Trade-in in the Kaspi.kz Store is free for sellers and requires no action: all partners are connected automatically, there is no extra commission, and Kaspi handles receiving and checking the old smartphone and paying the buyer. Sellers themselves cannot accept old devices. So the real work of a smartphone seller on Kaspi is not Trade-in but the price in the product card, delivery and the correct IMEI in every order, without which a phone cannot be sold since May 2025.
In short
- The Kaspi Guide describes Trade-in for the purchase of a new iPhone: the buyer hands in an old device and gets money for it, and Kaspi pays them, not you.
- You do not need to connect, there is no commission for Trade-in, and a seller cannot accept old phones. The service gives no edge over competitors: everyone has it.
- The IMEI is entered in every phone or tablet order before packing. With Kaspi Delivery, a mistake can be fixed only before the waybill is generated.
- On an iPhone at 450,000 ₸, a hypothetical example leaves 18,743 ₸ net. A price cut of just 1% takes almost a quarter of that.
- Cases and screen protectors carry a higher commission than the smartphones themselves: 15.5% versus 12.5% including VAT.
How Trade-in works
The mechanics
Kaspi describes Trade-in as a service that helps partners increase sales: when buying a new iPhone, a customer can hand in their old device and get money for it. Kaspi.kz organizes the handover and inspection of the old smartphone, and it also pays the reward to buyers (q5260, updated Aug 25, 2026).
For a seller this means three things. All Store partners are connected automatically (q5262). There is no commission for Trade-in (q5261). A seller cannot accept old devices under Trade-in; that option does not exist (q5263).
Who does what
| Party | What they do | What they get |
|---|---|---|
| Buyer | buys a new iPhone and hands in an old device | money for the old device from Kaspi |
| Kaspi.kz | organizes the handover and inspection of the old smartphone, pays the reward | — |
| Seller | processes the order as usual: IMEI, packing, handover | revenue for the new phone at their own price, with no surcharges and no Trade-in commission |
What Kaspi does not publish
How many iPhone purchases go through Trade-in, how much a buyer gets for an old phone, and whether Trade-in affects which seller is chosen in the product card: there is no public data. Hence the honest conclusion: you cannot count on Trade-in as your own source of orders. It is a background factor that may warm up demand for the whole category, not for a specific store.
What Trade-in changes for the seller
Money
Nothing changes in the order calculation. You get the price you set, minus the usual category commission and delivery. There is no separate "Trade-in" line in the deductions. Money for the order arrives like for any other order, when the status changes to «Выдан» ("Delivered").
Competition
Since Trade-in is switched on for everyone, it does not set you apart from other sellers of the same iPhone. The order in the product card (the single shared listing where all sellers of an item compete) is determined by seller bonuses (Kaspi's cashback points), price, rating, reviews and delivery speed; the seller with the fastest delivery is always shown in the top 3 (q3190, updated Jun 15, 2026). How these factors work together is covered in the article on how to get to the top of a Kaspi product card.
Demand
Kaspi says outright that the service helps increase partners' sales, but gives no figures. If you see growth in views of iPhone cards in your «Аналитика» ("Analytics"), you cannot check whether it is linked to Trade-in: Kaspi does not show such a breakdown. How to read the metrics in the cabinet is covered in the article on analytics in Kaspi Pay.
IMEI: the rule without which you cannot sell a phone
What the law requires
Since May 25, 2025, the law requires that an order for a phone or tablet in the Kaspi.kz Store include the IMEI code so that it is checked against the database of identification codes of the MCIRAP (Kazakhstan's ministry of digital development). If the code is in the database, the device was imported legally and will work on Kazakhstan's mobile networks (q4013, updated Aug 26, 2026). Kaspi names the legal basis as the Rules for Registration of Cellular Subscriber Devices of the Republic of Kazakhstan.
Where to find the code and when to enter it
The IMEI is printed on the box, on the back or side. It is entered in the order details before you pack the item or hand it to a buyer who chose pickup (q4021, updated Aug 6, 2025). Before shipping, Kaspi advises checking once more that the IMEI of the device in the box matches the one entered exactly.
