Old phones can be useful to people who can't qualify for wireless services.
A new cell phone with a plethora of fancy features seems to be introduced into the market every day. With those new additions, old phones are tossed out. John B. Stephenson writes in "Electronic Waste" that landfills are in jeopardy of getting overrun with non-biodegradable electronic waste materials. Cell phones can be recycled so they don't overload landfills, while giving someone the opportunity to own a used cell phone far cheaper than buying one new.
Instructions
Selling Your Personal Cell Phone
1. Review the buyback offers from the plethora of wireless phone stores online and offline that recycle used phones. Look for banner ads online that read "we buy used phones" or similar catchphrases. In the real world, watch for commercials or check newspapers for similar phrasing.
2. Look for the best deal for your used phone. Ask for a price quote from the potential buyers. Send them information on your phone or bring your phone to their closest retail store.
3. Pick the company that offers you the most for the phone. Pack the phone in its original box if you still have it.
4. Drop the phone off at the phone recycling store if it's local. It it's an online store, request an address label. Pack the phone in the pre-addressed box or attach the label you receive and mail the phone to the required address.
5. Receive your check in the mail in 7 to 10 business days.
Selling Other People's Used Phones for Profit
6. Build up an inventory of used phones. Buy from yard sales or surplus from manufacturers. Call authorized wireless master sales agents and ask them where they sell their surplus. In the book, "Three Weeks to eBay Profits: Go from Beginner to Successful Seller in Less," Skip McGrath writes, "Only buy items that are in good-to-excellent condition. Don't attempt to sell anything defective or broken unless you are selling it for parts."
7. Collect used phones from people you know who've just purchased new phones. Distribute recycle bins for phones at retail outlets where you have permission to leave your bins. Two or three times a week, pick up your recycle bins.
8. Rent a mailbox to collect old phones from anywhere in the world. Offer to pay for shipping locally. Get a bulk mail account with the United States Postal Service. Send a pre-paid mailing box to anyone who wants to sell you their old phone.
9. Develop a website with the ability to accept orders and to generate leads for old phones. Post pictures of the phones you have for sale. Add a shopping cart so that customers can purchase phones directly from your website.
10. Hire a technician to refurbish your phones or partner with a wireless phone repair company. Place an advertisement in the classifieds to put the word out that you're looking for a partner to help with your used phone business.
11. Rent a booth at a nearby flea market on the weekends. Pass out fliers in the community to get people to shop at your booth. Don't forget to place one of your recycle bins there to collect old phones.
12. Create accounts with online auction sites and other sites that allow you to piggyback on their brand name to reach a primed audience such as Amazon. In the book, "Sell Anything on Amazon...and Make a Fortune!" Michael Bellomo and Joel Elad write, "When you do a search based on the title or keywords, you'll be presented with a list of matching titles. Find the product you have for sale, and click the Sell Yours Here button to start the process."
13. Get the media involved. Write a press release that announces you are giving 10 phones away to needy families who don't have the money to buy phones. Send the press release by fax or email to local newspapers and television news programs.
14. Start a buzz online to encourage visits to your website. Create a digital commercial. Commission a video production company to produce a commercial you can post online through video distribution sites.
Tags: phones from, recycle bins, used phones, cell phone, collect phones, have sale
