5 Common Mistakes People Make When Recycling a Phone
Have you cleared that junk drawer and encountered some of your old devices? While they may no longer be useful anymore, they could earn you money. Perhaps your family have given you an old mobile to sell, or you have recently traded for the latest iPhone and are considering our phone trade-in services. Whatever the case, you may have questions: What do I send, and how do I send it? Fear not. As a leading phone recycling facility, we are here to cover some of the mistakes people often think they are making and determine whether they are mistakes or not.
Not wiping the data
One of the most important things you can do when selling your phone to us at Mazuma Mobile is to remove all personal data from your device before posting it. Whilst we will check the device thoroughly when we receive it and aim to wipe it from any personal data, it’s still a good idea to clear the data yourself before bringing your phone in. This will save us time in getting the money to you and ensure your personal data is protected as much as possible.
If you are not sure how to clear data from your phone, follow these steps:
- Go into “Settings” on your phone and choose “Storage.”
- Choose “SD Card” or “Internal Storage (depending on which one applies).”
- Select “Apps” on this screen and find the app that contains the data you want to remove.
- Press “Clear Data” and confirm by pressing “OK.” That should do it!
We have lots of helpful advice on our website about preparing your phone to send to us for recycling. For example, if you are unsure how to prepare your iPhone, we can help. Browse through our blogs and support pages for more information.
Forgetting to include chargers
We understand you might wonder about including the charger when trading in your old phone. It is something we often get questions about from our customers. However, we don’t require chargers during the trade-in process. This decision aligns with our commitment to reducing electronic waste and minimising our environmental footprint.
By not including chargers, we follow the example set by prominent smartphone manufacturers like Apple and Samsung, who have recently opted to ship new phones without chargers. Most users already possess compatible chargers, so this approach minimises e-waste creation and reduces packaging costs.
Not Sending Broken Phones
We’re passionate about reducing electronic waste while helping you sell your phone, even if it’s broken. Contrary to popular belief, we gladly accept broken phones as part of our recycling process, as they can still be stripped down and the parts reused for other devices. So, if you have been holding off on selling your phone because it has some damage to it, then why not see if you can get something for it with a quote from us today? Your phone could help give another device new life. Alternatively, with a quick repair from our onsite technicians, it could be good as new again.
The only time we cannot accept your device is if it is fully snapped in half, as it will have a lot of damage, making most of the components unusable and unrepairable with our refurbishing processes. If this is the case for your old device, still recycle it correctly, but you will need to find a local e-waste recycling facility.
Sending phones which have been reported as missing
If you’re sending a phone to us that has been reported lost or stolen, we, again, cannot buy it. We want to protect our customers and prevent criminals from making money from stolen goods. At Mazuma Mobile, whilst we try to accept any phone to give it new life, we cannot take phones reported as lost, even if it is your phone you have found after purchasing a new one. Whilst we believe it could be purely innocent, there is a risk it could have been a stolen device. This helps us prevent encouraging criminal activity and reduces the resale options for thieves.
Our extensive testing process allows us to thoroughly check this, even if the phone data has been wiped from the internal memory and the phone is back to factory settings. We can still access the device’s status data, even if it is broken or cleared of all memory. Take a look through how we thoroughly test our devices to find out more.
Forgetting accessories
When you trade in your phone for recycling, some items are essential to send along with the device. These items can affect the price we quote you for the phone, so sending them with your device is key.
The most common item that is left out is an S pen. So if you want to sell a Samsung phone, ensure this is included if it comes with one from the manufacturer. For example, if you sell a Samsung Note 9, you must put the S Pen in the package when sending it in.
By not including the standard accessories, you could be knocking the value of your device down significantly. We aren’t just being fussy; we want you to get the best price for your phone. However, this is only for devices with accessories issued as standard, so if you have an S pen you bought separately, it’s OK to keep hold of them. We don’t need spares, just the accessories that came in the box when you purchased the device.
Ready to trade in your device?
Don’t let your old phone collect dust – sell an iPhone or even sell a tablet with Mazuma Mobile, the UK’s leading mobile phone recycling company.
We have over 5 million satisfied customers and turn your electronic waste into cash in just four simple steps. No matter the condition – Excellent, Good or Faulty – we’ll assess your device, offer you a great price and ensure it’s processed in the most eco-friendly way. Get a quote today and make the smart, green choice for your old devices.