrict any statutory rights that cannot legally be excluded.

5. Marketing Communications

If you wish to stop receiving marketing emails or text messages from The Gadget Trader, you may unsubscribe using the relevant link in our communications or contact us at:

Email: customer@TheGadgetTrader.com

Unsubscribing from marketing communications will not prevent us from sending essential messages relating to an existing sale order or transaction.

6. Device Processing and Payments

We aim to process payments on the day your device is received and assessed, or on the day you accept a revised offer, where applicable.

Once a payment has been processed, it may take up to five working days to appear in your bank account, depending on your payment provider.

Delivery tracking may show that your parcel has been delivered before it has been physically received, collected or processed by our team. Royal Mail collection and processing delays may therefore affect the time at which your device can be assessed.

Devices with iCloud or other account locks

If your device remains linked to an iCloud account or another security account, payment may be delayed until the relevant lock has been removed and we have verified that the device can be processed.

You are responsible for removing your personal accounts, disabling applicable security locks and preparing your device for transfer wherever possible.

If a device cannot be switched on or processed and remains unresolved for one month, we may contact you to arrange an appropriate resolution. Where the device cannot be returned to service or processed for resale, recycling may be offered or arranged only where we have the necessary authority and it is lawful to do so.

Devices requiring repair or further assessment

If your device arrives with a display fault, will not power on or has another issue that prevents normal testing, payment may be delayed while we investigate the fault and determine its condition.

Any revised valuation will be communicated to you where the device’s condition affects the amount payable.

7. Device Assessment and Revised Pricing

Every device is inspected and tested before its final valuation is confirmed.

The price offered depends on the actual condition of the device, rather than solely on the condition selected when the online order was placed.

Fault limits

Our online faulty-device category allows a maximum of two qualifying faults. If a device has more than two faults, we may reassess its condition and issue a revised offer.

Screen and display damage

Screen burn, ink-like marks, LCD damage, dead pixels, pressure marks and other display defects may be classified as severe faults.

Where such defects are present, the standard faulty-device valuation may not apply, and a revised offer may be provided.

Battery health

For devices where battery health can be measured, a battery health level below 83% will generally be treated as a battery requiring replacement or further assessment. This may result in a revised valuation.

Condition discrepancies

If our assessment identifies faults or condition issues that were not disclosed in the original order, we will contact you with a revised offer.

Our assessment determines the condition category applicable to the device, based on the criteria set out in these Terms and Conditions. The final valuation will reflect that assessment.

If you do not agree with a revised offer, please contact us to discuss the available options.

Unanswered revised offers

Where a revised offer remains unanswered, we will follow the response and return procedure communicated to you. We will not assume that silence constitutes acceptance or automatically issue a payment without a valid contractual or legal basis.

Important: An online valuation is an estimate and is not a guaranteed payment amount. The final amount depends on the device meeting the relevant condition requirements.

8. Requirements for Individual Sellers

By placing an order, you confirm that:

• You are resident in Great Britain or Northern Ireland, unless we have expressly agreed otherwise.
• You are legally capable of entering into a binding contract.
• You are the legal owner of the device or have full authority to sell it.
• The information you provide about the device is accurate and complete to the best of your knowledge.
• The device is not stolen, fraudulently obtained or otherwise subject to a restriction that prevents its lawful sale.

You must be at least 18 years old to sell a device through our service unless we have expressly established and verified a lawful alternative arrangement.

Where a person under 18 is permitted to use our service, the required parental or guardian involvement and consent must be established before the transaction proceeds.

You are responsible for ensuring that you have the right to sell the device. We may decline a transaction where ownership or legal authority cannot be established.

Once the sale has been completed and ownership has transferred to us, the device will not ordinarily be eligible for return simply because you change your mind. This does not affect any rights or remedies that apply under law or any return arrangement expressly agreed with us.

Accessories and original packaging

Please do not send chargers, cables, cases, accessories, original boxes or other additional items unless we have specifically requested them.

We cannot guarantee the return of accessories or packaging sent with a device, and such items may be separated from the device during processing.

Devices we cannot purchase

We may decline devices that:

• Cannot be unlocked or processed because of an unresolved account or security lock.
• Cannot be verified as lawfully owned.
• Are reported as lost or stolen, barred or otherwise restricted.
• Have been tampered with or contain missing internal components.
• Fall outside the categories of devices we currently accept.

Where a device cannot be purchased, we will explain the available options. If a return is requested, applicable postage or handling charges will be communicated before the return is arranged.

9. Business Sellers

By placing an order on behalf of a business, you confirm that:

• You are authorised to act for that business.
• The business is based in Great Britain or Northern Ireland, unless otherwise agreed.
• You are legally capable of entering into a binding contract on behalf of the business.
• The business has the legal right to sell the devices submitted.
• All information supplied about the devices and the business is accurate to the best of your knowledge.

You may be asked to provide reasonable evidence of your authority to act for the business or of the business’s ownership of the devices.

10. Device Condition Categories

Each device submitted must match the make, model and variant specified in your sale order.

The condition descriptions below are used to assess devices and determine the appropriate valuation. Individual devices may be subject to additional model-specific requirements.

