Great – you finally received that long-awaited new smartphone for Christmas! But what are you going to do with your old mobile phone? People tend to chuck them into that special drawer reserved for tech we no longer need. But with spring cleaning on the agenda, it’s high time to get rid of them! And now, at the three Saturn stores in Berlin – Alexanderplatz, Europa-Center and Schlossstrasse – old cell phones can be easily exchanged for Saturn gift cards using reverse vending machines.

Recycling mobile phones – both ancient handsets lurking in that old tech drawer and top smartphones from last year – is now easier than ever. At Saturn, the customer simply places their unwanted mobile phone in the Sell&Go machine and answers a few questions about the device’s configuration and condition. Then the phone is scanned by a high-resolution camera. The customer is told the phone’s residual value and offered the same amount in the form of a Saturn gift card. If the customer agrees, the machine retains the old mobile phone and issues a Saturn voucher in return. If the smartphone doesn’t work anymore, although no voucher is offered, the customer can still leave it in the machine and have it recycled at no charge.

Pilot project with Cellomat

For the six-month pilot project at the Berlin stores on Alexanderplatz, Schlossstrasse and at the Europa-Center, Saturn is using automatic systems from startup Cellomat. This Israeli firm specializes in automating mobile device lifecycle services and is a participant in MediaMarktSaturn’s Retailtech Hub startup accelerator. Cellomat works with American company Clover Wireless, which takes care of the recycling of the smartphones received. The exchanged devices are examined and all data is deleted in conformity with data protection regulations. Finally, depending on their condition, the phones are either resold or properly disposed of.

Saturn’s smartphone services

Anyone wanting to move data from their old smartphone to their new one before cashing it in can seek professional assistance from Saturn. Thanks to Saturn’s while-you-wait service, customers can have their new device set up for them, including existing data transferred. What’s more, Saturn’s service engineers can expertly fit screen protectors.