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sustainabletimes
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Purple patch
Mailing:
time to act
Dynamic Cassette International
(DCi), the Lincolnshire-based
printer cartridge recycler and
remanufacturer, is best known for
its Jet Tec range of inkjet and laser
toner cartridges, but it also has a
thriving mobile phone business that
offers an affordable and eco-friendly
alternative to new devices.
Purple Gossip collects, refurbishes
and sells used mobile phones via
a recently revamped website,
www.purplegossip.com, eBay and
Amazon. Customers can exchange
their unwanted phones for hard cash
or nominate their favourite charity to
receive a donation from Purple Gossip.
It also receives used devices from DCi
subsidiary The Recycling Factory, which
each year collects and recycles more
than 8 million cartridges and phones.
“The phones that we receive might
have scratched screens and cosmetic
damage,” explained Purple Gossip’s
Cassandra Gonzalez. “Where they can
be refurbished they will be, for example
by replacing the screen, the housing or
the software. Anything that can’t be
fixed is broken down and sold to brokers
who can use the plastic and metals.
Nothing ends up in landfill.”
Once phones have been refurbished,
Purple Gossip grades them according to
their cosmetic condition (A, B or C) and
sells them with a 30-day guarantee.
Franking is not just a convenient alternative
to stamps that can save businesses the
time and trouble of walking or driving to
the nearest Post Office. It is also a lot more
affordable.
Neopost has calculated that following Royal
Mail’s latest price rises, franking is an economical
option for a business sending as few as 5 letters
a day, even when you take into account franking
machine rental and consumables costs.
In April, Royal Mail increased the price of a
1st class stamp by 30%, from 46p to 60p, and
the price of a 2nd class one by 39%, from 36p to
50p. Increases for franked mail were significantly
lower, 13% for a First Class letter (39p to 44p)
and 10% for a Second Class letter (28p to 31p).
A second class frank is now 19p cheaper than
a second class stamp, with more discounts on
offer for businesses that prepare their mail in
a way that can be read by Royal Mail sorting
machines.
The latest price hikes mean there has never
been a better time for businesses to start
managing their mailing activity. Doing so will
almost certainly bring big financial savings
and by exploring different services offered
by Royal Mail and its competitors, such as
hybrid mail, businesses should also be able to
reduce the environmental impact of postal
communications.
Purple Gossip has been selling refurbished mobile
phones to consumers for several years and is
now expanding its offering to include repairs and
dealer sales.
Sustainable Times
spoke to Purple
Gossip’s Cassandra Gonzalez about developments
at the company.
Purple Gossip offers a huge range of
mobile phones and tablets, including
unlocked and SIM-free models, and
caters for a broad spectrum of users
from older customer who just want
a very basic, simple phone to image-
conscious iPhone and iPad fans.
“We mainly sell to individuals
who want a replacement phone on
a temporary basis; who want an
affordable phone; or who want to buy
a smartphone or tablet more cheaply,”
Cassandra explained
“Demand for refurbished phones is
increasing as people look for cheaper
alternatives, especially with higher
end products. Buying an iPad brand
new is very expensive so giving people
somewhere they can buy them more
cheaply is part of our appeal.”
There is also the environmental
benefit of prolonging the life of
a handset, which Purple Gossip is
enhancing with the launch of phone
repair and SIM unlocking services that
will enable customers to use their
phones on other networks.
“Instead of buying something
brand new, we now give customers
two options: to refurbish their current
phone and prolong the life of the
handset; or they have the option to
buy a refurbished phone that has been
mended in some way,” said Cassandra.
www.purplegossip.com
Mobile phone recycling, repair and refurbishment services,
including corporate and fully managed solutions, are also
offered by 20:20 Mobile. It was recently selected to provide
Currys and PCWorld with a trade-in service featuring a
fully-branded website; customer fulfilment and call centre
support; and mobile phone disposal. Customers can trade in
unwanted devices in return for a gift card that can be used
in any Currys, Dixons Travel or PCWorld store.
www.2020mobile.com
Smartphonestore.com, a Corporate Mobile Recycling
subsidiary, has launched a new online store selling used
and refurbished smartphones as an affordable alternative
to brand new devices. End user research conducted by the
company found that 82.1% of small businesses believe
smartphones bought outside a contract are too expensive.
More than a third (37%) have had to replace a device before
the end of a contract – a third within the first six months.
www.SmartFoneStore.com
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