Grading standards
What Grading Means
Cosmetic grading gives buyers a standardized, objective description of a device's physical condition. SmartChoice uses four grades — A/A+, A-, B/B+, and C/C+ — assessed against screen condition, body condition, dents, cracks, touch-detectable wear, and battery health. All devices are 100% functional unless stated otherwise.
Every device is individually IMEI-checked and hardware-tested, then graded against fixed cosmetic and battery thresholds under standardized lighting — never batch-sampled.
A / A+ — Near New
Full A / A+ details with photos ↓Pristine, near new condition. No visible wear under normal light — no scratches. Battery health ≥85%.
- Overall condition
- Pristine, near new condition
- Screen scratches
- No visible wear under normal light
- Body scratches
- None visible under normal light
- Dents
- None
- Cracks
- None
- Touch detectable wear
- None
- Buttons
- Perfect
- Battery health
- ≥85% original capacity
- Functional
- 100%
- Complete
- ✓ With covers & battery
| Criteria | A / A+ | A- | B / B+ | C / C+ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall condition | Pristine, near new condition | Very good | Good | Obvious signs of everyday use |
| Screen scratches | No visible wear under normal light | Light scratches, invisible when display is on | Light scratches, some visible when display is on | Deep scratches (no cracks) |
| Body scratches | None visible under normal light | Light scratches permitted on back | Noticeable marks on back/edges | Obvious scratches, possible dents |
| Dents | None | Pinhead-sized dents allowed, not visible at 30 cm | Minor dents allowed | Multiple small dents or 1-2 medium dents |
| Cracks | None | None | None | None |
| Touch detectable wear | None | Faint (some scratches) | Yes (some) | Yes (likely) |
| Buttons | Perfect | Perfect | Perfect | Perfect |
| Battery health | ≥85% original capacity | ≥82% original capacity | ≥78% original capacity | ≥73% original capacity |
| Functional | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% |
| Complete | ✓ With covers & battery | ✓ With covers & battery | ✓ With covers & battery | ✓ With covers & battery, no missing parts |
Method
How a Grade Is Assigned
There is no industry-wide grading standard. Back Market, Swappie, Refurbed and wholesale distributors each publish their own criteria, so a Grade B unit from one supplier can match a Grade A- from another. That inconsistency is the single biggest source of disputes between wholesale buyers and sellers. The fix is not picking a “correct” standard, because none exists. It is confirming the criteria in writing before ordering, then checking arrivals against it.
Every SmartChoice unit goes through the same four stages before a grade is assigned:
- 1
Intake
IMEI recorded and cross-checked against blacklist databases; activation lock confirmed removed.
- 2
Diagnostics
Full hardware test covering display, cameras, audio, connectivity, sensors, charging and battery health. Battery capacity is read through OEM diagnostics as a percentage of original design capacity, with cycle count where the tool reports it, not from the handset’s own settings screen, which can misreport after a battery swap.
- 3
Cosmetic grading
Inspected unit by unit under standardized 500-lux lighting at 30cm against the criteria above. Never batch-sampled.
- 4
Factory reset
Full reset performed, Find My and Google FRP removed and verified.
Cosmetic grade and functionality are independent. A Grade C/C+ unit looks worn but passes the same diagnostic checklist as a Grade A/A+ unit. Anything that fails diagnostics is not graded at all; it is separated into a parts and repair category and priced accordingly. Cracks are the other hard cut: a crack on the front screen or the back glass removes a unit from standard grading regardless of how minor, because a compromised seal is a durability risk rather than a cosmetic one.
Why top grades cost more
Grade mix is set by what comes in through trade-in supply, not by what buyers want. Typical intake splits roughly as follows:
- A+8–12% of intake
- A10–15%
- A-28–32%
- B / B+30–35%
A and A+ together account for 18–27% of intake, less than either A- or B/B+ individually, with C/C+ making up the balance. That scarcity shows up directly in price: the wholesale premium for Grade A over Grade B on an iPhone 13 128GB averaged €28–35 in Q1 2026, while the narrower step from Grade A to A+ runs €5–15 depending on model and generation. If your resale market does not reward cosmetic headroom, paying the A-grade premium buys quality your customers will not notice.
Grade detail
Grade A/A+ — Near New
Grade A/A+ devices are the highest quality tier in our inventory. These units show no meaningful cosmetic wear and closely resemble brand-new devices.
- Overall condition
- Pristine, near new condition
- Screen scratches
- No visible wear under normal light
- Body scratches
- None visible under normal light
- Dents
- None
- Cracks
- None
- Touch detectable wear
- None
- Buttons
- Perfect
- Battery health
- ≥85% original capacity
- Functional
- 100%
- Complete
- ✓ With covers & battery
Grade detail
Grade A- — Very Good
Grade A- devices are in very good condition — light signs of use that only show up on close inspection.
- Overall condition
- Very good
- Screen scratches
- Light scratches, invisible when display is on
- Body scratches
- Light scratches permitted on back
- Dents
- Pinhead-sized dents allowed, not visible at 30 cm
- Cracks
- None
- Touch detectable wear
- Faint (some scratches)
- Buttons
- Perfect
- Battery health
- ≥82% original capacity
- Functional
- 100%
- Complete
- ✓ With covers & battery
Grade detail
Grade B/B+ — Good
Grade B/B+ is our most popular tier and the sweet spot for most B2B resellers — solid quality at a competitive price.
- Overall condition
- Good
- Screen scratches
- Light scratches, some visible when display is on
- Body scratches
- Noticeable marks on back/edges
- Dents
- Minor dents allowed
- Cracks
- None
- Touch detectable wear
- Yes (some)
- Buttons
- Perfect
- Battery health
- ≥78% original capacity
- Functional
- 100%
- Complete
- ✓ With covers & battery
Grade detail
Grade C/C+ — Honest Wear
Grade C/C+ devices show obvious signs of everyday use and are priced accordingly, while remaining fully functional.
- Overall condition
- Obvious signs of everyday use
- Screen scratches
- Deep scratches (no cracks)
- Body scratches
- Obvious scratches, possible dents
- Dents
- Multiple small dents or 1-2 medium dents
- Cracks
- None
- Touch detectable wear
- Yes (likely)
- Buttons
- Perfect
- Battery health
- ≥73% original capacity
- Functional
- 100%
- Complete
- ✓ With covers & battery, no missing parts
Pricing
Pricing Benchmarks
The EUR ranges below are derived from actual current wholesale listings, not invented figures — but stock rotates fast (thousands of units per month), so treat them as indicative rather than a live price list. For exact current pricing by unit, see live stock.
| Model | A / A+ | A- | B / B+ | C / C+ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apple iPhone 11 128GB | €135 | €120 | €110 | €100 |
| Apple iPhone 13 128GB | €235 | €220 | €210 | €195 |
| Apple iPhone 14 128GB | €290 | €280 | €270 | €250 |
| Apple iPhone 15 128GB | €395 | €380 | €370 | €350 |
| Apple iPhone 15 256GB | €445 | €430 | €420 | €405 |
| Apple iPhone 15 Plus 128GB | €435 | €415 | €405 | €385 |
| Apple iPhone 16e 128GB | €430 | €415 | €405 | €390 |
| Apple iPhone 16 128GB | €540 | €525 | €515 | €495 |
| Apple iPhone 16 Plus 128GB | €565 | €545 | €535 | €520 |
| Apple iPhone 16 Pro 128GB | €720 | €695 | €685 | €660 |
| Apple iPhone 16 Pro 256GB | €745 | €720 | €710 | €690 |
| Apple iPhone 17 256GB | €695 | €675 | €665 | €645 |
| Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max 256GB | €810 | €795 | €785 | €755 |
| Apple iPhone 17 Pro Max 256GB | €1110 | €1090 | €1080 | €1055 |
| Samsung Galaxy S22 Dual-SIM 128GB | €220 | €205 | €195 | €175 |
| Samsung Galaxy Tab Active5 5G 128GB | €270 | €260 | €250 | €230 |
A Note on Coverage
We carry iPhone 11 through 17 — standard, mini, Air, Plus, Pro, and Pro Max — and Samsung Galaxy S10 through S26 in standard, Plus, and Ultra variants, alongside mid-range Galaxy A models. Only models and grades with at least two units currently in stock are listed above — a single unit doesn't make a meaningful benchmark. The table is generated from live wholesale listings and refreshed periodically; models not shown here may still be available. Check live stock for the full current range and pricing.
Last refreshed 2026-07-23. Contact us for current live pricing.
Checklist
Arrival Inspection Checklist
Use this checklist when your shipment arrives. Complete all steps before accepting or storing the batch — under our return policy you have 7 business days from delivery to report discrepancies, with photographic evidence.
1. Packaging & Documentation
2. Physical Condition Verification
3. Functional Testing
4. Software & IMEI Checks
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between Grade A/A+ and Grade A-?
What does 'battery health' mean and why does it matter?
Is Grade C/C+ fully functional?
Can a device have one cosmetic grade but different battery health?
What happens if a device arrives in a different grade than ordered?
How does Marginal VAT affect the price of graded devices?
Where can I see current pricing by grade?
About
About SmartChoice
- B2B wholesale supplier of used smartphones, Tartu, Estonia
- Marginal VAT and reverse VAT stock available — ideal for EU resellers
- No minimum order — single units to bulk pallets
- Devices tested and graded in-house before listing
- IMEI-clean guarantee on all stock
- 30-day warranty on every device — covers faults and grading errors
- Dispatch from Tartu within 1 business day of payment confirmation
- EU-based — no customs delays for European buyers
Online Shop
shop.smartchoice.ee
info@smartchoice.ee
Location
Tartu, Estonia — EU
VAT Schemes
Marginal VAT & reverse VAT