How long each way of selling takes
| Way to sell | Time to money | You receive | The price |
|---|---|---|---|
| A buyback shop (SubSell, in store) | About 5 minutes | Cash, on the spot | Firm price before you say yes |
| SubSell by mail (anywhere in Canada) | Shipping time (free), then the check | Interac e-Transfer or bank wire | Confirmed price honoured if the condition matches |
| Facebook Marketplace / Kijiji | Days to weeks | Whatever the buyer brings | Negotiated, no-shows, scams |
| Carrier trade-in (Bell, Rogers, Telus, Vidéotron) | No money: credit, often spread over the plan | Bill or device credit | Grid price, often low for older models |
| Apple Trade In | Online: generally 2–3 weeks; in an Apple Store: on the spot | Apple credit or gift card | Fixed grid |
Why private sales are slower than they look
Posting an ad takes ten minutes; selling takes longer. Buyers ask the same questions, haggle, book a meeting, and some never come. The price slips while the ad sits. And the safest ways to get paid, cash checked in person or a transfer you wait to receive, add time too.
Speed up any sale
- Price it right from day one, from sales that closed rather than asking prices.
- Put the model, storage and battery health in the ad’s title.
- Sign out of your accounts ahead of time, so the buyer can check the phone on the spot.
- Answer messages fast and meet near a metro station.
The fastest way in Montréal
Come to SubSell at 757 Rue Beaubien East, 30 seconds from Métro Beaubien: no appointment, about 5 minutes for the check, cash on the spot. Know your price before you even leave, on our Sell page.