Trade-ins and buyback

The Trade-ins module at /dashboard/trade-ins runs your buyback program end to end. Consumers submit their device with condition and IMEI, you quote a price, and if they accept the unit flows straight into your inventory.

How the buyer flow works

1. Buyer visits your trade-in page (linked from the storefront footer)
2. Picks the device make, model, and storage
3. Answers the condition questionnaire (screen, body, battery, accessories)
4. Enters the IMEI for carrier and blacklist check
5. Submits the request — you get a notification in the dashboard

Quoting a price

Each submission lands in the Trade-ins queue. Open it, review the condition selections and the IMEI check result, and enter your offer. Click Send Quote to email the buyer — they get an accept / decline link.

On accept

• Stock on the matching product is incremented by 1
• A new unit is created with status=received and the submitted IMEI
• A payout obligation is logged for the offer amount (settle via Stripe, check, or store credit)
• The buyer gets a shipping label email (ShipEngine) OR pickup instructions if local

On decline

No stock changes happen. The submission is archived with the decline reason. You can offer a counter-quote from the same queue at any time.

Receiving the physical device

When the device arrives, scan its IMEI into the intake bench. If the scanned IMEI matches an open accepted trade-in, the system auto-links the unit and prompts you to set a grade. If the device arrives damaged beyond what was disclosed, reroute to the Returns workflow and decline the payout.

Mobile-friendly buyer flow

The trade-in form is fully responsive and includes camera-based IMEI scanning. Most of your submissions will come from phones — the flow is tuned for one-handed use and under-30-second completion.