If you made a mistake
The code is changed in the «Заказы» ("Orders") section with the «Изменить IMEI» ("Change IMEI") button, but not indefinitely (q4022, updated Aug 26, 2026):
| Delivery method | Until when the IMEI can be corrected |
|---|---|
| Kaspi Delivery and Express delivery | until the waybill is generated |
| Pickup and own delivery | until handover to the buyer |
If the phone is already with the buyer, all that remains is to check the code of the delivered device through the MCIRAP service (the identification code database or the subscriber device monitoring system) or in the eGov Mobile app.
A detail that is easy to miss: with Kaspi Delivery, the correction window closes before the phone leaves the warehouse. Once the waybill is generated, the code can no longer be changed. So the order is: scan the IMEI from the box, enter it, check it, and only then print the waybill. How printing waybills and pick lists works is covered in the article on the waybill on Kaspi.
For new sellers the window is even narrower
The second row of the table is not available to everyone. Pickup is unavailable to partners who joined the Kaspi.kz Store after June 15, 2026 (q4987, updated Jun 16, 2026). If you are one of them and have no delivery of your own, all orders go through Kaspi Delivery or Express, and the IMEI can be corrected only before the waybill. After packing there is no room for error at all.
Express, by the way, has a higher tariff: for an order from 10,000 ₸ up to 5 kg it is 1,699 ₸ without VAT, versus 1,099 ₸ within the city and 1,299 ₸ across Kazakhstan (q2288). On a 450,000 ₸ phone this difference is barely noticeable, and delivery speed affects your place in the product card.
If the code is not in the database
Then you have to go to the supplier so they verify the code. If you buy phones or tablets directly from the manufacturer, you submit the verification request yourself, as the importer (q4021). In practice this means: spot-check IMEIs when you receive a batch, not at the moment an order has arrived and the buyer is waiting.
iPhone economics on Kaspi: a calculation
Margin on one order
In Kaspi's tariffs, smartphones carry a rate of 10.9% without VAT, 12.5% with VAT (q1344 and the 2026 tariffs PDF). Delivery across Kazakhstan for an order from 10,000 ₸ weighing up to 5 kg is 1,299 ₸ without VAT (q2288, updated Jun 16, 2026); with 16% VAT that is 1,507 ₸.
Hypothetical example, not a client case. Assumptions: the iPhone sells for 450,000 ₸, the purchase price is 360,000 ₸, delivery is to another city, the simplified regime at 3% (Almaty), and the seller is not a VAT payer.
| Line | Amount |
|---|---|
| Price on Kaspi | 450,000 ₸ |
| Purchase | −360,000 ₸ |
| Commission 12.5% | −56,250 ₸ |
| Kaspi Delivery across Kazakhstan incl. VAT | −1,507 ₸ |
| Tax 3% | −13,500 ₸ |
| Trade-in | 0 ₸ |
| Net profit | 18,743 ₸ |
The minimum price in this example:
Minimum price = (purchase + delivery) ÷ (1 − commission − tax) = (360,000 + 1,507) ÷ (1 − 0.125 − 0.03) ≈ 427,819 ₸
Between the current price and the minimum price there is 22,181 ₸. It seems like a lot, but on an expensive product the buffer melts fast.
Price sensitivity
A 1% price cut is 4,500 ₸ off every phone. In our example that is 24% of the profit per order. Five such steps in a row, and you are almost at the minimum price. Cards for popular iPhone models have many sellers and the price changes often, so betting on "just a little lower" costs more here than in cheaper categories. More on where to stop is in the article on price dumping on Kaspi.
Accessories: a higher rate
Smartphone cases and protective films and glass carry a commission of 13.5% without VAT and 15.5% with VAT, while chargers and power banks are at 10.9% and 12.5%, the same as smartphones (2026 tariffs PDF). This nuance breaks the usual logic that "the margin is always higher on accessories".
Hypothetical example, not a client case. A case at 6,000 ₸ with a purchase price of 1,500 ₸, a separate order within the city (the 5,000–10,000 ₸ tariff is 699 ₸ without VAT, 811 ₸ with VAT), tax 3%: commission 930 ₸, delivery 811 ₸, tax 180 ₸, profit 2,579 ₸. As a percentage of the price that is 43%; for the iPhone it is about 4%. But in tenge the phone still brings seven times more, and losing exactly that order to an IMEI mistake hurts the most.
