More than anything else, mobile phones are now people’s daily companion, but having the same device around all the time might get us fed up. Mobile phones get old and they won’t always give us the same excitement they did the first time. It will come to a point that you’d crave for a new mobile phone. But, what will happen to the old one? It’s impractical to just leave it lying around your drawer. Luckily, you can extract some cash from your old phone conveniently. You can now deposit your devices through an ecoATM.
ecoATM is a new way to sell your old phones and devices for an instant sum of money. Just surrender your old phones to an ecoATM and gain some cash for your groceries, video games, or even a vacation. So now, there are no more excuses about buying your needs and wants.
Why Sell Your Old Phone?
As a wise man would say, “nothing is permanent in this world but change.” It might be difficult for us, but we must let go of our old phones, too. You may give it away to your kids or loved ones. Or you can just sell your old phone. This is a more practical way of letting go of your former device.
Here are some of the reasons why selling your old phone is a wise choice:
1. You Can Gain Money From It
Earning up for your next phone or thinking of adding money to your vacation funds? Selling your old phone is one of the most viable options for us, and this is fairly obvious for all. In desperate times, we need desperate cash. If you’ve got some old phones with you, you can sell them for a great sum of money. Talk about having a hidden treasure trove in your closet!
2. It’s an Environment-Friendly Move
Reducing your carbon footprints has never been this easy and practical. Selling your old phone does not only help you gain money. It is also helpful in saving the environment. Smartphone parts such as the motherboard, processors, batteries, and the like can be recycled by manufacturers when you sell your phones to marketplaces or e-waste kiosks. This reduces the need to buy new parts in making new phones, thus helping the environment in every single way.
3. Your Phone Isn’t Efficient Anymore
Things are deteriorating over time, including our trusty phones. It will definitely go sluggish in a year or two. You can try to fix your phone if it is slowing down. But when all hope is running out, you can just sell your old phone for a sum of money. Just like mentioned above, you will not only gain cash, but it also helps the environment. It’s like hitting two birds with one stone!
There are many ways and places on how and where you can sell your phone. In some instances, these places can even give you cash in an instant. ecoATM is just one of those ways of gaining cash for your old phones in just minutes. So prepare your old phones and start selling them.
What Is ecoATM?
You may have seen some peculiar-looking, green-colored ATMs at your neighborhood malls or groceries. These are called “ecoATMs.” These kiosks are meant to buy your old phones for instant cash. They boast an easy process of selling your phone. It only takes three steps to sell your phone at an ecoATM. Just place your phone on the kiosk, then the machine will assess it. Afterward, if you agree on selling your phone, you can get instant cash for your phone.
Before you go to an ecoATM kiosk, you can assess the price of your phone on their website. You can also download their app on your iOS or Android phones to help you find the nearest kiosk and check the price of your old phone. ecoATMs accept phone brands such as Apple, Samsung, LG, Motorola, Google, and ZTE. Aside from old phones, ecoATMs also buy MP3 players, tablets, chargers, and other peripherals for recycling.
How to Sell Your Phone on ecoATM?
Selling your phone to an ecoATM is as easy as 1-2-3. After the process, you can get cash from your old phone in an instant. But before you sell your phone, there are some requirements that one must prepare. To sell a phone, you must be 18 years of age or above. You must also have a state-issued ID. This requirement helps ecoATM curb fraud and identify stolen devices. The ecoATM accepts all kinds of state-issued IDs except passport books, military IDs, and enhanced driver’s licenses. These IDs are checked by a real human being. So don’t worry about being denied by artificial intelligence. Also, make sure to charge your phone for a seamless selling process.
How Does ecoATM Buy Your Phone?
Now, on the selling procedure. Here is the complete and comprehensive process on how to sell your phones at an ecoATM:
- Tap on the ecoATM’s screen to start.
- The machine will then ask you if you want to get an estimate for your phone or sell the phone. Tap on “Sell.”
- Tap on “Agree” when the Security Agreement pops out.
- It will then ask for some basic information about your phone, like the carrier, brand, charging ports, and its condition. Tap on the pertaining information whenever asked.
- The ecoATM will print a label that you need to put at the back of your phone. Tap “the label has been put” once you have done this.
- When all is set, the ecoATM door will open. Place your phone in the indicated spot. You can also connect your phone if it is discharged.
- The machine will then assess the model and price of your phone. The price will appear on the screen after some time.
- If you agree with the price, press “Sell It.” You can still get your phone if you decide not to sell your phone.
- Place your ID, fingerprint, and signature when asked. You will also be asked to take a selfie with the machine.
- Wait for a few minutes, then get your money from the ecoATM.
The process is truly quick and easy. So you do not need to wait for weeks just to sell your old phones. Plus, you help recycle your phone for a better environment.
What to Do Before You Sell Your Phone?
Ready to sell your phone on the ecoATM? Before you make some cold, hard cash with your old phone, prepare yourself a checklist of the things you need to do before selling your phone on the ecoATM.
Here are the things you need to take care of before you sell your phone:
1. Back Up Your Data
We can’t stress this enough for you. Prepare a backup of your precious files, photos, and videos from your device. There are different ways of backing up your files from your device.
On iOS devices, you can back up your files and settings on the iCloud drive. First, make sure you are connected to a Wi-Fi source before backing up your device. You can do this by going to Settings, iCloud Account (indicated by your name), then iCloud. Go to iCloud Backup, then tap “Back Up Now.” Make sure you are connected to a Wi-Fi source before backing up your device.
