PowerON
PowerON Services is a U.S. reverse-logistics and IT asset disposition operator providing turnkey trade-in, refurbishment, and resale services for consumer electronics, serving manufacturers (Apple, Dell), 46+ university bookstore partners, government, enterprise, and consumers.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1994
- HeadquartersRoseville, United States
- Headcount51–100
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingServices
What PowerON does
PowerON Services, Inc. is a privately held, Roseville, California-based reverse-logistics and IT asset disposition (ITAD) operator founded in 1994 by Brent Kelley. The company provides turnkey trade-in, buyback, refurbishment, and compliance recycling services for consumer electronics, serving electronics manufacturers (Apple, Dell), educational institutions (46+ university bookstore partners including UCLA, Cornell, University of Michigan, and Texas A&M), retailers, government and enterprise IT departments, and individual consumers.
The core platform combines an automated device specification and condition grading system (New In Box / Working / Non-Working) with NIST 800-88-compliant data erasure, certified-technician refurbishment, and multi-channel resale through PowerON's own storefront, eBay, Amazon, and wholesale channels. Supporting services include Trade-In & Take Back Programs, ITAD, CapEx Recovery, K-12 and College/University Trade-In, Off-Lease Return Management, Remote Refresh Management, Depot Services, Fulfillment Services, and Compliance Recycling (including Rare Earth Element recovery). Underlying technical differentiation rests on proprietary grading and quote-management workflows integrated with FedEx shipping and payment fulfillment (gift cards, PayPal, Visa Reward Cards).
PowerON's business model is a hybrid of (1) transaction fees and per-device processing economics from B2B trade-in programs (channel-partner and white-label), (2) resale-margin economics from refurbished hardware sold direct and through marketplaces, (3) consumer trade-in acquisition pricing, and (4) emerging professional-services revenue from Fulfillment and Depot offerings. Certifications (R2v3, ISO 9001:2015, ISO 14001:2015, ISO 45001:2018) underpin enterprise and government contract eligibility. Distribution is U.S.-only, multi-channel (direct, white-label partner, marketplace, wholesale), and supported by an in-house sales motion for enterprise/bulk programs alongside a self-serve consumer portal.
PowerON firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- PowerON
- Legal name
- PowerON Services, Inc.
- Website
- https://poweron.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1994
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 51–100 employees
- Short description
- PowerON Services is a U.S. reverse-logistics and IT asset disposition operator providing turnkey trade-in, refurbishment, and resale services for consumer electronics, serving manufacturers (Apple, Dell), 46+ university bookstore partners, government, enterprise, and consumers.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
PowerON industry classification
Industry- Product category
- IT Asset Disposition & Trade-In Services
- NAICS
- Electronics and Appliance Retailers (4492)
- SIC
- Wholesale-Hardware & Plumbing & Heating Equipment & Supplies (5070)
- akta.pro primary industry
- ITAD, Electronics Recycling & Parts Harvesting Retail (CRACAJAF)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Refurbished & Certified Pre‑Owned Tablets/Ultrabooks (HDACAMAO)
Keywords
Where PowerON is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Roseville
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
PowerON business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Trade-In Processing Fees: PowerON charges fees for processing trade-ins from enterprise clients and channel partners. The company handles device assessment, data erasure, and payment fulfillment on behalf of manufacturer partners.
- Resale of Refurbished Electronics: Devices that pass quality assessment are resold through PowerON's own storefront, eBay store, Amazon store, and wholesale channels. The company acts as a reseller of used and refurbished consumer electronics.
- Consumer Trade-In: Direct consumer trade-in program where individuals sell devices to PowerON. PowerON acquires devices at quoted prices and derives revenue from resale or recycling of acquired inventory.
- Fulfillment Services: PowerON provides order fulfillment, distribution, and warehousing services for growing D2C and B2B brands. Services include kitting, provisioning, daily order fulfillment, and real-time inventory dashboards.
- Depot Services: Temporary storage, sorting, bundling, and repair services for K-12 schools, higher education, government agencies, and enterprise clients managing large volumes of used or incoming technology.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Transaction based/ take rate | Pay-as-you-go | Consumer Trade-In - Individual device quotes based on model and condition |
| Transaction based/ take rate | Pay-as-you-go | Bulk/Enterprise Buyback - Volume-based pricing for excess inventory and equipment |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Depot Services - Flat-rate pricing for repair services |
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels6 records
Marketing channels4 records
PowerON product offering
Product offeringCore offering
PowerON delivers turnkey trade-in, take-back, IT asset disposition (ITAD), and electronics refurbishment services for consumer electronics. The company provides white-label programs that partners (manufacturers, retailers, universities) can brand as their own, while PowerON handles device intake, automated grading, NIST 800-88 compliant data erasure, refurbishment, and payment fulfillment. It also buys directly from consumers and businesses and resells refurbished devices through its own storefront, eBay, Amazon, and wholesale channels.
