Grading used phones consistently across your team

Two people at the same counter can look at the same phone and call it differently: one says B, the other says C. That difference is a few hundred rupees on the buying price, and an argument when the phone comes back.

A grade only works if it means the same thing to everyone. Write the scale down and keep it short. The five-step scale Mobile Praman uses:

A — like new: no scratches or dents, and a flawless screen.

B — light use: a few micro-scratches visible up close; a clean screen with no cracks; fully working.

C — visible wear: noticeable scratches or scuffs on the body, maybe light marks on the screen; works perfectly.

D — heavy wear: deep scratches, dents or marks; the screen may be scratched; still works.

F — cracked or faulty: a cracked screen or body, or a fault in the battery, camera, buttons or similar; usually sold for parts or repair.

Check the locks before anything else. An iPhone with Find My still on, or an Android phone still signed in to the seller's Google account, can be locked for the next owner after a reset. Ask the seller to sign out and reset the phone in front of you.

Then check function before looks, in the same order every time: the touch screen in every corner; front and back cameras; speaker, earpiece and microphone with a test call; the charging port while charging; buttons and fingerprint or face unlock; Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and network signal with a SIM; and battery health where the phone shows it (on an iPhone: Settings, then Battery, then Battery Health).

Photograph what you grade: the front, the back and any damage. A photo settles an argument that a word cannot.

Grade first, price second. Agree on the grade, then look up your buying price for that grade, never the other way round. That keeps prices the same whichever staff member is at the counter.

Once a month, take five phones graded by different people and grade them again together. Wherever you disagree, make the written rule sharper.