The End of Gazelle: A Tragic Tale of Phone Trade-Ins
A lot of us are familiar with End of Gazelle, the online trade-in site that buys cell phones and other electronics from consumers, refurbishes them, and resells them to new customers at lower prices than Apple or Best Buy would charge. But today, it’s time to say goodbye to this online shop that has served so many smartphone users over the past decade. Today, the company announced that it will be closing its doors in June 2018. It’s an unfortunate end to one of our beloved trade-in websites.
What Is Gazelle?
Trade-in site Gazelle has ended the trade-ins of smartphones, tablets, and smartwatches. Founded in 2009 by a group of former Amazon executives, Gazelle has traditionally been a go-to choice for anyone looking to sell old electronics with little hassle or fuss.
The company announced yesterday that it will be ceasing all trade-ins effective immediately. This comes less than a month after Apple’s announcement that it will stop producing iPhones, and cutting ties with outside recyclers such as Electronic Recyclers International, Inc. and TechPayout Inc., who have historically taken Apple devices off their hands for resale.
While other companies such as Amazon still allow trade-in of smartphones and tablets, none offer a similar streamlined experience or instant payment upon delivery as End of Gazelle has offered.
It is unclear if any further announcements from other phone trade-in services are forthcoming at this time, but smartphone owners looking to sell their old devices may need to explore alternative options moving forward.\
Why Is Gazelle Going Out of Business?
Gazelle is an American-based electronics reseller. End of Gazelle recently declared that they would be shutting their doors and no longer doing trade-ins due to low demand for their trade-in services. Trade-ins have been a widely popular option in many other countries, but the US market was never really embraced.
Due to this latest announcement, End of Gazelle will now be only accepting payments and not doing trades anymore which may have had something to do with the decline of new phones being released and some business developments as well. Most importantly, however, seems like declining demand for trade-ins had a significant impact on the decision as well.
How Does This Affect Me, an Average Consumer?
According to TechCrunch, it’s not the end of the world for shoppers looking to trade in their smartphones, as other players are ready to step into End of Gazelle’s boots. However, this change is still heartbreaking: not just because it means your phone has more value than you thought, but because Gazelle is a company with a heart.
Founded in 2010 by Jason Gautreaux as an avenue for all people in need of some extra cash, End of Gazelle gives 100% of all proceeds back to charity and removes itself from the equation so donors can feel confident about where their money will go. Who doesn’t love giving back?
Alternative Sites for Cell Phone Trade-Ins
Cell phone trade-ins are an important source of income for sites like End of Gazelle. A tragic blow was dealt this week when the company announced they were ending its program.
This means that while those wanting to upgrade their phones can still get rid of older models, those with broken or damaged models will now have to go elsewhere for trade-ins. For people in need of extra cash and a way to recycle old technology, End of Gazelle has long been a reliable partner—if not essential. Thankfully, there are several alternative sites for finding cell phone trade-in value
In Conclusion
For many, End of Gazelle has been the definitive way to get rid of old electronics. The store made it so easy to trade in an old device for a chunk of cash that people had no problem parting with an aging phone or TV when the new one came out. And for the more resolute buyers who just weren’t sure if they were ready to part ways with their current gadgets, Gazelle made it easy: $5 credit will get you a two-week trial with another purchase.
Unfortunately, all good things must come to an end and for some, that means getting rid of your old devices has just gotten a whole lot harder. The news comes as somewhat surprising considering it’s no longer uncommon to get $100 or more from your local trade-in service.
That’s not what we mean when we say trade-in site by any means, but considering End of Gazelle is such a household name, it makes you wonder what made them decide to call it quits. Couldn’t they have bounced back after everything? We don’t know the answers for sure and at least for now, we can only hope something fills that big gap left by End of Gazelle.
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