Worldwide iPhone eBay Listings Rise: The Glutting Continues

iPhone eBay sales continue to rise as buyers purchase new ones and sellers ditch the 4GB and 8GB models, possibly for purchase of Apple's 16GB model. (Since one aggregator, selling around 500 units, is grouped separately, the stats are based on best estimates.)

Listings as of March 31, 2008 on eBay Worldwide show:

• 2,712 total iPhone listings (based on "cell phone," "smartphone," and "PDA" categories)
  
• 72% of iPhones are listed as "new"
• 16GB Model = 811 Units--30% of all iPhone listings, a dramatic increase since MTM's last tally
  
• 8GB Model = 1,713 (63%)
• 4GB Model = 188 (7%)
• Approximately 74% (2,000 units) are unlocked, with sellers claiming 1.1.4 firmware updates
• Quality of eBay listings varies from professional to poor, although pictures and phone descriptions are improving. Some sellers continue listing damaged iPhones as the picture above shows.
  
• More "free" iPhone listings appear in auctions whose winners are instructed how to obtain a "free" iPhone. The legitimacy of these listings is questionable.

In comparison, eBay Worldwide lists:

• 151 Nokia N95-8GB Smartphones (121 New)
  
• 66 Sony Ericsson's selling for $400+ (62 New)
  
• 75 Samsung's listed at $400+ (68 New)
  
• 66 LG's priced at $400+ (45 New)
  

Compared to Nokia and other smartphone manufacturers, the gray market glutting of iPhones continues rising on eBay Worldwide. There are now 18 times more iPhones for sale than the Nokia N95-8GB, the closest iPhone-comparable smartphone.