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How to sell your old mobile phone in France
100 million phones are lying unused in drawers and only 9% of people sell their old ones, a French Sénat report estimated
Mobile phones up to six or seven years old can be sold for sums ranging from €50 to more than €400, dependent on condition.
Several companies that sell reconditioned phones also buy, such as Back Market and Smaaart.
CompaRecycle is a start-up comparison site that helps find the best price.
Director Gaël Brouard told The Connexion it works with 40 companies that recondition phones in line with environmental regulations, guarantee wiping all personal information, and are based mostly in France, and all in Europe.
“Around 80% of secondhand phones are reconditioned in China or the US, which is not good for their carbon footprint.
“On our site, you enter the type of phone, answer simple questions about its condition and we give you two prices.
“One to go to a partner shop, where you receive a voucher for that shop, plus often a reduction on certain phones.
“For the second, we give a pre-paid sticker to send the phone through the post to one of our partner companies, who will examine the phone and send your money via a bank transfer.”
The Connexion found offers to buy an Apple iPhone XR 64Gb on the site ranged from €185 to €299.
Bouygues will buy your old mobile for up to €400, with €100 off a new one.
Orange will give you money off a new phone or vouchers for accessories, and SFR will give vouchers for its own accessories.
Retailers such as Auchan, Fnac and Boulanger will usually offer vouchers to customers who want to sell their old mobile phones.
You can also sell your old phone on platforms such as Leboncoin, but you will be responsible for deleting all personal data.
Chains including Cash Converter, Cash Express and Happy Cash will buy your old phone. Again, you must wipe your personal data.
If your phone is too old, or in bad condition, you can send it to be recycled.
Non-profit Ecosystem has launched a campaign to collect old phones. You send it following instructions here.
Phones are cleared of personal information and reconditioned by the charity Emmaüs.
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