Who doesn’t like a brand new, slick phone as a gift? Unfortunately, many a time, the initial excitement of buying a present for our loved one clouds our judgement. Buying a phone that doesn’t fit someone’s needs is a major faux pas. Thankfully, we’re here to make your life easier as we’ve written a short guide that will transform the whole process of buying a phone as a gift into a smooth affair.

Pick the right phone plan

If you’re buying a phone for an immediate family or household member, it might be possible to add them to your family plan – and help them save hundreds of euro.

Things get a little bit more complicated if you’re buying a phone for someone outside your household. If you’re willing to go that extra mile, scour the internet for the best phone contracts. Additionally, if you want to keep the whole thing as a surprise, you may have to sign (and pay for) the contract with the network provider.

Else, you can avoid the obstacles and problems of phone contracts by buying an unlocked phone. This allows your giftee to choose their own service provider and phone contract or hook their new phone up with their existing plan.

Phones are personal belongings

Let’s be honest here – the vast majority of people are addicted to their phones. Furthermore, many people perceive their phone as an extension of their personality and have a strong opinion regarding their phone’s brand, screen size and internal specs.

Therefore, you should do your research before purchasing a phone for someone else. Ensure that they really do want or need a new phone. Also, keep your ears open for some heavy hinting coming your way.

Read the T&Cs

Terms and Conditions…Returns Policy…no one likes reading the fine print! If you’re thinking about buying a phone for someone, make sure you’re well aware of the store’s return policy and cooling off period (usually between 14 to 30 days). Furthermore, make sure that you include the receipt with your gift packaging, as this might come in handy later down the line.

Buy a phone case

One of the most obvious pros of why you should get a phone case is that it protects the phone from wear and tear, saving your giftee loads of money and unnecessary tears. No matter how careful you or the phone recipient is, there always seems to be a phone-related disaster waiting to happen. Choose between a wallet case, a waterproof case or a designed case. Include a standard case with your gift if you can’t pick between the three different types of phone cases.