Trade-in programs have evolved from being a nice-to-have recycling initiative to a powerful growth engine fueling circularity in the mobile device ecosystem. Today, these programs help businesses accelerate device upgrades, strengthen customer loyalty, and support environmental sustainability. As competition intensifies and customer expectations shift, the performance of your trade-in partner can directly impact your bottom line. If your current provider isn’t delivering measurable value at every stage of the device lifecycle, it might be time to consider an upgrade.
Named the 2024 U.S. Customer Value Leader in mobile device trade-in and upgrade programs by Frost & Sullivan, Assurant is setting a new industry standard.
Here’s what to look for in a next-generation trade-in partner and how Assurant exceeds expectations at every turn.
1. Seamless, omnichannel trade-in experience
Today’s customers expect convenience and consistency across all channels, whether they’re trading in a smartphone at a retail store, returning a tablet via mail, or initiating a transaction online or through an app.
A strong trade-in partner should offer:
- Uniform trade-in values and promotions across all channels
- Simple and straight-forward device evaluation processes
- Flexible return options, like in-store return, ship-from-home, or UPS drop-off
Assurant’s APEX (Assurant Product Experience Exchange) platform delivers all of this and more. Its robust API framework enables seamless integration with e-commerce, point-of-sale, and call center systems. This ensures that customers enjoy the same intuitive experience wherever they engage, helping partners boost trade-in attach rates and customer satisfaction.
2. Advanced pricing and promotion intelligence
Trade-in values fluctuate daily, so dynamic pricing intelligence is key.
Your partner should offer:
- Competitive benchmarking against market leaders
- Real-time pricing feeds based on device condition and trends
- Predictive analytics to help plan promotions and manage margins
Assurant’s AI-driven pricing engine is fueled by:
- Over 2 billion data points
- 1.7M+ daily benchmarked trade-in values
- A catalog of 10,000+ SKUs across multiple condition grades
This enables partners to better fine-tune trade-in offers, structure promotions, stay competitive, and protect their bottom line — even in volatile markets.
3. Support for multiple device categories
The connected ecosystem is expanding. A modern trade-in program should support a variety of device categories beyond smartphones, including:
- Foldables, tablets, and laptops
- Wearables, hearables, and accessories
- Gaming consoles and emerging AR/VR devices
Assurant enables flexible trade-in scenarios across all these categories, whether it's a customer exercising an early upgrade, trading in as part of a promotion or returning a device at the end of the lease. Through this flexibility, Assurant fully supports the connected living ecosystem by monitoring and aligning with consumer behaviors and evolving upgrade opportunities that strengthen customer loyalty.
4. Full lifecycle services from collection to resale
Trade-in is just one phase of the broader device lifecycle. A truly strategic partner should support:
- Device grading and refurbishment
- Secure data sanitization
- Global resale, repair, and repurpose optimization
- Sustainable recycling
Assurant’s end-to-end lifecycle model ensures devices are handled with maximum security, care, and value. Our proprietary asset disposition algorithm uses real-time market intelligence to direct devices to the most profitable resale channels, minimizing price decay and maximizing returns. Devices can also be repurposed for warranty fulfillment or protection plans, creating even more value for our partners.
5. Innovation-driven operational excellence
In today’s rapidly evolving tech environment, delivering a seamless end-to- end device lifecycle management solution requires a strong foundation of operational efficiency and continuous innovation, both critical to enhancing customer experience and driving better program economics. The right partner should combine automation, AI, and smart logistics to ensure consistent quality, speed, and reliability, even during peak periods.
Assurant leads the way with a tech-forward approach that enhances every stage of the device lifecycle. Our facilities process over 16 million devices annually, powered by advanced tools such as:
- Vision Tunnel™ AI grading for precise cosmetic assessments
- AI-driven technology for diagnostics and triage
- Autonomous mobile robots (AMRs) to streamline warehouse operations and reduce processing time
- Buffing, polishing, and cleaning automation for increased resale value
- Automated workflows and logistics for end-to-end efficiency
These innovations not only reduce cycle times and improve consistency, but also enable Assurant to deliver intelligence-led device lifecycle management — optimizing operational performance, enhancing asset recovery, and supporting profit-driven trade-in programs.
6. Built-in sustainability
Corporate sustainability expectations, along with today’s technology, are evolving fast. Your trade-in partner should be innovating ahead of the curve with automation, AI, and tools for sustainability baked into the program.
Assurant leads the industry in tech-driven innovation like:
- Assurant Carbon IQ℠, a proprietary solution that measures, tracks, and optimizes the carbon footprint of your mobile programs
- Advanced automation, repair, and remanufacturing capabilities that enable the efficient refurbishment of mobile devices — reducing electronic waste and supporting a more sustainable, circular economy
These innovations help partners meet circular economy and sustainability targets essential for brand differentiation in today’s consumer-conscious marketplace.
7. Financial stability and global reach
A reliable and strategic partner should have the financial foundation and global infrastructure to support long-term growth. Assurant is a Fortune 500 company with:
- Operations in 21 countries
- Over 70 trade-in and upgrade programs worldwide
- Relationships with 7 of the top 10 global telecom brands
That scale of reach means you get consistent service, localized expertise, and confidence that your partner can grow as you grow.
The bottom line: Trade-in is strategic. Your partner should be, too.
Trade-in programs are no longer just about recycling old phones. They’re about creating seamless, valuable, and sustainable experiences across the entire device lifecycle.
From delivering a seamless omnichannel customer experience and real-time pricing intelligence to enabling operational scale and broad category coverage, Assurant is redefining what it means to be a trade-in partner.
If your current provider isn’t delivering across all these dimensions, it may be time to upgrade.
Download the Frost & Sullivan report to learn why Assurant was named the 2024 U.S. Customer Value Leader in mobile device trade-in and upgrade programs and how you can build a smarter trade-in strategy for today and tomorrow.
Recently named the 2024 U.S. Customer Value Leader in trade-in and upgrade programs by Frost & Sullivan, Assurant is helping brands reimagine what’s possible from a next-generation trade-in partnership.
