This is a basic guide to buying a cell phone on eBay for use on Verizon Wireless.  If you want the short version, just read the first sentence of each section and you will have the must know information, if you are interested in the details, read on.  The Guide addresses two main issues:  1) What Type of Phone do I need; and, 2)  How do I Know that the Phone I Choose will be a good one.  Finally, as a practical matter, you can’t go wrong purchasing a cell phone from an experience eBay seller, their reputations are hard earned and they stand behind the items they sell.  Despite any press to the contrary, eBay is the safest place on the internet to purchase a cell phone if you follow these simple suggestions.  If you find this guide helpful, please click "Yes" in the blue title bar below. 

A. What Type of Cell Phone do I need.

Step one is to get a cell phone that has the features that Verizon requires for activation.   Below are the four MUST have characteristics: 

1) It Must Have GPS which makes it compliant with the e911 mandate set forth in the Homeland Security Act.  As a result of the September 11th terrorist attack, congress passed and the President signed into law the Homeland Security Act.  In that Act it contained a section that required that all cell phones that are activated after January 1, 2005 have a GPS feature so that a caller’s location can be determined by the 911 emergency calling system.  Verizon started implementing this requirement in August of 2005 in all but a very few areas in the United States.  So make sure the cell phone you purchase has the GPS feature.

2) It Must be Trimode (almost all GPS phones are Trimode).  Verizon works on two digital bands, the 850 and the 1900 mega hertz band as well as on an analog band (thus 3 different modes, one analog and two digital).  Verizon has some areas that they have only one digital band and others that have both.  In eary 2005, Verizon started requiring that all phones that they activate on their system have all three so that the user will get the best reception.

3) It Must have A Clear ESN Number.  All Cell Phones are assigned a number by the FCC that is unique to that phone called an ESN Number and it is printed on a sticker that is placed on every phone under where the battery is inserted into the phone.  Every time you make a call, your phone sends the unique number to Verizon and they use that number to keep up with your account.  Verizon also keeps a list of ESN numbers that it will no longer activate because either the phone’s prior user did not pay the phone bill or the previous owner made an insurance claim on the phone.  This list is commonly called the Lost or Stolen List.  If your phone’s ESN number is on that list, Verizon will not activate the phone.  This is pretty rare problem however.  The reason is that Verizon was created out of the merger of six baby bells into one company, each region (former baby bell) stills maintains their own list, so if it is on one list it probably is not on the other five.  Thus, even if the phone is on the list which is rare in of itself, there is only a 1 in 6 chance that it is on the list in the area you are attempting to activate it.  Even though it is rare, the only way to be sure the ESN is clear is to check it before you purchase the phone.  

4)  It Must be Programmed for Verizon Wireless.  This may be obvious, but, phones have to be programmed to a particular carrier, so you should only buy a phone that is set up for Verizon.

B. Which Phone Should I Purchase.

Once you have selected the right type of phone, the next step is to select who to purchase it from and some pit falls to avoid.  Here are some of the things that you should look for.

1.  Assessing the Seller. 

A)  Pick an Experienced Cell Phone Seller.  Cell Phones are one of those categories on eBay that is too complicated for the casual cell phone seller and I would suggest purchasing a cell phone from one of the many experienced seller’s of cell phones on eBay including that perennial eBay favorite JustCellular (it’s a free plug for my eBay site, but I did write the Guide).  Flip Cell Phones for Verizon Wireless  Traditional Style Cell Phones for Verizon Wireless

B)  Avoid Large Number of Mutually Withdrawn Feedbacks.  As with all purchases, you should look at the seller’s feedback paying close attention to comments that the item was misrepresented.  More importantly, look for a large number of “mutually withdrawn feedbacks”, which can indicate that a seller has a practice of leaving retaliatory negative feedback as way to coerce the unhappy buyer to withdraw their negative feedback.  Some mutual withdrawals are to be expected, but if the number is high as a percentage of the total feedback (3% or more), that is a sure sign that the seller pushes the edge and you may get something you are not expecting.  Not to overstate this, eBay keeps a tight reign on its sellers and frequently suspends sellers who repeatedly act unscrupulously, just these sellers will run closer to the edge than others.   

C)  Don’t Buy “As Is” Phones.  This one is easy to understand, only buy from sellers that stand behind the phones they sell including a reasonable inspection period of at least a week or two. 

2.   Assessing the Particular Phone.   Cell Phones condition can be broken down into three categories.  1) New, 2) Refurbished, and 3) Used.   All three have their pros and cons, and here some things to consider about each.

A) New.  If price is not an issue, this is the way to go.

B) Refurbished.  Because of the high cost of cell phones, there are many companies (including JustCellular) that professionally refurbish their cell phones that turns a used phone into almost new.  Not all refurbishing is the same, but, generally it includes changing the housing of the cell phone with a new one and doing a more thorough diagnostic of the mechanical condition of the phone.  Cell phones are like mini computers that have software on them (they call it firmware).  Like all software, the first version usually has some bugs, causing the phone to freeze, drop calls, have poor reception in certain conditions, etc.  The manufacturer gets feedback from the users and makes revisions to the software.  Thus, the software version that comes on the phone can effect its performance.  Ideally, you want the latest version and you want it freshly loaded onto the phone.  There are only a few sellers that have this ability and I wouldn’t consider it a Must, but, it is better to have than not. 

C) Used.  This is a category that can mean one thing to the seller and something else entirely to the buyer.  Look to see if there is an actual picture of the phone or if it is an industry photo.  If it is an industry photo, look for feedback that says that says the phone was not accurately described.  If you don’t see any or just a few, the seller can be trusted, if there are a lot, it can be a hit or miss proposition.   Used phones are cheaper and if price is of paramount concern, it may be the way to go.  Just make sure you are buying from a reputable seller and you should be OK.

D) Most Phone Problems are Caused by old Batteries.  Batteries become less effective over time causing them to hold a charge for a shorter period as well as loose power (amperage) that effects the phones ability to send a strong signal.  New batteries can be expensive, but to the extent that you can buy a phone with a new one, it is generally a very good value.

I hope this guide was helpful to you.  eBay is the best place to purchase replacement cell phones for Verizon Wireless.  You just need to follow the outline above and you should get a phone that you are happy with at a price that can only be found on eBay.   

Please check out JustCellular on eBay for a wide variety of dependable cell phones for Verizon Wireless as well as other carriers.   If you found this guide helpful, please click on yes below, thanks for reading.

Just Cellular's Standard Verizon Cell Phones

Just Cellular's Flip Phones & Camera Phones for Verizon Wireless