Product overview
PowerON operates as a comprehensive take-back, trade-in, and IT asset disposition platform with a modular service portfolio. The core offering combines Trade-In & Take Back Programs, IT Asset Disposition (ITAD), Buyback, and Processing/Refurbishment services, supplemented by specialized verticals for K-12 schools, College & University partners (with 50+ branded storefronts), Remote Refresh Management, and Off-Lease Return Management. Additional services include CapEx Recovery, Depot Services, Fulfillment Services, and Compliance Recycling. The company serves both direct-to-consumer channels (Consumer Trade-In for Cash) and B2B channels (Bulk Buyback, Wholesale), providing end-to-end coverage of the electronics lifecycle from trade-in through recycling.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Trade-In & Take Back Programs Turnkey trade-in and take-back program solution for retailers, manufacturers, and institutions to implement, manage, and monitor consumer electronics trade-in programs with customizable options. PowerON runs the backend (intake, grading, data erasure, payment) while partners brand the program as their own.
- IT Asset Disposition (ITAD) Secure end-of-life IT asset management and disposition services for enterprises and government agencies, covering data destruction, environmental compliance, and maximum value recovery from retired IT equipment.
- Buyback - Buy/Sell Excess Program enabling businesses to sell excess inventory, off-lease equipment, or end-of-life products to PowerON for value recovery, with PowerON also reselling refurbished consumer electronics through its own and marketplace channels.
- Processing, Refurbish & Repair Automated device assessment and specification verification with refurbishment and repair by certified technicians at scale for consumer electronics and computing products.
- CapEx Recovery Capital expenditure asset management solution helping companies recover maximum value from capital equipment through PowerON's global network of contacts and industry expertise.
- Depot Services Purpose-built temporary storage and processing facilities for K-12 schools, higher education, government agencies, and enterprise clients, providing centralized repair, device sorting, bundling, inventory staging, and secure loading for transport. Includes flat-rate pricing on many common repairs.
- Fulfillment Services End-to-end order fulfillment, distribution, and warehousing for growing D2C and B2B brands, including kitting, provisioning, daily order processing via file uploads, and a real-time inventory dashboard.
- Compliance Recycling End-of-life electronics recycling services supporting corporate sustainability and circular-economy initiatives, including responsible recovery of Rare Earth Elements (REEs) critical to consumer electronics manufacturing, under R2v3 and ISO 14001 certifications.
- K-12 Technology Trade-In Tailored trade-in program for K-12 school districts enabling schools to refresh student and staff technology while recovering value from aging equipment, with logistics and secure data erasure bundled in.
- College & University Trade-In White-label technology trade-in program for higher education institutions, operated as branded storefronts at partner university bookstores across the United States (46+ partners including UCLA, Cornell, University of Michigan, Texas A&M, USC, Brown).
- Remote Refresh Management Program enabling organizations to manage technology refresh initiatives remotely without requiring physical presence at facilities, handling logistics, data erasure, and disposition for distributed device fleets.
- Off-Lease Return Management Specialized handling of off-lease equipment returns, including assessment, refurbishment, and remarketing services for lessors and enterprises managing leased device returns.
- Consumer Trade-In for Cash Consumer-facing trade-in platform (reuse.poweron.com) where individuals get an instant online quote, ship devices via free FedEx shipping, and receive payment via gift cards, PayPal, or Visa Reward Cards. Quotes are valid 30 days and payment is issued 7-10 days after device receipt and verification.
- Bulk Buyback B2B bulk trade-in program for businesses to sell excess inventory, returns, or end-of-life products, with logistics support and NIST 800-88, HIPAA, and PII compliant secure data erasure. Quotes valid for 30 days.
- Wholesale Wholesale distribution of refurbished consumer electronics to retailers, resellers, and distributors, with NIST 800-88, HIPAA, and PII compliant data erasure across multiple product categories and leading brands.
Quantifiable outcome
- 7 consecutive years on Inc. 5000 Fastest Growing Private Companies list
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use PowerON
Customer profileNamed customers13 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles7 records
PowerON technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
PowerON partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and supporting.
