Gazelle shutting down used device trade-in program next year

Chance Miller | Dec 30 2020 - 10:52 am PT

The long-time refurbishing company Gazelle has announced today that it is shutting down its popular trade-in program. This program had allowed people to trade in their old iPhones, iPads, and Macs for cash.

Gazelle made the announcement in an email to customers today, saying that the trade-in program will shut down beginning on February 1, 2021. Customers have until January 31 to receive a quote and complete a trade in, Gazelle says.

Beginning February 1st, 2021, we will no longer be offering our trade-in option on Gazelle. If you have a trade-in that is in process right now, your trade-in will continue as planned. You can also still log in to your account here to view the status of your current trade-ins.
You will still be able to buy high quality used electronics for a fraction of the price from our online store. We’re excited to continue to help you save with awesome prices on used smart devices!

Instead of the trade-in program, Gazelle will focus on its ecoATM kiosks that pay “immediate cash for used smartphones and tablets.” To date, the company says that these kiosks have collected more than 25 million devices, but the obvious caveat here is that they typically pay much lower than full-fledged trade in programs.

While Gazelle doesn’t offer details on why it is shutting down its trade-in business, the space has become much more competitive over the last several years. Perhaps most notably, Apple makes it easier than ever to trade in old iPhones, iPads, Macs, and Apple Watches for instant credit on new device purchases.

You can learn more about how to trade in your old Apple devices in our full guides:

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