Can You Make
Money with Refurbished Cell Phones?
With an estimated 250 to 300 million active
cell phones in today’s U.S. market alone, many do not realize
the danger that is posed by throwing a cell phone out. In
today’s green world, throwing out a cell phone doesn’t get the
attention that it should. You can make money refurbishing cell
phones if you have the right mindset to market them in a way
that builds awareness and excitement for global environmental
issues.
We recycle everything else, why shouldn’t we
recycle cell phones? Today the best way to market a refurbished
product is to appeal to the green market. A cell phone must be
disposed of properly due to some of the toxic substances that
compose a cell phone such as lead, cadmium, brominated flame
retardants, and beryllium. Considering that the average U.S.
consumer only uses their phone for twelve to eighteen months
before buying a new model, there is a large amount of waste
being generated in the cell phone industry. Encouraging people
to give their cell phones to you in order to be refurbished and
re-sold, not only helps the environment, but it profits your
business as well.
In order to get old cell phones at low
costs, tell your family, friends, and customers who buy new
phones from you that you are willing to take their old cell
phones off of their hands. 70% of Americans don’t even realize
that recycling an old cell phone is an option, so it is your
job to publicize your willingness to take old phones for
refurbishment. You may be surprised at how many phones you are
able to get for free just by taking this step. Another way to
gain old cell phones inexpensively is to put an ad in local
newspapers advertising your willingness to recycle old cell
phones. Offering to pay $10 for cell phones that are younger
than 3 years old can be an incentive too, and once they are
refurbished you can make a profit by selling them for much
more. Some sellers work with a local charity. The charity holds
a drive for cell phones and they may agree to allow you to take
the best phones to be refurbished, as long as you agree to give
them a portion of your profits. Finally, consider utilizing
Ebay to sell refurbished phones. A global marketplace is the
best place to sell secondhand phones because there are many
people in other parts of the world, who just can’t afford a new
cell phone. Ebay is a great way to connect with those
buyers.
Market your refurbished cell
phones to the right buyers. Parents looking for a
phone for their child, or teenager, may be more willing to save
on the cost of the phone, especially considering how rough
children can be on equipment. For a parent, there is less
concern about a refurbished phone banging around in a book bag
than an expensive new phone possibly being damaged. Buyers in
developing countries may only be able to afford a refurbished
phone, and therefore the global marketplace is an important
advertising medium. Finally those who are worried about their
own impact on the environment may be more willing to consider
the less expensive refurbished phone for their mobile calling
needs.
Whether you are marketing to those who don’t
want to give their child something brand new or a buyer who is
trying to do their part for the environment, refurbishing cell
phones can be a worthwhile endeavor.
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