- ApplecorePowerON managed Apple's iPhone buyback program, operating the manufacturer's reuse program that provided customers with gift cards equivalent to the fair market value of devices. The partnership allowed Apple to offer trade-in values up to $345 for iPhone 4S devices.
- DellcorePowerON operates Dell's trade-in program, allowing customers to quote, ship, and receive payment for old Dell laptops and computers. Dell provides free FedEx shipping labels for customers who choose to recycle without monetary compensation.
- University Bookstore PartnerscorePowerON provides white-label trade-in platforms to 46+ university bookstores including UCLA, Cornell, University of Michigan, Texas A&M, USC, Brown University, and many others. Universities brand the service through their campus stores while PowerON handles all backend operations including device processing, data erasure, and payment fulfillment.
- FedExsupportingFedEx Office provides packaging and shipping services for consumer trade-in program. Customers can bring devices to FedEx Office locations where they receive appropriate packaging and free shipping to PowerON.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
PowerON competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- eRecyclingCorps (Ericsson): Trade-in and take-back program operator for mobile devices, serving carriers and OEMs globally; directly comparable to PowerON's OEM white-label trade-in model.
- Gazelle: Direct competitor in consumer electronics trade-in, offering instant online quotes, free shipping, and payment for used smartphones, tablets, and laptops — closely mirroring PowerON's consumer trade-in flow.
- ecoATM: Operates self-service kiosks that buy back consumer electronics for cash or charity; competes with PowerON for the same end-of-life consumer device supply pool.
- Clover Wireless: ITAD and reverse logistics provider handling refurbishment, repair, and resale of mobile devices at scale — directly comparable services and customer base (carriers, OEMs, enterprises).
- SIMS Lifecycle Services: Global ITAD specialist offering secure data destruction, refurbishment, and remarketing of enterprise IT assets — directly overlapping PowerON's ITAD and CapEx Recovery offerings.
Broad incumbents
- Iron Mountain (ITAD): Larger incumbent with a dedicated ITAD division providing secure data destruction, asset recovery, and remarketing — broader portfolio but overlapping core services.
- Assurant (Connected Living / Trade-In): Operates device trade-in, upgrade, and protection programs for carriers and OEMs at scale; competes with PowerON for enterprise white-label take-back contracts.
- Inmar Reverse Logistics: Operates one of the largest US reverse-logistics platforms handling returns, recalls, and asset recovery — overlapping with PowerON's depot, fulfillment, and buyback services.
Emerging players
- Back Market: Refurbished electronics marketplace aggregating certified resellers; competes for the demand side of PowerON's refurbished resale business and sets transparent market pricing.
Regional players
- Reverse Logistics Group: European-headquartered reverse-logistics and ITAD services provider with US operations; comparable service portfolio (WEEE compliance, refurbishment, remarketing) competing in adjacent geographies.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
PowerON social profiles
Digital presencePowerON compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance4 records
PowerON financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
PowerON leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
PowerON funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
PowerON M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about PowerON
What does PowerON do?
PowerON delivers turnkey trade-in, take-back, IT asset disposition (ITAD), and electronics refurbishment services for consumer electronics. The company provides white-label programs that partners (manufacturers, retailers, universities) can brand as their own, while PowerON handles device intake, automated grading, NIST 800-88 compliant data erasure, refurbishment, and payment fulfillment. It also buys directly from consumers and businesses and resells refurbished devices through its own storefront, eBay, Amazon, and wholesale channels.
Is PowerON a public or private company?
PowerON is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was PowerON founded?
PowerON was founded in 1994. It employs 51 to 100 people.
Where is PowerON based?
PowerON is headquartered in Roseville, United States, in the North America region.
How does PowerON make money?
Five revenue lines are on record. Trade-In Processing Fees are the primary driver. The others are resale of Refurbished Electronics, consumer Trade-In, fulfillment Services and depot Services.
Who are PowerON's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are eRecyclingCorps (Ericsson), Gazelle, ecoATM, Clover Wireless and SIMS Lifecycle Services. Broad incumbents are Iron Mountain (ITAD), Assurant (Connected Living / Trade-In) and Inmar Reverse Logistics. Back Market is listed as an emerging player. Reverse Logistics Group is listed as a regional player.
Does PowerON have an API?
No public API is recorded for PowerON.
What industry is PowerON in?
PowerON's product category is IT Asset Disposition & Trade-In Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is CRACAJAF, ITAD, Electronics Recycling & Parts Harvesting Retail, with a secondary code of HDACAMAO, Refurbished & Certified Pre‑Owned Tablets/Ultrabooks. Its NAICS code is 4492 and its SIC code is 5070.