Buyback and ITAD Glossary
Operator-focused definitions for the terminology used in device buyback, recommerce, IT asset disposition, and device lifecycle management. Written for repair shops, ITAD providers, phone resellers, and refurbishers — not consumers.
ITAD (IT Asset Disposition)
IT asset disposition — the structured process of retiring, wiping, and reselling or recycling end-of-life technology equipment.
Recommerce
Recommerce — the structured resale and redistribution of used consumer electronics through graded, refurbished secondary-market channels.
Reverse Logistics
Reverse logistics — the supply chain processes that move goods from consumers back to operators for refurbishment, resale, or recycling.
IMEI (International Mobile Equipment Identity)
IMEI — a unique 15-digit identifier assigned to every mobile device, used to verify device status, check for blacklisting, and authenticate resale inventory.
Device Grading
Device grading — the standardised process of assessing a used mobile device's cosmetic and functional condition and assigning it a condition grade for resale.
Data Erasure
Data erasure — the certified process of irreversibly removing all personal data from a device before resale, meeting regulatory standards such as NIST 800-88.
WEEE (Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment)
WEEE — EU and UK regulations requiring producers and operators to responsibly collect, treat, and recycle end-of-life electrical and electronic equipment.
R2 Certification (Responsible Recycling)
R2 certification — the leading US standard for responsible electronics recycling, covering data destruction, downstream vendor management, and environmental health.
ESN (Electronic Serial Number)
ESN — a legacy device identifier used on CDMA networks, functionally equivalent to IMEI for the purpose of blacklist checking and resale eligibility.
Buyback (Device Buyback)
Device buyback — a structured business model where an operator purchases used electronics from consumers or enterprises at a set price for refurbishment and resale.
Refurbishment (Device Refurbishment)
Device refurbishment — the process of restoring a used electronic device to a defined quality standard through testing, repair, data erasure, and cosmetic restoration.
Disposition (Device Disposition)
Device disposition — the final stage of an IT asset lifecycle, determining whether a device is resold, recycled, or destroyed based on condition and compliance requirements.