If you find yourself with an array of gadgets gathering dust around your home, there are plenty of solutions. You could trade in your old phones, laptops, or tablets to help offset the cost of a new device. Alternatively, you can recycle or donate your used gadgets for others to utilize. At Gizmogo, we guide you on how to efficiently dispose of your old devices.
Don't let your old phones, tablets, and computers take up unnecessary space. There are numerous ways to declutter and reclaim that space. Devices that are not too old, typically purchased within the last couple of years, often have trade-in value.
Here are some strategies for eliminating your digital clutter:
Securing Your Personal Information Before Disposal
Before trading, selling, recycling, or donating your phone or tablet, ensure you wipe it of your personal information. Here's how to do this on an Android phone or iPhone (and iPad). For gadgets like cameras and laptops, you'll need to refer to their user guides. Websites like iMore provide a comprehensive guide for resetting a Mac, while Laptop Mag has recommendations for resetting a Windows 10 computer.
Resetting an iPhone: A Step-by-Step Guide
- Open ‘Settings'.
- Tap your name at the top of the screen.
- Select ‘iCloud'.
- Choose ‘Find my iPhone'.
- Turn off ‘Find my iPhone'.
- Return to the main ‘Settings' page.
- Tap ‘General'.
- Choose ‘Reset'.
- Select ‘Erase All Content and Settings'.
Resetting an Android Phone: A Step-by-Step Guide
- Open ‘Settings'.
- Tap ‘System'.
- Choose ‘Advanced'.
- Select ‘Reset Options'.
- Choose ‘Erase all data' (factory reset).”
Trade Them In for a Newer Model
If you're in need of a new phone or tablet, you can frequently obtain credit by trading in an older model.
A few months ago, when I was purchasing a MacBook Air, I traded in my iPad Pro 10.5, and this cut about $375 off the price. While my model still sells for over $600 new, trading in was the most convenient option for me as I wasn't using the iPad as much as I anticipated. I simply handed over the iPad at the Apple store, and walked out with a discounted MacBook Air.
Apple recently increased the trade-in value they're willing to offer on their new iPhone XR and iPhone XS models. An old iPhone 6 could reduce the cost of an iPhone XS by $150. This is a reasonable deal if your iPhone 6 is just gathering dust, or if you're planning to upgrade. However, if your phone is badly damaged, you might not get a high trade-in value, or any at all.
You could also send old products to Amazon for store credit through its trade-in site, or to places like Best Buy. These days, most phone manufacturers and cell carriers offer trade-in deals if you're ready to part with your old devices. Be sure to explore all options to see where you can get the highest value. If you believe your product is worth more than the trade-in offers, you can opt to sell it directly.
Sell Them on Gizmogo
While you can list old gadgets on platforms like eBay and Craigslist, Gizmogo is an efficient and user-friendly platform, which is popular among tech enthusiasts for buying and selling gadgets. One advantage is that it eliminates the need to meet anyone in person, like you would on Craigslist, and I've encountered fewer issues with scammers compared to other platforms like eBay.
Here's how it works: You create a free account on Gizmogo and then choose “Sell Your Device” on the main page. You can list a wide range of items including phones, cameras, laptops, tablets, smartwatches, video games, VR headsets, and even smart home devices.