Diwali is the biggest shopping season of the year in India, and the biggest upgrade season. New phones, new laptops, new appliances. That also means it's when most old electronics get pushed into drawers and forgotten.
India generates over 1.6 million tonnes of electronic waste a year, and the festive period contributes a noticeable share. This guide covers the part of an eco-friendly Diwali we know best: what to do with the devices you are replacing.
For solar lights, cracker-free celebrations, and sustainable gifting, there are better sources than us. We buy used devices, so this covers that.
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Disclosure: Cashkr is our own device buyback platform. Selling to us is one option among several below, and not always the right one. When donating or repairing makes more sense, we say so.
First, Work Out What You Actually Have
Most households have more than they think. Open the drawer and lay it out:
Phones and tablets that still work. These have real resale value, and it falls every month they sit unused.
Phones that do not switch on or have cracked screens. These still have value. The parts are worth money even when the device is not.
Laptops more than six or seven years old. Usually worth less than people expect, but rarely worth nothing.
Chargers, cables and earphones. These have almost no resale value but should not go in household waste.
Anything with a swollen battery. Do not keep this in a drawer. A swollen lithium battery is a genuine fire risk. Deal with it first.
The Four Options, In Order
Repair and keep it, if it is nearly good enough. The greenest device is the one you already own. A battery replacement on a three-year-old phone often costs a fraction of a new one and buys two more years. Before you replace anything, check what a repair would cost.
Pass it on to someone who needs it. A working phone that is too slow for you is often perfectly good for a parent, a younger sibling, or a household worker's family. This keeps the device in use, which is better for the environment than recycling it. Wipe it properly first.
Sell it if it has value and nobody in the family needs it. This puts the device back into circulation through refurbishment rather than into a landfill, and you get paid. Resale value falls fastest right after new launches, so Diwali season is usually a poor time to wait and a good time to act.
Recycle it if it is genuinely beyond use. Broken chargers, dead batteries, devices too old to have resale value. These should go to an authorized e-waste collector, not to a scrap dealer who will strip them informally and dump the rest.
Why Not the Kabadiwala
This is the part worth spelling out, because it is what most households actually do.
Informal recycling in India usually means devices are broken open by hand, valuable metals are pulled out, and the remainder is burned or dumped. Workers are exposed to lead, mercury, and cadmium without protection, and the residue enters soil and groundwater.
A phone contains recoverable copper, aluminum, gold, and rare earth elements. If recovered properly, those materials go back into manufacturing. If recovered informally, most of it is lost, and the toxic remainder stays in the ground.
If a device has any resale value, selling it to a buyback service or refurbisher keeps it whole and in use, which is better than recycling it by any route.
Before You Hand Anything Over
Whichever option you choose, prepare the device first:
Back up anything you want to keep, and check the backup worked.
Sign out of your Apple ID or Google account. Do this before you factory reset, or the device will lock itself to you and become unusable for the next owner.
Remove the SIM, memory card, and any eSIM profile.
Factory reset the device.
Unpair your Bluetooth devices.
Our full checklist covers each step, and the guide to checking your phone's condition explains what affects what you will be offered.
Buying During the Festive Sales
Two things worth knowing if you are upgrading:
Check the exchange offer before you sell elsewhere. During large sale events, Amazon and Flipkart can add exchange bonuses that may exceed what a buyback service pays. It is credit rather than cash, but if you are buying from them anyway, it is often the better deal. We would rather tell you that than have you find out afterward.
Sell it the same week you buy it. Not the same month. A phone left in a drawer from Diwali to New Year loses value for no reason.
Consider refurbished for the purchase too. A certified refurbished device with a warranty costs meaningfully less than new and extends a device's life rather than starting a new one. This applies particularly to tablets and laptops, which age more slowly than phones.
If You Choose to Sell to Us
Get a quote online, book a free doorstep pickup, and we inspect the device against the condition you described. Payment goes by UPI or bank transfer once you accept. Devices that can be refurbished are, and those that cannot go to authorized recycling.
We pay less than a private sale would, because we cover inspection, data wiping and resale risk.
Check what your device is worth.
FAQ's
1. What should I do with a phone that does not switch on?
It still has value. Buyback services quote on dead devices because the parts are recoverable. Do not put it in household waste, and be careful if the battery is swollen.
2. Is it better to sell or donate an old phone?
If someone you know will genuinely use it, passing it on is the better outcome environmentally, because the device stays in service. Selling is the better option when nobody needs it, because refurbishment puts it back into use with someone who does.
3. What do I do with old chargers and cables?
They have little resale value but should go to an authorized e-waste collector rather than the household waste bin. Many electronics retailers run collection points.
4. Is it safe to keep an old phone with a swollen battery?
No. A swollen lithium battery is a fire risk and should be dealt with promptly. Do not puncture it, do not charge it, and take it to a proper collection point.
5. Should I wait for a better price after Diwali?
Usually not. Resale values step down after each new launch, and the festive season brings several. Waiting normally costs you money.
6. What happens to a device after I sell it?
We inspect and wipe it, then refurbish it for resale if possible, or send it to authorized recycling if not.
If you want to sell your old devices, then click here.
Yaskar Jung ShahPublished at: Oct 17, 2025·7 min read
