uSell Review: Trust or Not?

Should you sell to uSell? Find out if it’s a good place to sell your iPhone, tablet, MacBook or other device in our uSell review.

uSell overview

What they buy

• Cell phones (iPhone, Samsung, Android & BlackBerry)
• Tablets & iPads
• Mac computers
• PCs & computer parts
• MacBooks & laptops
• Apple Watches, smartwatches & other wearables
• Cameras, camera lenses & camcorders
• Gaming consoles & video games
• iPods & MP3 players
• Apple TVs
• Apple accessories
• Calculators
• Drones
• GPS devices
• Headphones
• Media players (Chromecast, Firestick)
• Mobile broadband devices
• Smart home devices
• Speakers
• Vacuums

How uSell works

1. Answer a few questions about your device (condition, capacity, carrier, etc.)
2. uSell will give you an instant offer. Accept, and you’ll receive either a free prepaid shipping kit or USPS label to apply to your own packaging
3. Package and ship your device
4. uSell pays via your choice of check or PayPal. Payments are issued within 5 days after uSell receives and inspects your device

Note that shipping kits can take 5 to 7 days to arrive, though prepaid shipping labels can be printed instantly. uSell’s buyers determine which one you get. Shipping is free and you can track your package, but if you want insurance, you’ll need to buy it from USPS.

uSell reviews

Reseller Ratings Reseller Ratings gives uSell a 5.74 out of 10 score based on more than 3,000 reviews, which amounts to a 3-star rating. Fifty percent of reviewers gave uSell a 1-star rating versus 41.7% who gave it a 5-star rating. Reviews are mixed between those who reported quick and easy transactions and those who reported bounced checks and delayed payments. uSell responds to negative reviews and invites reviewers to contact them to resolve issues.

Sitejabber Sitejabber gives uSell 2 stars (out of 5). At the time of this writing, most Sitejabber reviewers gave the company 1 star.

CNET CNET writes: “I like that uSell offers a prepaid shipping kit, five-day payment, and the option to get paid by check or PayPal. I was disappointed that the company didn’t specify a quote validity time period, offer a security wipe or a phone support number.”

Wired Pia Ceres writes: “You can get a sizable chunk of change for a phone that’s cracked, doesn’t power on, or has other functional issues.”

Well Kept Wallet Laurie Blank writes: “uSell will help you sell your phone by advertising it to a network of trusted buyers.”

The verdict

Mixed reviews suggest uSell has both satisfied and unsatisfied customers. Many of the negative reviews stem from issues with uSell’s partners, and the company recently changed its buying process in response.

Those issues might be resolved, but uSell doesn’t pay the most for used phones. For example, at the time of this writing uSell would pay up to $662 for 64GB iPhone XS Max in good condition, but we found a store that would pay $695 for the same device – a $33 difference. uSell would pay $155 for a 32GB iPhone 7, but we found offers for $170.

uSell might be a good option for selling vacuums, calculators and other devices many other buyback sites won’t buy. However, that site states that “no value can be offered for your device at this time” for many of the products it lists.

Another consideration: uSell is not a Flipsy Trust Verified Store. We’ve thoroughly vetted each Trust Verified Store to ensure it offers quick payments (1 to 3 business days), excellent customer service and boasts a track record of positive reviews from independent sources.

The bottom line? Though uSell’s negative reviews might be cause for concern, many people have reported a positive selling experience. Still, you can get more money for your phone plus an extra layer of security if you sell to a Flipsy Trust Verified Store.

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