Strategies for a smartphone seller
If you sell new iPhones
Trade-in works for you for free, but for your competitors too. You win the same way as always: a price above the minimum, fast delivery and seller bonuses if your margin can carry them. When it works: stable purchasing and a price buffer. When it doesn't: you bought expensively, and your buffer to the minimum price is smaller than one or two competitor steps. Then the price race for the top runs at a loss.
If you sell other brands
The Kaspi Guide describes Trade-in only for the purchase of a new iPhone. For other brands the description has no such service, so do not factor it into your calculations.
If you sell used phones
A seller cannot accept devices under Trade-in, and the service does not turn a store into a buy-back shop. Separately, the IMEI rule applies to any phone in an order, and a device whose code is not in the MCIRAP database cannot be sold legally.
What you risk
The main risks in this category are not Trade-in but grey imports and order mistakes. A phone with an IMEI outside the database, a wrongly entered code after the waybill has been generated, a price below the minimum in the race for the top. Each of these cases costs more than the profit from several orders.
Common mistakes of smartphone sellers on Kaspi
- Expecting separate orders from Trade-in. The service is switched on for all sellers and gives no advantage in the product card. Planning sales on it means planning on data Kaspi does not publish.
- Trying to accept old phones yourself. Under Kaspi's rules a seller has no such option. A promise like "we'll take your old phone" in the description or in chat misleads the buyer.
- Printing the waybill before entering the IMEI. With Kaspi Delivery, the code cannot be corrected once the waybill is generated. A mistake in one iPhone order puts all its profit at risk, 18,743 ₸ in our example, plus trouble with the buyer.
- Not checking the batch's IMEIs on receipt. If the code is not in the MCIRAP database, the phone cannot be sold legally, and verification through the supplier takes time the order does not have.
- Moving the price in percentages. On a 450,000 ₸ iPhone, one percent is 4,500 ₸, almost a quarter of the profit in the example. Steps in tenge and the minimum price matter more.
- Calculating accessories at the phone rate. Cases and screen protectors go at 15.5% with VAT, not 12.5%. On a thousand cases at 6,000 ₸, the rate difference is 180,000 ₸.
- Forgetting about delivery across Kazakhstan. For an order from 10,000 ₸ up to 5 kg, it is 200 ₸ without VAT more than city delivery. On one order it is a trifle; on a hundred orders a month it is already a line in the report.
Checklist: smartphones and Trade-in on Kaspi
- It is clear that Trade-in works without you: connected automatically, no commission, old devices are accepted by Kaspi.
- Descriptions and chat contain no promises to accept an old phone.
- IMEIs are spot-checked against the MCIRAP database when each batch arrives.
- Packing order: IMEI from the box → entry → check → waybill.
- The minimum price is calculated for each model, including delivery across Kazakhstan.
- The price-cut step is set in tenge, not in percentages.
- Accessories are calculated at their own commission rate.
- There is an agreement with the supplier on verifying codes that are not in the database.
- Once a week, your position in the cards of key models is checked.
Item four is worth pinning to the wall by the packing table. It is the only step where, with Kaspi Delivery, a mistake can no longer be fixed.
How to automate pricing in smartphone product cards
In iPhone product cards, competitors' prices change often, and the buffer to the minimum price is small. The SaleScout Kaspi bot (a repricing bot) checks prices every 20 seconds, keeps you at the top of the product card and never goes below the minimum price you set; in the example above that is 427,819 ₸. When a competitor raises their price or leaves the card, the bot raises your price to just below the next seller, so you don't leave money on the table. You can try the bot free for 7 days, no card needed.
Frequently asked questions about Trade-in on Kaspi for sellers
How does a seller connect to Trade-in on Kaspi.kz?
There is nothing to do; it is already done. Kaspi connects all Store partners to Trade-in automatically, with no applications or settings.
What is the Trade-in commission for a seller?
There is none. You pay the usual category commission: 12.5% with VAT for smartphones, plus delivery, as in any other order.
