Samsung Tries To Rescue Galaxy S20 Sales With 50 Percent Buy Back Guarantee

It seems Samsung is getting a tad desperate to sell more flagship Galaxy S20 handsets. Sales are reportedly well below Samsung's previous generation flagship handsets, due in part to the Coronavirus outbreak, and premium pricing might be playing a role as well. To help with the latter, Samsung has implemented a rather generous 'buy back' program.

The buy back site is apparently getting hammered, because I am unable to get any of the pages to load (the main landing page or the related FAQ page). However, multiple sites have reported on the details. The gist of it is, buyers of a Galaxy S20 series handset can get 50 percent of the cost back up to two years later.

Here's how it breaks down...

What is neat about this program is that it is not a trade-in offer. There is no need to buy another Samsung handset. As long as the eligible handset is in "good condition," buyers have 24 months to send it in to Samsung and receive a fat check for 50 percent of what they paid. As you might imagine, there are some caveats.

The biggest one is that this program only applies to Galaxy S20 models that were purchased directly from Samsung. That's a big bummer for owners who bought their device at other places, like Best Buy for example.

Samsung requires that eligible Galaxy S20 owners enlist in the program when purchasing the handset. The phone must also be in good working order—it has to be able to power on, have a working display with no problems, be free of cracks, have no water damage, and it can't be blacklisted, to name a few of the terms.

"We will review the condition of your phone—it must operate normally and have no damage beyond normal wear and tear," Samsung states.

It sounds like there can be minor scratches and dings, but until I'm able to view the website for myself, I have to go by what others are reporting. Overall, however, this sounds like a good deal. Anyone interested in this offer should strongly consider keeping their Galaxy S20 in a protective case.

You can find out more about the program on Samsung's buy back site and related FAQ page (once they're back up).