Anyone who has used or bought a mobile device, such as an iPhone or Macbook, knows that all of these devices eventually become obsolete thanks to the relentless march of new development, better software, and far more advanced hardware. The earlier generation devices get replaced with newer ones, and owners face the challenge of what to do with their old devices. There’s always the online auction route, but many have utilized trade-in programs for recycling and repurposing their older-generation products. In these scenarios, companies such as Apple give the customer credit to upgrade to a newer device in exchange for the older product traded.
What Does a Trade-In Partner Do?
Phobio LLC’s role with many retail partners is to process the intake for all the devices sent back in for liquidation and trade value so that the devices can be inspected and disposed of for reuse or recycling. Through this service, customers participate in a trade-in and recycling program where Phobio LLC becomes the contact that the customer deals with to find out the value of their old iPhone, iPad, laptop, or wearable and redeem that value. Phobio LLC’s process involves managing the shipping process, receiving the products, processing them through a quality inspection, determining an evaluation of their worth, and reporting back to the consumer if the device value remains as was originally quoted or if it was inspected to be of greater or lesser value. If the value is updated, the customer can accept that new value or request that their device be returned free of charge. The customer enjoys free shipping in both transit directions, so the program has gained a lot of attraction for making pre-owned device reuse and recycling easier.
The Device Valuation Process
Phobio LLC’s device valuation process for customers is simple, straightforward, and based on the device model and the customer’s assessment of its condition. From this customer evaluation, the trade value from Phobio is provided instantly. When Phobio LLC receives the product in question and performs a hands-on inspection of the device, the model and condition are verified, thus confirming or correcting the original quoted value. The sustainability goal of the trade-in is to maximize the usable life of every device produced, so what is sent in has to meet certain criteria to be accepted at the highest value of credit or payout. The requirements range from basic power-up and performance function tests to physical condition and functional issues.
Phobio LLC fuels the growing secondary market of the Circular Economy.
Given the state of consumer technology and how fast devices are evolving with new features, it’s not surprising that an entire market for after-use support has developed, with many recycled devices making their way to new markets both domestically and overseas. Phobio LLC fulfills this supply-chain need, and the secondary market for reuse and recycling is predicted to grow exponentially over the next few years.