Can a seller accept old phones under Trade-in?
No, under Kaspi's rules sellers have no such option. Kaspi.kz organizes the handover and inspection of the old smartphone, and it also pays the buyer.
Who pays the buyer for the old phone?
Kaspi.kz. The seller gets their price for the new phone with no deductions for Trade-in.
Why do I need to enter the IMEI in a Kaspi order?
The law has required it since May 25, 2025: the code is checked against the MCIRAP database. If it is there, the phone was imported legally and will work on Kazakhstan's networks.
How do I fix a wrong IMEI in an order?
The «Заказы» section has a «Изменить IMEI» button. With Kaspi Delivery and Express it works until the waybill is generated; with pickup and own delivery, until handover to the buyer.
Does Trade-in work only for iPhone?
The Kaspi Guide describes the service for the purchase of a new iPhone. It says nothing about other brands, so do not count on them without confirmation from Kaspi.
Sources
All links checked Oct 22, 2026. The sources are in Russian; original titles are given with English translations.
- Kaspi Guide for partners, "Trade-in". «Что такое Trade-in для партнеров Магазина на Kaspi.kz?» (What is Trade-in for Kaspi.kz Store partners?) — https://guide.kaspi.kz/partner/ru/shop/goods/trade_in/q5260 (updated Aug 25, 2026); «Какая комиссия за Trade-in…?» (What is the Trade-in commission?) — https://guide.kaspi.kz/partner/ru/shop/goods/trade_in/q5261 (updated Aug 25, 2026); «Как подключиться к Trade-in…?» (How do I connect to Trade-in?) — https://guide.kaspi.kz/partner/ru/shop/goods/trade_in/q5262 (updated Aug 25, 2026); «Я могу принимать старые устройства по Trade-in…?» (Can I accept old devices under Trade-in?) — https://guide.kaspi.kz/partner/ru/shop/goods/trade_in/q5263 (updated Aug 25, 2026)
- Kaspi Guide. «Как узнать IMEI-код телефона, чтобы обработать заказ…?» (How do I find a phone's IMEI to process an order?) — https://guide.kaspi.kz/partner/ru/shop/orders/q4021 (updated Aug 6, 2025); «Я продаю телефоны… Зачем указывать IMEI-код…?» (I sell phones. Why enter the IMEI?) — https://guide.kaspi.kz/partner/ru/shop/orders/q4013 (updated Aug 26, 2026); «…я по ошибке ввел в заказ IMEI-код другого телефона. Что делать?» (I entered another phone's IMEI by mistake. What should I do?) — https://guide.kaspi.kz/partner/ru/shop/orders/q4022 (updated Aug 26, 2026)
- Kaspi Guide. «Как располагаются продавцы в карточке товара…?» (How are sellers ranked in a product card?) — https://guide.kaspi.kz/partner/ru/shop/goods/general/q3190 (updated Jun 15, 2026)
- Kaspi Guide. «Какая комиссия за продажи в Магазине на Kaspi.kz?» (What is the sales commission in the Kaspi.kz Store?) — https://guide.kaspi.kz/partner/ru/shop/conditions/q1344 (updated Jan 6, 2026); Kaspi.kz Store tariffs 2026 (PDF) — https://guide.kaspi.kz/cdn/content/pay/product/documents/Magazin/Tarify_Magazina_na_Kaspi_kz_2026.pdf
- Kaspi Guide. «Сколько стоит Kaspi Доставка?» (How much does Kaspi Delivery cost?) — https://guide.kaspi.kz/partner/ru/shop/delivery/shipping/q2288 (updated Jun 16, 2026)
- Kaspi Guide. «Я отключил самовывоз… Я смогу подключить его снова?» (I disabled pickup. Can I enable it again?) — https://guide.kaspi.kz/partner/ru/shop/sale_points/q4987 (updated Jun 16, 2026)
- Tax Code of the Republic of Kazakhstan, Art. 503 «Ставки НДС» (VAT rates) — https://www.zakonpravo.kz/ru/statya-503-stavki-naloga-na-dobavlennuyu-stoimost-nalogovogo-kodeksa-respubliki-kazahstan
Bota, analyst
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