As an alternative, there are also various file upload apps you can use on your iOS device.
There are various ways of backing up data on Android phones. Most of the devices use Google Drive for Android backups. To do this, just go to Settings>Accounts and backup>Back up and restore>Back up my phone. Some phones have expandable storage on them, so you can use your microSD card for backup. There are various settings on how to enable this option, depending on the phone manufacturer. If you are unsure of how the process is done, just search for “Backup and restore” on your phone’s settings.
2. Factory-Reset Your Phone
There’s no comparable horrible experience than someone stealing and claiming your personal identity. This may be caused by stolen phones or some lenient security on your accounts. Before you sell your old phone, ensure that your data is not stored on your old phone by doing a data factory reset.
Performing a data factory reset will restore your phone into its default state when you bought it. It usually an effective way of fixing performance issues on mobile phones. Alternatively, you can do it to safely get rid of your old devices as it wipes out all your personal data stored in the internal storage and the main operating system. For an in-depth guide, here’s how you can reset your iPhone.
3. Remove Your SIM Card
You cannot text or call your contacts without your SIM card. So before selling your old phone, remove your SIM card so you can maintain your number. You will need a SIM ejector tool to remove a micro-SIM and nano-SIM card.
Some modern flagship phones also have an embedded SIM or eSIM in them. On iPhones, you can remove this by going to Settings>Cellular. Then, select the number that belongs to your eSIM and tap Remove Cellular Plan. A prompt will appear to confirm that you are removing the eSIM on your phone. Just tap to confirm the deletion of the eSIM.
On Android, go to Settings>Network>Internet then select the eSIM that you want to delete. Press on Delete SIM profile then Delete SIM.
4. Remove Any Accessories
ecoATM does not usually recognize any accessories that are connected with your phone. Your accessories do not add value to the phone itself. So before you deposit your phone to ecoATM, remove any case, strap, or screen protector installed on your phone.
5. Clean Your Phone
This procedure is optional. But cleaning your phone can increase the chance that you get a higher sum on your old phone. It will lessen the risk that the machine will recognize any dents or marks on your phone. You can do it using wet wipes or a piece of cloth. But if you are a meticulous person, using UV Phone Sanitizers might help.
Does ecoATM Pay Enough?
ecoATM is truly convenient whenever you need money. Their kiosks are located anywhere, from malls to major groceries like Walmart. You can sell or recycle whatever old phones or tablets you got at your disposal on their kiosks, depending on the store hours of these shopping centers. While it does give you money for your old phones, the age-old question still exists: “Is it worth it to sell my old phone to ecoATM?”
Before you deposit your phone to the ecoATM, their app can already give you an idea of how much an old phone can cost. It can display the approximate prices for your old phone. The results may vary with the searches. But unfortunately, most of the prices they give are somewhat underwhelming. For example, a 256 GB unlocked iPhone 11 without any obvious blemishes or even hair scratches will only cost “up to $260.” With that price, some might say this is a true lowball offer for an iPhone that looks brand new.
So does ecoATM pay you enough for your old phones? The answer is a definite no. With the lowball offers that they give you, you will surely drift away from selling your phones to their kiosks. A ton of online marketplaces can purchase your phone at a higher price. ecoATM must only be your last resort when you desperately need quick cash from your phone.
Where Else Can You Sell Your Phone?
Because ecoATM buys your phone at a low price, you are looking somewhere else to sell your phone. Fortunately, there are online marketplaces that can purchase your phone at a fair price. This can give you a high ground when making a deal with your old phone.
Here are some of the websites that can buy your old phones for a great price.
Decluttr
When shopping for refurbished phones, you can never go wrong with Decluttr. They also buy old phones for a great price. The process is fairly easy to follow, too. All you have to do is to ask for a quote or valuation of your device. Once you get the valuation, you can pack your device in a box and drop it off at any UPS for free. When the package is checked by the warehouse, you can receive your payment on your bank account or your PayPal almost instantaneously. You can even donate the money to a charity group of your choice.
They accept almost all models and brands of phones. Decluttr does not only cater to phones. They also let you sell your old books, DVDs, tablets, consoles, and even LEGOs. So if you are ready to let go of your old stuff, Decluttr can help you declutter your things. Just download the app for your Android or iOS devices so you can scan and sell your devices at the palm of your hands.
Buyback Boss
Buyback Boss is another website that can give you the true worth of your old device. Just like any other buyback sites, Buyback Boss buys your devices at a fair price. What makes Buyback Boss unique is its “14-Day Price Lock.” BuyBack Boss assures that they lock their first offer. So you can be assured that a higher offer is sealed after their quotation. They buy phones and devices from a myriad of brands. So, sell your old electronic stuff there for the maximum amount of money.
GadgetGone
When you need a fast way of gaining money with fair appraisals for your phones, GadgetGone is the best place for you. Once they have received and assessed your gadget, you can expect to receive the payment for a maximum of two days. It’s like selling your phone in an instant like the ecoATM, but for a better price.
However, they only currently purchase old phones from three brands, namely: Samsung, Apple, and Google (Pixel phones). So better look for somewhere else when you don’t have any of these brands.
Final Thoughts on ecoATM
ecoATM is a great way of gaining money in an instant. The convenience of ecoATM is great, especially when you really need some extra cash for your expenses. However, if you are looking for some sweet, sweet deals for your beloved old phone, then you might want to look somewhere else. There are some alternative marketplaces out there that can give you a fair amount of money for your phone. So weigh your options first before letting go of your old phone.
