# Field notes: sourcing cheap secondhand Pixel phones from Japan for a de-Googled setup

**URL:** https://discuss.privacyguides.net/t/field-notes-sourcing-cheap-secondhand-pixel-phones-from-japan-for-a-de-googled-setup/39514
**Category:** General
**Created:** 2026-07-31T20:13:11Z
**Posts:** 3

## Post 1 by @RenPrivacyJp — 2026-07-31T20:13:11Z

Sharing some field notes after buying a couple of used Pixels out of Japan to flash GrapheneOS on. If you want a de-Googled phone without paying full retail, the Japanese secondhand market is one of the cheaper places to look — but there are traps, so here’s what I learned.

**Why Japan.** Phones churn fast there, and the domestic secondhand market (Mercari JP, Yahoo! Auctions, and the “junk” corner at Hard-Off) is deep and cheap. Used Pixel 6a / 7a bodies in good shape turn up regularly for a fraction of what the same model costs used in the West.

**The bootloader trap — read this first.** GrapheneOS only supports Pixels with an _unlockable_ bootloader. Carrier-sold units (docomo / au / SoftBank) have historically shipped with the bootloader **locked and non-unlockable** , and some are still under a network-use restriction (残債 / ネットワーク利用制限). Buy **SIM-free** units — ideally ones originally sold through the Google Store Japan. Ask the seller for the model number and confirm 赤ロム保証 (no-blacklist guarantee) before paying.

**Other caveats:**

- “Junk” (ジャンク) means _untested_ — assume nothing works until proven. Fine for a cheap flashing project, risky as a daily driver.
- Check LTE/5G band overlap for your country. Pixels are mostly global, but verify.
- Most sellers are domestic-only and won’t ship abroad, so you need a forwarding/proxy service to buy, consolidate and re-ship.

I’ve been using OneMall as the proxy/forwarder because it aggregates the JP marketplaces behind one checkout and handles consolidation. For reference these are the live listings I watch: used [Pixel bodies](https://www.onemall.jp/search?keyword=pixel&q=pixel&ch=blog_jppixel_exter) and the broader [SIM-free phone](https://www.onemall.jp/search?keyword=SIM%E3%83%95%E3%83%AA%E3%83%BC%20%E3%82%B9%E3%83%9E%E3%83%9B&q=SIM%E3%83%95%E3%83%AA%E3%83%BC%20%E3%82%B9%E3%83%9E%E3%83%9B&ch=blog_jppixel_exter) pool.

Not affiliated with any of the marketplaces — just passing on what worked. Happy to answer questions if anyone’s tried the same route.

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## Post 3 by @Tux — 2026-08-01T00:13:09Z

Good to know, but is it really worth it? Last year you could buy a (then current gen) Pixel 9a for little more than $300 around Xmas.