Phone Condition Grading Explained

Excellent condition

• No visible scratches on the screen or back, even under a light
• Frame edges intact — no dents, paint chips or splits
• All functions perfect, including battery and biometrics
• Often referred to as "as new" or "pristine" — usually a phone that's lived in a case from day one

Good condition

• Light cosmetic wear visible on close inspection — micro-scratches on the screen or back, very minor edge marks
• All functions work normally
• Battery health within healthy range for the model's age
• This is the most common grade for phones 6–24 months old that have been used carefully

Fair or worn condition

• Visible scratches, scuffs and edge wear from regular use
• All core functions work, but cosmetic flaws are obvious without close inspection
• Battery may show normal age-related decline
• Older phones in this grade still sell — they're the volume tier on the second-hand market

Damaged or faulty condition

• Cracked or shattered screen glass
• Damaged back glass / housing
• Non-working components — camera, button, charging port, biometrics
• Battery service warnings, swollen battery, abnormal drain
• Liquid damage history (indicator triggered) or known previous water exposure
• Apple Account / Activation Lock active, Google FRP active, network-locked or finance-blocked

Damaged phones still have value — see can broken phones still have value? for the refurbishment vs parts-recovery logic.

Cosmetic marks vs functional faults

A scratched back on a working phone costs you less than people fear. A cracked OLED on a near-mint phone costs more than people expect — because the replacement panel is the most expensive single repair on most modern flagships.

Cracked glass vs OLED damage

Modern flagship displays are bonded — the top glass and the OLED panel are a single assembly. A hairline crack in the glass alone, with the panel underneath still showing a perfect image and touch, is repairable cheaply. Lines on the display, dead patches, colour shifts or unresponsive zones indicate panel damage and require a full assembly. See why OLED damage reduces Samsung value.

Battery condition

iPhone Battery Health reading, Samsung's battery report and Pixel's battery diagnostic all feed into the grade. A device with a battery service warning is graded down because the next owner will need a replacement. See why battery health affects value.

Missing parts and accessories

A missing SIM tray, missing camera glass cover, or missing physical button keeps the device functional but is a cosmetic / functional deduction. Original box, charger and packaging support a complete-set price on newer flagships — but their absence doesn't drop the device into a lower grade.

Account locks vs network locks

These are different conditions and shouldn't be grouped together. Network-locked phones may be considered and sit just below unlocked equivalents on value. Devices with Apple Find My / Activation Lock, Google Factory Reset Protection or another manufacturer account lock still active cannot normally be purchased — the legitimate owner must remove the account through official methods first. Finance-blocked devices need the contract settled. See locked phones — explained.

Why different buyers grade differently

Online courier-based trade-in services often inflate grade definitions and then revise downwards on receipt. High street counters like ours grade in person on day one, which is why our quoted figures and final offers usually match. There's no UK regulator setting grade definitions — always read each buyer's published criteria before agreeing.

Common questions