Weekend poll: How did you buy your last phone?

Carriers, retail stores, or online — the choice is yours

This year's smartphone season was a little quieter than usual, with OnePlus skipping its routine T-series upgrade and LG out of the game altogether. We still managed to get some interesting new releases, of course. Two folding phones from Samsung and the Pixel 6 series from Google tempted phone nerds everywhere, with plenty of users heading out to buy a brand-new device.

These days, there's plenty of options if you're looking to upgrade from your phone. Carriers make jumping from one device to the next quick and easy — especially if you're on a payment plan. Companies like Verizon and AT&T offer some great deals on upgrades and trade-ins these days, with some plans even including a monthly discount if you purchase a smartphone alongside it.

But not all of us want to stay locked to a single carrier. Physical retail stores like Best Buy, Walmart, and Target usually have a decent selection of phones, while online retailers like Amazon offer an endless variety of devices perfect for any budget. There's also the manufacturer itself. Companies like Google and Samsung sell their smartphones directly to consumers, complete with trade-in deals and exclusive bundles. Occasionally, it's the only way to access some color variations, like with the newly-customizable Galazy Z Flip3.

And hey, maybe you've decided a new smartphone isn't for you. Buying used or refurbished models through channels like eBay is a great way to upgrade at a fraction of the cost.

Whether you just upgraded to a Pixel 6 Pro or you're still rocking a Galaxy S8, we want to know how you bought your last smartphone. Each method has its own benefits and shortcomings — plenty of people have had bad experiences buying through carriers or manufacturer websites in the past, leading to lost packages or missing devices, while buying used usually limits your warranty options. Generally speaking, though, each route ends with the same result: a shiny new gadget in your hands. So, how did you buy your last phone?

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