10.1 Good Condition

A device submitted as being in Good Condition must meet the following requirements:

• No visible scratches on the handset or device body.
• No cracks, dents, scuffs, missing paint, pressure marks, screen burn or dead pixels.
• The device powers on and functions correctly.
• The Home button, Touch ID, Face ID and NFC function correctly, where fitted.
• No evidence of liquid damage.
• Battery health of at least 83%, where measurable.
• Fewer than 500 charging cycles, where cycle count is available and applicable.
• Any required stylus is included, where applicable.
• The device is a UK model with original hardware and software.
• The device has not been jailbroken, rooted or otherwise modified in a way that breaches our acceptance requirements.

10.2 Poor Condition

A device submitted as being in Poor Condition must meet the following requirements:

• No more than three very light scratches on the screen.
• No more than five light scratches on the housing and camera surround.
• Minor dents, scuffs or areas of missing paint may be present.
• The device powers on and is otherwise fully functional.
• The Home button, Touch ID, Face ID and NFC function correctly, where fitted.
• No evidence of liquid damage.
• Battery health of at least 83%, where measurable.
• Any required stylus is included, where applicable.
• The device is a UK model with original software and has not been jailbroken, rooted or modified in a way that breaches our acceptance requirements.

If the device exceeds these limits or has additional faults, it may be reassessed and a revised offer issued.

10.3 Faulty Condition

A device may qualify as Faulty where it has one or more of the following issues, subject to our acceptance criteria and the maximum of two qualifying faults:

Physical and display defects

• Cracked screens or glass.
• Deep scratches, chips or display delamination.
• Screen burn, pressure marks, pixel discolouration or dead pixels.
• Bent frames, engravings or other physical damage.
• Dust beneath the screen or inside camera lenses.
• A lifted, loose or poorly fitted screen.

Functional defects

• The device does not power on or is not fully functional.
• Charging problems, freezing or repeated restart loops.
• A faulty, cracked or damaged Home button.
• Touch ID, Face ID or NFC failures, where fitted.
• A stiff, cracked or damaged power button.
• A faulty mute switch or other controls.
• Camera faults, camera spots or telephoto lens problems.
• A quiet or faulty microphone or earpiece.
• Network or service problems.
• Proximity sensor or accelerometer faults.
• Wi-Fi or Bluetooth faults.
• Overheating.
• Evidence of liquid damage.

Battery and other requirements

• Battery health below 83%, where measurable.
• A missing stylus where one is required.
• A non-UK model or a device with software or hardware modifications that breach our acceptance criteria.

The above list is not exhaustive. Additional defects identified during testing may affect the final valuation or eligibility for purchase.

Devices that cannot be accepted

We cannot purchase devices that are barred, reported as lost or stolen, subject to an unresolved Find My iPhone (FMI) or other account lock, tampered with in a manner that prevents acceptance, or missing essential internal components.

If we cannot securely erase or process a device because it will not power on or because of another technical restriction, we may be unable to offer any payment. Any recycling or return arrangement will be subject to the applicable ownership, consent and legal requirements.

Accessories and original packaging should not be sent unless specifically requested. We cannot guarantee their return.

11. Postage, Delivery and Transit Liability

You are responsible for preparing and packaging your device securely and following the postage instructions provided when placing your order.

Where Royal Mail compensation applies, the maximum standard compensation may be limited to £100 per item, depending on the postage service used and its applicable terms.

Compensation for loss or damage is subject to Royal Mail’s conditions, investigation and approval. A parcel’s tracking status may affect whether a claim can be considered.

A parcel that does not display an appropriate tracking scan may not qualify for compensation under the relevant postal service’s rules.

The Gadget Trader cannot guarantee the outcome of a claim decided by Royal Mail. We will, however, assist with reasonable enquiries relating to a parcel sent through a service arranged or specified by us, where appropriate.

Nothing in this section excludes liability that cannot lawfully be excluded or changes any responsibility that applies under the relevant postage arrangement.

12. Returns and Return Postage

If your device cannot be purchased, cannot be processed because of an unresolved security lock, does not power on, or falls outside the devices we accept, we will contact you regarding the available options.

Where a return is agreed, a return postage charge of £10 may apply, provided that the charge has been clearly disclosed in advance and is lawful in the circumstances.

We will confirm the applicable charge and return arrangements before proceeding with a chargeable return.

No return charge will apply where it is prohibited by law or where we have agreed otherwise.

Please do not send additional accessories or original packaging, as these items may not be returned.

13. Data Protection and Device Security

You should back up any data you wish to retain before sending your device to us.

Where possible, you should sign out of personal accounts, remove account locks, disable device-tracking features and erase personal information before dispatch.

You are responsible for ensuring that you have retained any data you need before the device is processed.

We will handle personal information in accordance with our applicable Privacy Policy and data protection obligations.

Where a device cannot be securely accessed or erased, we may be unable to complete the purchase. We will explain the available options before taking any further action where reasonably practicable.

14. Changes to These Terms

We may update these Terms and Conditions from time to time to reflect changes to our services, business operations or applicable legal requirements.

The version applicable to your transaction will be determined in accordance with applicable law and any relevant contractual terms. Changes will not retrospectively remove rights that have already accrued or rights that cannot legally be excluded.

We recommend checking this page periodically for updates.

15. Governing Law

These Terms and Conditions are governed by the laws applicable in the relevant part of the United Kingdom, subject to any mandatory consumer protection rules.

Nothing in these Terms and Conditions limits any statutory rights or legal protections that apply to you.

16. Contact Information

If you have any questions about these Terms and Conditions, your device valuation, payment or an existing order, please contact us:

Company: The Gadget Trader

Email: customer@TheGadgetTrader.com