- Who owns Gazelle now
- How selling a phone to Gazelle works
- Getting your device ready for Gazelle
- When Gazelle changes its offer
- How Gazelle pays you
- Buying a pre-owned phone from Gazelle
- Downsides of trading in with Gazelle
- Fake Gazelle offers and phishing
- My verdict: is Gazelle worth it?
- Frequently asked questions
Yes, Gazelle is a legit US trade-in and refurbished-phone site, owned by ecoATM since Outerwall bought it in 2015. You get a quote online, post your device free, and it pays by PayPal, Amazon gift card or check after a hand inspection. The catch is that the offer can drop if the condition doesn't match your answers, and you've only 5 days to dispute it.
Gazelle is one of the older names in phone trade-ins, which is why people still ask whether it's safe to post a phone to a company they've never met. I've read Gazelle's trade-in help pages and homepage, plus press coverage of who owns it, to give you a straight answer. It works both ways: you can sell a device to Gazelle, or buy a pre-owned one from it.
Who owns Gazelle now
Gazelle started out as a Boston-based gadget trade-in site. GeekWire reported that Outerwall, then the owner of Redbox, Coinstar and ecoATM, paid 18 million US dollars to buy it, and Outerwall's annual report says the deal closed on November 10, 2015.
Today, Gazelle's own homepage says the Gazelle name and logo are trademarks of ecoATM, LLC. So it sits in the same family as the ecoATM kiosks you see in supermarkets. Gazelle handles the online, mail-in side, and its devices are processed at a facility in Louisville, Kentucky, according to its help page.
How selling a phone to Gazelle works
Gazelle's trade-in process page sets out the steps, and they're straightforward:
- Answer questions about your device's model and condition online to get a quote. Gazelle calls it a quick quote.
- Lock in the offer. Gazelle says locked offers last 30 days and it can't extend that deadline.
- Use the prepaid shipping label Gazelle emails you. Posting is free, and transit to the Louisville facility takes 3-5 business days.
- Wait for inspection. Gazelle aims to inspect and pay within 3-5 business days of receiving your device.
Send only the device you described. Gazelle says extra items and accessories aren't paid for, so keep your charger and case.
Getting your device ready for Gazelle
This step trips people up more than anything else, and getting it wrong can delay your money or cost you the device. Gazelle's help page asks you to:
- Back up your photos and files and take out any SD card. Gazelle says it wipes all personal data, but your memories are your job.
- Remove the SIM card. Gazelle says devices that arrive with SIM cards still inside must be destroyed.
- Turn off Find My and delete passwords, passkeys, Face ID and Touch ID.
- Factory reset the device. Gazelle says devices with a password or Find My still on can't be inspected, which causes delays.
- Deactivate iMessage if you're moving from an iPhone to another kind of phone.
And a firm rule: Gazelle doesn't accept lost or stolen devices.
When Gazelle changes its offer
Your quote is based on your own answers, so the final number depends on the inspection. Gazelle's help page says a trained team member hand-evaluates every device, and if the condition or model is different from what you said, the offer may go up or down. You'll get an email on the inspection day with the new value and an explanation.
This is the bit to watch. Gazelle says you have 5 days to respond to a revised offer, and if you don't reply, it's accepted automatically. If you decline, Gazelle sends the device back within 3 business days with a tracking email. Its page also says those returns aren't insured against loss or theft, so track the parcel closely.
Be honest about scratches and cracks when you get your quote. A slightly lower starting figure is far less annoying than a surprise drop a week later.
How Gazelle pays you
| Gazelle payout option | What Gazelle's help page says |
|---|---|
| PayPal | Usually arrives within 24 hours, the quickest option |
| Amazon gift card | Code emailed within 24 hours of completed inspection |
| Check | Mailed by USPS; contact Gazelle if it's very late |
Gazelle says payments are issued per item, so if you send several devices you'll see several separate payments. Check your spam folder for gift card codes. If you trade in phones regularly as a way to make some extra cash, my piece on side hustle ideas you can run next to your business covers other options, and an accountant can tell you whether regular reselling affects your tax.
Buying a pre-owned phone from Gazelle
It also sells devices, and the homepage says it's sold over 3.7 million of them since 2008. Each one gets what Gazelle calls a Certified 55-point inspection, and the site advertises 30-day returns.
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At checkout you can add a 1-year protection plan through WarrantyLife, according to the homepage, and you can cancel that plan within the first 30 days for a full refund. Whether it's worth having depends on how often you drop your phone, so read what it covers before you add it.
If you're weighing up selling a phone yourself instead, my guide to what eBay keeps from each sale helps you compare a private sale with a trade-in offer.
Downsides of trading in with Gazelle
- Convenience has a price. A trade-in offer is usually lower than you could get selling privately, in exchange for no listing and no buyers to deal with.
- Revised offers. The final figure can fall after inspection if your answers were off.
- A 5-day reply window. Miss it and the new offer is accepted for you.
- Uninsured returns. If you decline, the device comes back without insurance against loss or theft.
- No SIM, no lock. Leave a SIM in and Gazelle says the device must be destroyed.
Fake Gazelle offers and phishing
Because Gazelle emails shipping labels and payment notices, scammers sometimes copy that style. Be suspicious of any message offering a far higher price than the website, asking you to send a device to a different address, or asking for your bank login or a fee before you're paid. Gazelle pays by PayPal, Amazon gift card or check. Get your quote by typing the Gazelle address into your browser yourself.
My verdict: is Gazelle worth it?
Gazelle is legit. It's part of ecoATM, it's been trading devices for years, and its process is clearly written down. It suits people who'd rather post a phone and get paid quickly than haggle with strangers. Describe the condition honestly, wipe the device, switch off Find My, take out the SIM, and keep an eye on your inbox for that inspection email, and you'll avoid the usual frustrations.
Related: writing for us on trading.
Frequently asked questions
Is Gazelle legit and safe for selling a phone?
Yes. Gazelle is owned by ecoATM, LLC and has been trading devices for years. You get a quote online, post the device for free, and get paid after a hand inspection.
How long does Gazelle take to pay?
Gazelle says it aims to inspect and pay within 3-5 business days of receiving your device. PayPal usually arrives within 24 hours after that, and Amazon gift card codes are emailed within 24 hours of inspection.
What if Gazelle lowers my offer?
You'll get an email explaining the new value. Gazelle says you have 5 days to respond, or the revised offer is accepted automatically. If you decline, it returns the device within 3 business days.
How long does a Gazelle offer last?
Gazelle says locked offers last 30 days and it can't extend that deadline.
Who owns Gazelle?
ecoATM, LLC. Outerwall, ecoATM's owner at the time, bought Gazelle in a deal that closed in 2015, according to GeekWire and Outerwall's annual report.
