Our commitment: reuse and responsible recycling in Montreal
Every device that can still be used goes back into circulation. The ones that can't are recycled free of charge, through recyclers compliant with Quebec environmental standards.
No device goes in the trash
A device brought into SubSell takes one of two paths. If it still works, or can be restored to working condition, it is inspected, prepared and resold with a warranty: it goes home with someone else instead of being replaced by a brand-new device. If it is too damaged or too old to resell, we take it anyway and have it recycled — free of charge, at no cost to you, whatever its condition.
We work only with recyclers compliant with Quebec environmental standards (ARPE-Québec, Recyc-Québec) and track every non-resellable device through to final processing.
SubSell's concrete impact since 2017
50,000+
Transactions at the shop since 2017
30+
Points checked before any resale
2 paths
Back into use, or recycled with its storage destroyed
$0
Recycling fees — always free
The devices we buy back go back into circulation first; only the ones that can no longer be used are sent for recycling, to recyclers compliant with Quebec environmental standards (ARPE-Québec, Recyc-Québec).
Why buying and selling refurbished is better for the planet
Buying a refurbished iPhone means choosing a device that already exists. All it needs is to be inspected, tested, cleaned and put back in the hands of someone who will use it — which is exactly what we do in the shop before every resale.
Phones, tablets and laptops contain cobalt, lithium, gold and rare earth elements — resources extracted at significant environmental cost. Choosing a device we resell over a new one spares the materials a new device would need.
That's why we believe the best recycling starts with reuse. Reselling is greener than recycling — and recycling beats landfill.
Responsible recycling for non-resellable devices
For devices too damaged, too old, or with unrecoverable components, SubSell offers free, compliant recycling.
- Committed to working only with recyclers compliant with Quebec environmental standards (ARPE-Québec, Recyc-Québec).
- Each non-resellable device tracked through to final processing.
- No recycling fee, regardless of device condition.
- Compliant recovery of cobalt, lithium, gold and rare earth elements for re-entry into the supply chain.
Circular economy at the shop
SubSell's model is simple: customers sell their devices → we inspect and refurbish → other customers buy with a warranty of up to 2 years. Circular economy in action, in Montreal.
1. Sale
Customer A brings their old iPhone and walks out with cash.
2. Refurbish
The device is inspected, tested, cleaned. Faulty components replaced.
3. Resale
Customer B walks out with a warranty of up to 2 years iPhone and accessories included.
Each iPhone you sell us goes back into use first; it is recycled only once it can no longer be used.
For businesses with ESG commitments
SubSell offers a bulk trade-in program tailored for businesses with ESG or CSR objectives.
- Bulk trade-in of business devices (iPhones, MacBooks, iPads) with on-site evaluation.
- Data destruction certificates, on request.
- Reporting on demand: number of devices taken back, devices put back into circulation and devices handed to compliant recycling.
FAQ — Environmental commitment
Are you eco-certified?
We are committed to working only with recyclers compliant with Quebec environmental standards (ARPE-Québec, Recyc-Québec). We are not B Corp certified at this time: this page simply describes what we do, in the shop, with every device handed to us.
What happens to a device that can no longer be resold?
It is recycled, free of charge. Devices too damaged or too old for resale are collected at the shop, then handed to recyclers compliant with Quebec environmental standards (ARPE-Québec, Recyc-Québec), who recover the cobalt, lithium, gold and rare earth elements. We track every non-resellable device through to final processing.
Are your prices higher because of the environmental commitment?
No. Recycling non-resellable devices is absorbed by the shop and never billed to the customer, regardless of device condition. Our buyback prices and our sale prices stay the same whether you walk out with cash or leave us a device to recycle.
Is my data erased before resale or recycling?
Yes. Every device headed for resale goes through professional data-erasure software, on top of the reset, before it is ever resold; no one at the shop looks at your data. For devices sent to recycling, storage components are physically destroyed by our partners. Businesses can request a data destruction certificate.
Do I have to buy or sell something to recycle a device?
No. Bring the device to 757 Rue Beaubien East, no appointment, even if you buy nothing and sell nothing. If it still has resale value we make you a cash offer; if not, we take it in for recycling at no charge.
What do you do with packaging and accessories?
Original Apple boxes: resold with the device. Working cables: resold as accessories. Non-resellable materials: sorted and recycled in compliance with regulations.
A question about our commitment?
Contact us directly — reply within the hour.
Sell, trade or recycle. No fees, no appointment.
757 Rue Beaubien East, Montreal • Mon-Sun 9 AM-9 PM • No appointment
Straight answers
Questions people ask before selling
- How do I remove everything from an old phone?
Sign out of every account first, then erase the phone with its built-in reset (Erase All Content and Settings on an iPhone, factory data reset on Android), take out the SIM and memory card, and remove the phone from your Apple or Google account online. Your cloud copies stay safe. At SubSell, every phone is also wiped with professional erasure software before resale.
- Which is the best place to sell old phones?
For old phones, the best place is a shop that buys older and broken models and takes the rest back for free: ads for old phones mostly attract lowball offers. SubSell buys every iPhone from the iPhone X on, Samsung Galaxy phones and Google Pixels, pays cash on the spot, and recycles what cannot be resold, free of charge.
- Which is the most hacked phone?
There is no official “most hacked phone” ranking. By volume, Android phones face far more malware, largely because of their numbers and apps installed from outside official stores; iPhones are targeted less often, and when they are, it is mostly by rare spyware aimed at specific people. The biggest risks are a phone that no longer gets updates, phishing, and an old phone sold without being erased.