Apple
How did I buy an iPhone 17 Pro Max at a little more than 1/3 of its original cost?
The story of a strategy that combines Apple’s Trade In program in the United States with a refurbished device for surprising savings.
Getting the latest Apple releases for editorial review has become a complex task. Given the difficulty of accessing press loan units, our mission is to find a way to obtain the devices with our own resources in order to provide the best coverage. This year’s target was the (hypothetical) iPhone 17 Pro Max. The challenge, as always, was its high price. However, a series of events and a planned strategy allowed us to purchase it for just a third of its total value. This is the story of how we did it.
What is the key element of this strategy?
It all starts with the market for “refurbished” equipment. In the middle of the year, we got in touch with the DOTO store in Mexico, which is the commercial arm of the DGL distributor. Its CEO, Mario Pardo, explained his business model to us: the distribution of refurbished products, which should not be confused with “rebuilt” products.
These devices are carefully selected and offered to the public at a significant discount, sometimes up to 35% cheaper than a new product. During a visit to their distribution center, we randomly selected a refurbished iPhone 14. To our surprise, the unit we received was brand new.
According to Pardo, this happens occasionally. Sometimes, suppliers include new units to complete a batch of refurbished equipment. However, for digital registration and IMEI tracking purposes, the equipment is still classified as “refurbished.” This detail was fundamental to our plan.
What does the “Trade In” method consist of?
The next step required taking advantage of Apple’s official trade-in program, known as “Trade In.” This system, which is very popular in the United States, allows users to trade in their old devices in exchange for credit toward the purchase of a new one.
Our strategy was to combine two devices to maximize the discount. On the one hand, we had our work device from the previous year, an iPhone 16 Pro Max. On the other hand, we had the refurbished iPhone 14 we had obtained.
One advantage of Apple’s program is its flexibility. You don’t have to trade in an iPhone exclusively for another iPhone; you can trade in a phone, tablet, or watch, and the value is converted into a gift card that can be used to purchase any product in the store. The plan was to add the value of both phones and apply it to the total cost of the iPhone 17 Pro Max.
Did it work? The result and the major limitation
The moment of truth arrived at an Apple Store in San Diego, California. We approached the staff and requested to apply the Trade In for the purchase of the new iPhone 17 Pro Max, handing over both the iPhone 16 Pro Max and the “refurbished” iPhone 14.
The big question was whether the system would detect or question the origin of the iPhone 14. To our surprise, there were no questions asked. Apple staff simply verified both devices, confirmed their working condition, and gave us the corresponding credit for both.
When adding the value of both devices, the amount to be paid for the new iPhone 17 Pro Max was minimal, representing approximately one-third of its original cost.
It cost us exactly $499, compared to $1,199 for the same 256 GB model, which represented 26.86% of its cost in Mexico. For the US, it is around 41% before tax.
The big caveat: We need to be very clear on this point. This operation is only possible, at least with this level of effectiveness, in Apple stores in the United States.
Although this article arose from an editorial need, it reveals a real opportunity for many users. People who have the opportunity to travel or cross into the United States, or even parents who buy refurbished equipment (two or three generations old) for their children, could use this method to get completely new equipment without having to pay the full price.
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