Best Buy deal makes iPhone 5s a bargain

Today or Saturday could be a good day for iPhone purchase for those looking to upgrade.

Handout photo from Best Buy taken at one of its stores that takes smartphone trade-ins.(Photo: By Stephen Geffre)

Craving an iPhone 5s? Best Buy has a deal for you today and Saturday.

Come into one of its 1,400 stores that do trade-ins and turn in a working iPhone 4s or iPhone 5 and you will get a $150 minimum trade-in that can be used to get the iPhone 5s 16GB model ($149.99) for free.

Customers must be eligible for an upgrade and activate a two-year contract with AT&T, Sprint or Verizon. The offer is good for Friday and Saturday, Feb. 28 and March 1.

You can check the trade-in value of your old phone at www.bestbuy.com/tradein^[1].

Best Buy has had to get creative in the hyper-competitive smartphone marketplace. In February, it pledged $50 in credit to anyone who would plan to get their next upgraded phone from the retailer.

EARNINGS: Best Buy stock jumps on return to profit^[2]

Getting a steady stream of customers in the door is important for Best Buy, which on Thursday announced that its fourth quarter earnings were better than expected. However, profit arose from cost cutting not sales.

Follow Mike Snider on Twitter: @MikeSnider^[3]