# Where do Trade-In Smart Phones Go? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [September 11, 2013, 6:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-do-trade-in-smart-phones-go/668556 "2013-09-11T06:18:28Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![TonySinclair](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/49beb7/32.png) [@TonySinclair](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TonySinclair)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2013, 6:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-do-trade-in-smart-phones-go/668556/1 "2013-09-11T06:18:28Z")
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? ---
**Author:** ![sisu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/df705f/32.png) [@sisu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sisu)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2013, 6:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-do-trade-in-smart-phones-go/668556/2 "2013-09-11T06:32:49Z")
> [@TonySinclair](#): > > 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. ---
**Author:** ![Ranger\_Jeff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ranger_jeff/32/2065_2.png) [@Ranger\_Jeff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ranger_Jeff)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2013, 12:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-do-trade-in-smart-phones-go/668556/3 "2013-09-11T12:59:44Z")
I heard there was a farm out in the country where old cell phones go. I think it’s in Connecticut. ---
**Author:** ![bob\_2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bob_2/32/3341_2.png) [@bob\_2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bob_2)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2013, 1:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-do-trade-in-smart-phones-go/668556/4 "2013-09-11T13:08:27Z")
There is a thriving second hand gadget shop in our shopping center. ---
**Author:** ![Si\_Amigo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/si_amigo/32/2877_2.png) [@Si\_Amigo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Si_Amigo)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2013, 2:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-do-trade-in-smart-phones-go/668556/5 "2013-09-11T14:04:14Z")
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. ---
**Author:** ![Jophiel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jophiel/32/66_2.png) [@Jophiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jophiel)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2013, 3:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-do-trade-in-smart-phones-go/668556/6 "2013-09-11T15:07:30Z")
[Cowboom.com](http://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. ---
**Author:** ![Diceman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/22d042/32.png) [@Diceman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diceman)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2013, 3:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-do-trade-in-smart-phones-go/668556/7 "2013-09-11T15:14:22Z")
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. ---
**Author:** ![control-z](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/eada6e/32.png) [@control-z](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/control-z)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2013, 4:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-do-trade-in-smart-phones-go/668556/8 "2013-09-11T16:39:47Z")
There are companies on eBay that sell a lot of used smartphones. Maybe they are getting them from retailers. ---
**Author:** ![Yarster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/7c8e57/32.png) [@Yarster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yarster)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2013, 9:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-do-trade-in-smart-phones-go/668556/9 "2013-09-11T21:01:33Z")
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.