EcoATM unveils resources to guide cellphone recycling

The "How to Sell Your Phone" guides outline steps to protect personal information and maximize the phone's value.

EcoATM, a San Diego-based nationwide network of automated electronics recycling kiosks, has launched two new resources that it says will help to simplify the selling process of old cellphones. The device-specific “How to Sell Your Phone” reference guides and the company’s mobile app for the iPhone explain how to remove personal information and maximize the value of a phone “so anyone can sell with confidence,” ecoATM says.

ecoatm resources cellphone recyclingThe "How to Sell Your Phone" guides outline three steps to protect personal information and prepare a phone to earn more money from the sale. The guides provide step-by-step instructions for backing up data, wiping personal information and deactivating a device from a carrier plan.

The ecoATM mobile app for the iPhone makes it possible for device users to see the ideal time for resale according to make and model and includes real-time market pricing, the company says.

“We have found that consumers who want to sell their phones want to do so in the safest way possible. Our recent survey suggests many often hang onto rather than selling or recycling their old device because they don’t know how to remove their personal information: 22 percent noted concerns about losing their information, while 16 percent feared others could access it,” says Randy Erman, director of product marketing at ecoATM. “We understand that your personal information should stay just that—personal. Our ‘How to Sell Your Phone’ guides outline simple steps to help you sell your device with confidence.”

EcoATM kiosks recognize more than 5,500 different devices including phones, tablets and MP3 players. The kiosks have collected more than 5 million devices since the company was founded in 2008. With more than 2,200 kiosks across the U.S., ecoATM says it offers a convenient way to trade in old devices for instant cash when people make the decision to upgrade. The company holds R2 (Responsible Recycling Practices) and ISO14001 certifications.

EcoATM is a brand of Outerwall, based in Bellevue, Washington, which operates various kiosk-based businesses at shopping centers throughout the United States.