In 2022, a record 62 million tonnes of e-waste were generated globally, with only 22.3% formally collected and recycled, according to the ITU. Those are some pretty scary statistics, but if you stop to think about it, each and every one of us contributes to the problem. Simply consider the outdated technological products that we all have in our own houses. Old cell phones, printers, desktops, tablets, video game consoles… the list goes on and on.
Recently, during an Elmwood Avenue cleanup, I ran into Adrian Stewart and his fiancée Shae. Together, they were opening a fascinating new business at 478 Elmwood Avenue called Sell Your Gadgets.
The way that the business works is that people stop in (or call) with their unwanted tech devices, which Adrian then evaluates. Depending on the brand, the model, the condition, etc., Adrian pays cash for the item(s). Yes, you could go sell your device online, but selling outdated tech online can be a complete hassle. Adrian and Shae make the process easy, fair, and somewhat fun.
Once they purchase an old phone, for example, they fix it up the best they can before reselling it on websites like Facebook marketplace. Anyone that has ever dealt with Facebook marketplace can tell you that it’s not exactly a walk in the park. In order to make a sale, you have to deal with the potential customers who have plenty of questions about the item(s) being sold. Then you have to meet with the buyer, who may or may not like what he or she is attempting to purchase. There are scammers, weirdos, hagglers, and the rest. Plus, chances are that they want to know the exact condition of the tech item, which you might not be privy of. Instead of going through all of these hassles, wouldn’t it be easier to simply drop off the items – busted, scratched, dinged, or dented – to a local business and let them deal with the headaches?…