Walmart is the biggest and newest retailer, but googling around shows that there are lots of places where you can sell or trade in your smart phone. But it’s much harder to find places that sell used phones.
So what do they do with them? Is it just a gimmick to keep you buying, and they throw them away? Do they reuse the components in new phones? Do they extract the precious metals and junk the rest? Do they sell them overseas? Are there large used phone outlets that I’m not seeing?
Yes to all of these also refurbished phones are available for purchase from Apple etc often as a part exchange. I had an iPhone that suffered water damage and swapped it with a bit of cash for a refurb one.
Some send hand phones go to overseas countries as well.
An yep them precious metals are well precious.
I heard there was a farm out in the country where old cell phones go. I think it’s in Connecticut.
There is a thriving second hand gadget shop in our shopping center.
I just got an email this morning from a co-worker who’s daughter lost her phone and was looking for a cheap or free replacement. If he can’t find one he is going to start looking at second hand phones as he is not going to reward his teen with a new one.
Cowboom.com (owned by Best Buy) sells used electronics including smart phones and other mobile devices. I’m guessing that’s where the used trade ins from Best Buy go.
I’ve always just assumed that they smash up the old phones with a hammer or something, in order to increase demand for new phones.
There are companies on eBay that sell a lot of used smartphones. Maybe they are getting them from retailers.
I’ve sold every used smart phone I’ve ever owned on eBay and I’m always in competition with tons of other sellers. With the older crappy flip-phones, we used to donate them in these boxes around town that gave them to battered women’s shelters, as apparently the 911 feature still works even if the phone isn’t activated as long as it’s charged.