This company will pay you for your old electronics — and you can also buy pre-owned devices at a discount

A leading reCommerce company, Gazelle buys your old electronic devices and sells them at an affordable price, which helps consumers and the planet.

How does the Gazelle program work? 

According to the Gazelle website, the “story began with the realization that if you can trade in a used car, you should be able to trade in a used phone.”

Gazelle will purchase your used iPhone, Samsung Galaxy, Google Phone, iPad, or Macbook. Each product is then inspected, certified, and subsequently sold on the market.

Those looking to sell their electronic device can go to the company website. If the exact same item is not on the website, Gazelle will not accept it. The seller then lets the company know what condition the item is in by answering some questions.

Gazelle will then make the potential seller an offer, and if they accept, they choose how they prefer to get paid (check, PayPal, or Amazon.com gift card).

The offer is good for 30 days.

Prior to sale, each product undergoes a 30-point inspection. For buyers, the company offers a 30-day money-back guarantee plus customer care seven days a week.

Why should I buy or sell from Gazelle? 

Selling your electronic device is a great way to make some money while discarding your unwanted items and decluttering your home, and buying from Gazelle is a great way to save money.

But the global benefits go well beyond making and saving money and getting rid of things you don’t need.

The production of cell phones, computers, and similar electronic devices requires lots of energy. In fact, our devices, the internet, and all the systems that support them account for just under 4% of all planet-warming gas pollution.

Also, the purchase of modern-day cell phones may contribute to child labor in parts of Asia, Africa, and Latin America, as children may be forced to work in mines to excavate the materials needed for these devices.

According to the World Economic Forum, 50 million tons of electronic waste are generated every year. This is equal to 1,000 laptops thrown away every second, while only 12.5% of this waste is actually recycled.

By selling your electronic items to Gazelle, you prevent those items from ending up in a landfill.

When you buy pre-owned electronic devices, such as cellphones and iPads, not only are you keeping those items from ending up in the environment, but you are also slowing the need to produce more of these items, which benefits the environment and reduces the demand for child workers in other countries.

Are there similar programs to Gazelle? 

Back Market also buys and sells pre-owned electronic devices. The company calls its products “reborn devices.”

Refurb.me is an online platform that specializes in comparing prices of reconditioned electronic devices and assists users in discovering the most favorable offers on refurbished mobile phones, laptops, and tablets.

Staples has a program that “pays” you to trade in old electronics and office supplies, and Target has a similar program.

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