A cell phone fundraiser is an easy way to raise money. You are just getting people to donate their old cell phones, an item they have no more use for anyway. But even though you are making money by collecting phones that people no longer use, you still have to know how to get the most out of your cell phone fundraiser.
How much are cell phones worth?
The value of cell phones varies. For example, a top-of-the-line recent model cell phone that is in perfect condition will be worth more than an old cell phone that has seen better days. This does not mean that you should exclusively aim for the cell phones with the highest values. It is just something you should be aware of.
>> FundingFactory recycles cell phones and ink cartridges. Redeem for cash or products. (Sponsor link)
How do you select a company to recycle the cell phones you collect?
Choosing a company to send your donated cell phones to takes some thought. Of course, you want to go with the company that offers you the most money for phones but don’t just want a company that offers a good amount for the expensive phones you collect. You want a company that will also offer you some money for older phones too as this is likely to be the bulk of your donations. You may make larger amounts off a few of the phones that are more expensive and that have all the latest features but you need to make sure that you are earning at least a small amount with every old and possibly outdated phone you send in as well.
You could also check eBay.com and other sites to see how much the cellphones you’ve collected sell for, but even if you’ll get a few dollars more per phone, would you really want to go through all the work of taking photos, listing and selling the phones to individuals? Don’t forget you’d also have to wrap and ship each phone separately as well. When you add all the man hours this requires it may not be worth it to you.
Don’t forget about shipping costs
Shipping costs could eat into the funds that you raise if you are not careful. After all, these cell phones do need to make it to the company that you are sending them to. If you did not think ahead then you could end up paying for boxes and shipping out of your own – or your group’s – pocket, cutting into your potential profits.
Find a company that will supply you with prepaid shipping boxes so that you don’t pay for shipping costs. If you can get these boxes already labeled to get where they need to go, even better.
Securing cell phone donations
To make money with this type of fundraiser you need a lot of cell phone donations. You have to let as many people as possible know what you are doing and what the money raised will be spent on. People will go out of their way to donate their old cell phones if it is for a good cause. Collection boxes at cell phone stores are a good idea too.
A note about keeping donors’ personal data safe: Ask your cell phone donors to erase their phone and take out the phone’s SIM card before handing it over to you. The SIM card includes personal information including account information.
A cell phone fundraiser can be a success if you collect a lot of phones and if you make money on every phone. This type of fundraiser is easy. People don’t need their old phones. Give them a reason to hand them over to your cause.