Almost every company has one: a cupboard full of old laptops, a box of phones from the last refresh, a few tablets from a trade fair stand. These devices still have value, but they lose some of it every month. They also hold data your company remains liable for.
In short: in a corporate device buyback, a specialised partner purchases your retired smartphones, tablets, computers and smartwatches at market value, erases the data in a verifiable way and hands you an inventory, an erasure certificate and an invoice. Everlink takes over the whole estate in one go, broken devices included, with a fast offer and pickup across Switzerland and Europe.
What is a corporate device buyback?
A corporate device buyback is the sale of used company devices to a professional buyer. Unlike a private sale, it is not about one phone. It concerns a whole stock: dozens or hundreds of devices of different brands, models and conditions.
A professional buyback includes four services:
- Valuation of each device by model, storage, condition and battery health.
- Logistics: packing, pickup and transport.
- Certified data erasure, with proof for each device.
- Payment with documents your finance team can book straight away.
The difference from recycling is financial. Recycling dismantles devices to recover raw materials, and the remaining value of the device is generally lost. In a buyback, working devices get a second life and even broken ones are valued as parts donors. For the wider picture of end-of-life options, see ITAD vs fleet buyback.
When does selling company devices pay off?
Typically in five situations:
- Fleet refresh: teams receive new phones or laptops, and the old ones are freed up.
- End of lease: devices that do not go back to the lessor must be disposed of. Our guide to end-of-lease mobile devices covers this case.
- Site closure or relocation: an entire estate becomes surplus at once.
- Surplus stock: spare devices that were stored but never issued.
- Dormant stock: devices of former employees sitting in drawers.
The main lever is time. Used phones and laptops keep losing market value. Selling right after a refresh almost always yields more than selling after a year in storage. If your stock is mainly phones, our guide to selling a company phone fleet in Switzerland goes into more detail.
Which devices does Everlink buy back?
Everlink buys back smartphones, tablets, computers and smartwatches of all brands. Broken devices are welcome and valued as parts donors. You do not need to sort or reset anything: the devices are handed over as they are.
That is not true of every programme. According to the public page of Swisscom Buyback Business (checked on 18 September 2026), the service is only available for mobiles and tablets, and computers are excluded. In return, Swisscom offers free pickup by Swiss Post and names the erasure software used by its partner. If laptops and phones go to different buyers, you run two procedures with two inventories. We compare the options in our alternative to Swisscom Buyback.
How does a buyback with Everlink work?
Only the first step is yours:
- Describe your estate: models, quantities, rough condition, through the contact form, by email or on WhatsApp. A rough list is enough.
- Fast offer: a line-by-line valuation, with no commitment.
- Pickup, erasure, sorting: on-site collection or inbound logistics, with packing and transport arranged by Everlink and certified erasure of every device. Administrative unlocking is worked through with you.
- Payment: once the devices have been received and checked, the final offer is confirmed and the transfer goes out without delay, in Swiss francs or euros.
The offer becomes firm after physical inspection. If the actual condition differs, you see it line by line in the valuation.
Data protection: what your company must be able to prove
Company devices hold personal data about clients and employees. Switzerland's revised Federal Act on Data Protection (FADP, also called nFADP) requires personal data to be destroyed or anonymised once it is no longer needed (Art. 6 para. 4, English translation on Fedlex), and the GDPR applies to operations in the EU. Your company remains responsible, even when a service provider carries out the erasure.
A factory reset done by your own staff is therefore not sufficient evidence. What your data protection officer must be able to produce is an erasure certificate issued to your company and an inventory that identifies each device unambiguously. The details are in our guides to certified data erasure and IMEI tracking.
At Everlink, every device is erased in compliance with the GDPR and the FADP. You receive an erasure certificate per batch and a full inventory by IMEI or serial number. Each device is traceable from buyback to resale, so no unit disappears unnoticed.
Accounting and paperwork: closing the buyback cleanly
For the finance team, a buyback is an asset disposal. To book it without follow-up questions, three documents are needed:
| Document | Purpose | At Everlink |
|---|---|---|
| Invoice | Evidence of the sale proceeds | Swiss QR invoice |
| Inventory | Reconciliation with the fixed asset register | Complete, by IMEI or serial number |
| Erasure certificate | Proof under the FADP and the GDPR | Per batch, issued to your company |
These documents come with the transfer. For foreign subsidiaries, payment in euros is also possible.
How do you recognise a serious buyer?
Ask every provider these questions before you commit:
| Question | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Which device categories do you accept? | One partner for the whole estate saves a second procedure. |
| Are broken devices valued? | Parts donors have value and need no separate disposal. |
| Who organises pickup and packing? | Decides how much work stays in-house. |
| Is there an erasure certificate in the company's name? | Essential evidence for data protection. |
| Is every device recorded by IMEI or serial number? | The basis for reconciliation and traceability. |
| How is the offer confirmed, and when do we get paid? | Predictability for the finance team. |
| Is there a direct contact person? | Shortens back-and-forth, especially with large stocks. |
Sell and re-equip with the same partner
Many companies sell old devices because new ones are coming in. Everlink also supplies refurbished smartphones for business, along with tablets and computers: consistent batches tested unit by unit, with condition and battery health disclosed, warranty included and tiered pricing by volume. Buyback and re-equipment stay with one contact, with no tie to a mobile contract.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between a device buyback and recycling?
A buyback assesses and pays the market value of each device, which is then reused. Recycling recovers raw materials, and the remaining value of the device is generally lost.
Does Everlink also buy laptops and smartwatches?
Yes. Everlink buys smartphones, tablets, computers and smartwatches of all brands, including mixed batches in a single operation.
How is the value of the devices determined?
Model by model: reference, storage capacity, functional and cosmetic condition, and battery health. The offer is confirmed after physical inspection on receipt.
Which documents do we receive after the buyback?
A Swiss QR invoice, a full inventory by IMEI or serial number and an erasure certificate issued to your company.
Does Everlink operate outside Switzerland?
Yes. Pickups and inbound logistics are available in Switzerland, France, Germany, Italy, Austria, the Benelux countries and beyond.
Describe your estate and get a fast offer
Send us your list, even an incomplete one, through the contact form, by email at info@everlink.ch or on WhatsApp at +41 78 220 72 80. The offer comes with no commitment. For an overview of all services, visit the Everlink home page.