BELOW SUPERNAV drop zone ⇩

Got old, even broken, gadgets lying around? This website will pay you cash for them

MAIN AREA TOP drop zone ⇩

MAIN AREA TOP drop zone ⇩

maylen

https://digital-stage.newsnationnow.com/

AUTO TEST CUSTOM HTML 20241114185800

AUTO TEST CUSTOM HTML 20241115200405

AUTO TEST CUSTOM HTML 20241118165728

AUTO TEST CUSTOM HTML 20241118184948

LOS ANGELES (KTLA) – Chances are you have an old phone, tablet or computer lying around the house. Now, you can trade them in for cash – even if they’re broken.

If it sounds too good to be true, it isn’t. I recently visited the Chino-based website Gizmogo to check out their operations and even sent in a broken tablet of my own to test out their service.

(Rich DeMuro)

Gizmogo is part of a larger electronics recycling company on a mission to keep old electronics out of landfills. In the process, they’ll take old gadgets off your hands for cash and then either refurbish them or recover the precious metals inside to be reused.

“Our differentiation is that we are also very aware of the environmental impact … so trying to remove these electronics from our landfills is our main objective,” said Roxanna Faithful, Gizmogo’s Director of Marketing.

The company accepts phones, tablets, laptops, computers, gaming consoles, cameras, lenses, drones, smartwatches and even iPods if you still have one. The website will walk you through a short evaluation process and then give you an estimate for your item. If you accept the estimate, it’s time to send in your gadget. Depending on its size, the website will either generate an instant label you can stick on your box or send you a small box to ship your smartphone in.

I tried the entire service – without informing Gizmogo – with my son’s old iPad Mini. It has a cracked screen and has been sitting unused in my garage for several months. Gizmogo said they would pay me $80.55. I sent the tablet in and about a week later, the cash was in my PayPal account.

Competitors include Gazelle, Swappa and Gylde. Of course, with these instant trade in sites, you will certainly get less for your gadget than you would doing all the hard work yourself and listing it on eBay, but that takes a lot more time and effort. You have to decide what’s best for your situation.

Gizmogo says they typically pay within 24 hours of receipt and evaluation. Keep in mind the initial number is only an estimate and could change based on the condition of your gadget.

“We [have a] zero landfill policy,” said CEO James Wang, who was also particularly proud of how the company deals with data privacy.

While I would always recommend deleting your data before sending in any gadget, this isn’t always possible, especially with broken gadgets.

(Rich DeMuro)

Gizmogo says they will “wipe it clean or we will destroy the memory,” explained Faithful.

In their cavernous warehouse, I saw old gadgets stacked everywhere and filled bins destined for other countries, further recycling or resale.

It’s a serious reminder that the latest tech isn’t always in fashion, but proper disposal can make a difference in your wallet, and the world.

“We just want to make sure that none of these devices end up in the landfill,” concluded Faithful.

Listen to the Rich on Tech podcast for answers to your tech questions.

Tech

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed

Site Settings Survey

 

MAIN AREA MIDDLE drop zone ⇩

Trending on NewsNation

AUTO TEST CUSTOM HTML 20241119133138

MAIN AREA BOTTOM drop zone ⇩

tt

KC Chiefs parade shooting: 1 dead, 21 shot including 9 kids | Morning in America

Witness of Chiefs parade shooting describes suspect | Banfield

Kansas City Chiefs parade shooting: Mom of 2 dead, over 20 shot | Banfield

WWE star Ashley Massaro 'threatened' by board to keep quiet about alleged rape: Friend | Banfield

Friend of WWE star: Ashley Massaro 'spent hours' sobbing after alleged rape | Banfield

Sunny

la

57°F Sunny Feels like 57°
Wind
1 mph NW
Humidity
38%
Sunrise
Sunset

Tonight

A few passing clouds. Low 46F. Winds light and variable.
46°F A few passing clouds. Low 46F. Winds light and variable.
Wind
2 mph N
Precip
9%
Sunset
Moon Phase
Waning Gibbous