Going to retire and looking for replacement, for me.

Going to retire and looking for replacement, for me.



Actually I retired about six months ago. I bought a place up in northern California and can not continue my cell phone recycling business in Orange County, CA. I am looking for a local person to step in and take over. Will consider cash or trade on my small business.

I have a very good cell phone source and two recyclers that will buy everything. One is within 30 miles and he pays pretty good the other is across the country. He pays about the same but also picks up shipping. The local recycler has limited receiving hours, so sending across the country, for free, is a good choice. They both pay based on how gold is doing.

If anyone is interested please contact me ASAP. I am moving end of this month and want to pass on this business very soon.

Here are some of my business facts. I made my first bulk cell purchase in 2011 of 1000 phones and to date I bought 41,854 cells. I always pay 50¢ each, any more and no profit. Any less and my source dries up. Depending on where gold is I could sell that phone for between 62¢ and 89¢. That is based on getting $3.50 lb to $5.00 lb. Those are the ranges I have been paid since 2011.

My main supplier right now gets me about 300 cells every two weeks. I usually wait till I have close to 1000 before reselling. They are all trashed androids or older flip and slider phones. Both recyclers want the Li Ion batteries pulled from the phones. So that is another source of income. About every two or three months I have accumulated 20-25 lbs to sell to them.

My supplier is in Buena Park and I always drive over, count the cells and pay cash. If you speak Spanish that would be a plus in communication. But we have been able to get by for many years with only a couple misunderstandings.

Please get in touch soon.

Originally Posted by mthomasdev

What do you feel this business is worth? Doing some quick numbers and not taking into account any expenses other than your purchase price, it looks like you are making between $1,000 and $3,000 a year before e,penses. What other expenses do you have.

I never really thought about it. You are right on the profit. No expenses other than gas and my labor. Cell phones and electronic recycling was just part of my business. The other part is buying at yardsales and selling on feeBay. Also buying and selling gold/silver.

All together my business has done it's job. It put my daughter through six years of college and she is now working in her chosen profession. Most college grads are having trouble finding any type of work.

It is time to pass this portion on to someone local. I have thought about letting the person I buy from take over but there are too many obstacles. The main one is the language barrier. I know more Spanish than he knows English.

So to answer your question with an average $1500 a year profit a 25% asking price of $375 might be in line. Because I am really only matching up a seller to a middleman and then to a recycling company that pays pretty well.

I also like to barter. (coins, gold, antiques, rare wines)

Originally Posted by alloy2

So your not really selling anyhting tangible like a written contract.

No, just just the fact that without fail, every couple of weeks I buy 250-300 cells from the same person for the last 4-5 years.