How to Buy a Second-Hand Mobile Phone in Hong Kong

Second-hand mobile phones are generally much cheaper in Asia than in the United States or Europe. While vacationing in Hong Kong, I decided to buy a second-hand iPhone 15 Pro. Since there are many shops and some important do’s and don’ts, I wanted to share my experience.

As is common across Southeast Asia, many shops selling the same type of products are often clustered together in one street or even within a single building. This is also true for used mobile phones. In Hong Kong, the go-to place for second-hand phones is Sin Tat Plaza in Mong Kok—a small shopping mall with four to five floors filled with mobile phone retailers.

Do Your Homework First

Before heading out, do some preparation:

• Decide on the brand and model you’re interested in.
• Consider color preferences and specifications, such as storage capacity. For most users, 128 GB is more than sufficient, as most of the space is used by apps.
• Research the average second-hand market price for the phone you want.

Visit Sin Tat Plaza

Once you arrive, start by walking through the plaza and writing down prices of the phone you’re looking for. Pay close attention not just to price, but also to battery health and overall device condition. Some shops display the battery health percentage on the price tag in the window.

Important tip: Avoid phones with battery health under 90%. Most phones I saw had over 90%, and a few were even at 100%. Note that these are not refurbished phones—the shopkeepers simply buy them, perform a factory reset, clean them, and put them up for sale.

eSIM Support

When travelling, having a phone that supports eSIM is extremely convenient—and in some cases, essential. With an eSIM, there’s no need to purchase a physical SIM card when you arrive in another country, allowing you to stay connected while avoiding high roaming charges.

However, keep in mind that not all mobile phones sold in Hong Kong support eSIM. Some models are configured with dual physical SIM slots only, meaning eSIM functionality is not available. Always check a device’s specifications before purchasing, especially if eSIM support is important for your travel needs.

The reason that some Hong Kong phones do not support eSIM is control by the government. To buy a physical SIM you need to show ID which is verified by the human serving you, so the government accurately correlate what you do online with your identity. Usually eSIMs either don’t need an ID or they accept any ID.

All iPhone SE (2nd generation), iPhone SE (3rd generation) and iPhone XS sold in Hong Kong feature eSIM.

Go to Settings > Mobile Data. If you see an option to Add eSIM, the device supports eSIM functionality.

Negotiation and Payment

• Keep track of shop numbers so you can easily return once you’ve compared options.
• Ask for the best price. I found that a discount of around HK$200 is usually possible, especially when paying in cash. Sellers prefer cash to avoid the 2% commission on Alipay and 4% on credit cards.
• Prices can vary significantly: I saw the same iPhone 15 Pro 128 GB priced anywhere from HK$5,280 to HK$6,380—a difference of HK$1,100 (about €132 or US$150).

Final Checks

Once you find the best deal:

• Carefully inspect the phone for scratches and verify the battery health again.
• Most phones are sold without the original box, which is ideal if you’re taking it home, as it looks less like a new import to customs officers. Just carry the phone in your pocket.

A Note About Shenzhen

Another option is buying a second-hand phone in Shenzhen, just across the border in mainland China. However, I was warned that some shops in China may alter the phone’s software to falsely display higher storage capacity (e.g., 512 GB when it’s actually much less). Communication may also be more difficult due to language barriers.

My Purchase

I ended up buying an iPhone 15 Pro 128 GB at a shop called One WoW Phone LTD, located on the ground floor, Shop G32A, Sin Tat Plaza, 83 Argyle Street, Mong Kok (MTR Exit D2). The shop owner was friendly, spoke good English, and offered the best price I found.