Gadget-Giving Season could be Boon for iPhone Reseller e-Cycle

This is the week for cleaning up piles of boxes, returning sweaters and junking outdated stuff replaced by new swag. Suddenly last year’s iPhone 3GS isn’t so cool for those who got an upgrade.  The Web site for Hilliard-based cell phone recycling company e-Cycle had more than 6,100 unique visitors since it launched its iPhone buyback program in late November, and the company has started or completed the buying process for 572 phone owners, marketing director Paul Anthony says.

“That’s really good for the first month,” he says.

This is the first venture into direct consumer contact for e-Cycle, which does the bulk of its business with corporations unloading entire fleets of old flip and smartphones. Its only service for individuals is buying iPhones and iPads (no one has taken that option yet), based on 18 million iPhone owners in the habit of upgrading every 18 months.

For full details, see the story in Business First.