You will definitely know when it is time to let go of that phone of yours. When it slowly deteriorates, when the glass screen cracks, when apps start crashing unforgivingly, when it takes forever to load the home screen. Yup, that’s a sign all right. Or perhaps your iPhone is working perfectly fine, but you wouldn’t mind having an Android phone on the side.
But besides hitting the shops for that new phone, there is an alternative to queuing up at a telco store in the mall for a whole afternoon. Save a little time, and even some money — that’s what Singapore’s first mobile portal, OneStopMobile, is promising.
What is OneStopMobile?
Described as the first and only dedicated marketplace to trade mobile phones in Singapore, OneStopMobile was developed and designed to allow users to trade mobile phones securely, conveniently and with transparency. Frustrated about how messy the process is currently, Shaun Yap, founder of OneStopMobile, felt that there must be a better approach for consumers, so he began working on a solution.
“Presently, consumers who intend to buy or sell their mobile phones head to generic online classifieds, forums or marketplaces, which tend to be cluttered and disorganised,” said Shaun. “It is troublesome to negotiate the price, specifications, condition of the phone, etc. This is especially true for sellers who have to negotiate with buyers who may decide not to purchase at the end of the day. Most importantly, consumers could be purchasing mobile phones which have been reported stolen or lost.”
To drive this sense of security and transparency, you’ll find that the first thing you see on the website —even before you register to sell or buy a phone — is a series of guides, FAQs, a ‘How Things Work’ manual, and an explanation of the benefits of using the portal. It’s as though the site wants to be clear with you from the get-go on what goes on at OneStopMobile.
Used phones? No problem.
Just because they are used phones, it doesn’t mean the handsets on OneStopMobile are dodgy ones. According to Shaun, all mobile phones listed on the site must go through a thorough check before they go up for sale. The International Mobile Station Equipment Identity (IMEI) number of all phones are verified against the Stolen and Lost Property Index from the Singapore Police Force before they are allowed to be listed — so phew for all you worriers.
Situation On The Phone
OneStopMobile is hassle-free and pretty efficient when it comes to purchasing or selling your phone on the platform. If you’re familiar with shopping platforms like Q0010 and the sorts, that is basically how OneStopMobile functions — so it’s all very straightforward.
How it differs, though, is that a comprehensive list of details of particular mobile phone models is made available to consumers. This saves time on any back-and-forth enquiries. So instead of the cryptic and badly lit pictures with terrible angles you usually get on shopping portals, OneStopMobile provides extensive photos on the phones, rating them from ‘New’ to ‘Fair’ — no need to worry about surprise dents and scratches upon collection.
Enter The Marketplace
With multiple stores and options to choose from, the portal serves as a consolidated place for buyers to compare prices of new and used mobile phones. Sellers, on the other hand, are also able to receive offers from multiple interested parties. So it’s all fair on both ends, and everyone wins (we hope).
“OneStopMobile aims to be the marketplace of choice for individuals and businesses to purchase mobile phones easily and with a peace of mind,” said Shaun. He also hopes that mobile phone dealers will actively list their devices for sale on OneStopMobile as he is confident that this will bring about faster and increased turnover for their inventory.
Verdict: 3/5
Overall, looking at how detailed OneStopMobile is with the listing process, and the meticulous effort they put into providing good photos, we feel more or less secure engaging with the platform. Yet, it’s undeniable that the portal could do with a more user-friendly and fresh looking website to attract more users. Tech savvy users who live on the Internet, are pretty accustomed to good design and keeping up with the trend are likely to find the design of the site a bit bland.
That said, with annual sales of mobile phones in Singapore seeing an upward trend, coupled with a thriving second hand market for electronic goods, Shaun believes that more people will begin using OneStopMobile to sell their mobile phones. And with some sprucing up of the site, we don’t see why not.