But when the old phone gets its final resting place in the cupboard, I want it to be in the original box.
This is what I do, along with a few other devices I’ve owned. Sometimes I’ve been able to give perfectly decent devices away to friends/coworkers/family who had a sudden problem with theirs and have a hard time affording a new one.
But unlike the old video game consoles that I do the same thing with, I am always a bit worried about long-term storage of devices that use lithium ion batteries. I know failure rates are rare but I’ve heard the horror stories and I know the risk increases each time I take another device and put them back in a box up on the shelf.
Hopefully some day, people will look back and laugh at us using lithium ion batteries like we laugh at lead paint, nitrate film, and asbestos.
When I sell my 5 year old flagship phone I’ll get $30 more easily if I have the box and the stuff that came in it. People see that and subconsciously think “this person has their shit together. buying their used phone isn’t a risk.”
Same goes for other stuff, too. I recently sold a synthesizer for $150 over the market rate because I had the box, manual (even though it was out of date due to firmware updates) and the stickers that came with it.
I like semi up-to-the-minute tech, so keeping things in good shape and giving someone the unboxing experience keeps my costs down at the cost of a little space in my closet.
What no. What? No.
ಠ_ಠ
…i second this…
Sold my old electronics at easily a 20% premium because I had all the box and packins. My xbox with the box, materials, and everything (all nicely cleaned) sold for more than I paid for it - inflation being what it is, that was quite nice.
So, this is poor advice.
But that’s where I keep the little pokey thing that I use to open the SIM card tray!
You mean your paper clip?
I put my phone back in its box when I upgrade. It’s like a little phone coffin…
Sounds like a good way to fuel a fire when the battery eventually expands and explodes
Every time I throw out a box i have to end up returning the item for some reason and then I’m screwed
It’s always sensible to keep the boxes for the stuff you’re currently using. If you sell something, it’ll fetch a better price with the original box. If you give it away, the recipient will also appreciate it more. Just make sure to throw out the boxes from stuff you haven’t had around in ten years. Don’t ask me how I know.
But where will I keep my assorted lengths of wire, tiny drill bits, and interesting mineral formations?
This.
Also useful for warranty/returns.
For larger items like TVs, there’s specialized packing material, which if used correctly, can better protect the TV from damage during a house move.
There’s a lot of good reasons to keep this stuff… Just, put it in a closet somewhere and forget about it. Every time you add anything to the collection, go through what you have and throw out any boxes for things you no longer own. Maybe they were damaged, maybe they were stolen, who knows, but if you’re adding to the pile, something can very likely be taken away from the pile too.
Just, put it in a closet somewhere
Sure.
In the house I can’t afford
Sounds like a gen Z problem I’m too gen X to understand.
Since I am Gen X I can safely ignore this and sit comfortably on my throne of old phone boxes.
Since I always keep stuff forever, I’m not sure I can comfortably sit on the 6 phone boxes I’ve accumulated in my lifetime.
I believe in you
…i threw the box out after 12 years, and the next day I had to wrap a new <something> that fit perfectly in that box…
Lesson learned, never throw anything out.
I mean like 4 times now though I’ve kept it and resold it in the original box
How’d you sell the same phone 4 times? Did you tie a string to it and pulled it back after the transaction was done??
This. Changes. Everything.
Joke’s on you, mine is filled with charging cables I’ve never unwrapped.
It has all the important data like IMEI on the box, it stores the extra USB-C to USB-A adapter and USB-C cable and SIM tool, and it helps with carrying and eventually reselling the phone
I always get a good price when I resell my gadgets because I keep the original boxes for them.
I sell my old electronics and I get good used prices compared to others. I think it is partially because I have the original box to sell it in.
My insurance wanted to receive my broken phone back in its orthogonal box if possible.
It was shipped back in the box for my last phone before it.
orthogonal box
maybe needed the phone to be linearly independent
Planes are orthogonal if their normals are. The top and bottom halves of the box both feature a surface which is orthogonal to the sides. Simples.
