The Best Cell Phone Deals in Australia: 7 Tips for Getting the Best Price on a New Smartphone

As anyone who has been looking to buy one of the latest mobile phones from one of the leading brands in 2022, you’ll know you can usually be looking upwards of $1,000. However, don’t despair; there are still good deals in the marketplace. 

This article will focus on tips to help you find the best possible deals for the rest of the year. So here are:

7 Tips for Getting the Best Price on a New Smartphone

Phones today are now an investment. They are both functional items as a phone but are now much more as they are a staple for businessmen and women on the move.

So although you can go for a more basic option if you are looking for all the bells and whistles, plus factoring in tax and accessories/add-ons, the price can increase. Oh, and we haven’t even mentioned the monthly service plan!

Anyway, let’s get into it; if you follow these tips, you can find good deals.

Timing Is Everything

You may have seen the term MSRP; this stands for the manufacturer’s suggested retail price. However, it is what it is – just a suggestion. 

Phone prices can fluctuate throughout the year and are affected by many factors such as:

• The Time of Year
• Planned Promotions
• The Products Life Cycle

So shopping around for reasonable prices is a must as you may find a major brand selling a device at midrange prices. 

If a carrier is attached to a reasonable offer, you’ll need to move fast, as in today’s latest mobile phones market, promotions get swallowed up pretty quick.  

If you miss the sale, you could be waiting a while for a new one to come along, and if you are desperate for a replacement, you may be forced to pay above the odds. 

TIP: A trend with a carrier is they usually launch their promotions early in a week. 

Holiday Shopping

Shopping around holidays for phones can be a significant advantage for discount pricing. However, we are not discussing Black Friday or those events.  

There are promotions over in the US that trickle over to Australia, such as:

• Apple’s Back to School 
• Amazon Prime Day

Consider Carrier Promotions

Purchasing directly from a carrier has some benefits. For example, prepaid gift cards for new subscribers get issued after a specific period.  

Others can do rebate offers that are credited retrospectively after 18 or 24 months, for example. 

Of course, you must ensure you read the small print and are happy with the length of time you’ll need to commit.  

TIP: Samsung is one of the big name brands through which to get reasonable trade-in offers. 

Purchase Unlocked Mobiles

Unlocked phones are a great way of buying good-value brand names that have been unlocked and tested by reputable stockists and technicians. 

Therefore when you buy unlocked mobiles, you aren’t tied to a particular carrier and can take a good look around for the best fit for you for the long term. Also, if needs be, you can sell an unlocked mobile whenever you want if you decide to look to upgrade. 

Online Shopping

Although the purchase price can be similar between online mobile phone shops and physical shops, there are ways you can find better deals online.  

In some cases, the best buys are found online, where there are more promotions than you won’t find shopping in bricks and mortar due to their overheads. Discounted activation fees and gift cards are more commonplace online and save you around $100.

Buy Last Year’s New Model

So you always have the option of buying a mid-range phone that can cost a few hundred dollars or more, however, keep an eye out for last year’s premium new models that are a year old. A little like a car, it will drop in value by the year due to newer models hitting the market.  

They will have additional features, better-upgraded cameras and applications than a standard mid-range phone. 

Older models, by definition, will probably be discounted when new phones are released. Also, carriers often offer the same kind of promotions with these phones as they would on the latest versions. 

Refurbished Phones – BIG SAVINGS

There is a gulf between these phones.

The terminology you will find can be refurbished or reconditioned.  

Used phones, for example, can be purchased just as they have had their application wiped, so you are starting again. Refurbished, though, is different. They come to you looking brand new, may also include a new battery and in many cases carry a warranty.

TIP: When purchasing a reconditioned phone, check the model and ensure that it is compatible in Australia and will support the carrier that you have in mind. Don’t forget to ask or test if you are in a store. 

SUMMARY

With mobile phones becoming more expensive and the world economy hit in the past two years with COVID-19, the market is now more diverse for unlocked and refurbished phones. So be sure to shop around, ask questions and follow these tips and hints to get an affordable but reliable mobile phone. Also, there are great second-hand deals to be found at a discount. Good luck. 

Also Read: The Top 4 Uses Of Voice Assistants.