Every year, approximately 8 to 9 million new phones are sold in the Netherlands and Belgium combined. As with all products, there is also a second-hand market for smartphones and tablets, not only in less affluent countries, but also within Europe.
Companies and consumers frequently replace their devices, often because a new phone is offered when renewing a subscription or because they want access to the latest technology. The old device usually ends up in a drawer or cupboard as a backup, often alongside two or three other unused phones.
Since almost everyone owns one or more mobile phones, this also means that the same number could potentially be traded in—but unfortunately, this is not yet the case. Phones that are replaced at the end of a contract may have reached the end of their “economic” lifespan, but they are far from being unusable.
In fact, phones in good condition can still be used for up to seven years, yet they often end up unused in drawers. This is exactly where our activity comes in. Devices remain unused until people eventually realize they are no longer needed. Often, they are then discarded with regular waste, causing environmental harm.
Thanks in part to initiatives like GSMLoket, people are encouraged to turn these devices into cash. In reality, there is money sitting unused in drawers that people are often unaware of. Selling or trading in used mobile phones through GSMLoket has several benefits:
