Trade-in
Trade-in is the exchange of a used device as partial credit toward the purchase of a new or refurbished device, with the trade-in value offset against the purchase price - typically offered by retailers, carriers, or manufacturers.
Trade-in differs from buyback in that the transaction is linked to a new purchase. Trade-in values are typically set by the retailer or carrier and are less influenced by real-time market prices than standalone buyback programmes. Trade-in collected devices feed the refurbished supply chain - Apple, Samsung, and major carriers channel trade-in volume to certified refurbishment partners. Monitoring trade-in prices across carrier and OEM programmes is a key intelligence activity for refurbishers assessing secondary market supply dynamics.