Your privacy matters as much as your payout. This page explains the simple steps to remove your personal data before pickup, and how SellGadgets and the Company keep your device secure and wipe it after we collect it.
Why your data safety matters
Your phone, laptop, or tablet holds a lot of personal information — photos, chats, contacts, emails, saved passwords, and access to your banking and UPI apps. Before you sell it, that data needs to be off the device and out of reach.
SellGadgets is a sell-only service: you get an instant, condition-based quote, a free doorstep pickup, and instant payment by UPI at your locked price. To make that experience safe, we ask every seller to prepare the device first, and the Company then wipes every device it collects as an added layer of protection.
The most reliable way to protect your data is to remove it yourself before pickup. Please treat the steps below as essential, not optional.
Before pickup: your data-safety checklist
1. Back up anything you want to keep. Save your photos, contacts, chats, and files to Google Drive, iCloud, a computer, or another device. Once a device is wiped, the data cannot be recovered, so do this first.
2. Sign out of your accounts. Log out of your Google, Apple ID or iCloud, Samsung, Mi or Xiaomi, email, and social accounts. Back up your WhatsApp chats and then log out of WhatsApp, and sign out of any banking or UPI apps.
3. Turn off activation locks before you reset. This is the step most people miss — see the next section for how to do it on iPhone and Android.
4. Factory reset the device. Use the reset option in Settings so your apps, accounts, and files are removed and the device returns to its original setup state.
5. Remove your SIM card and any memory card. Your SIM and microSD or memory card are yours to keep — they are not part of the sale and they hold your own data and contacts.
6. Do a final check. Restart the device and confirm it opens to a fresh setup screen with no account still linked.
Turn off activation locks before you reset
Activation locks are meant to stop a lost or stolen device from being reused. If you leave one on, the device stays locked to you even after a reset — which means we cannot verify or process it, and it can hold up your payment.
On iPhone or iPad: Find My iPhone is tied to your Apple ID. Turn it off in Settings, under your name, then Find My, then Find My iPhone. You can also remove the device from your account at iCloud.com. Do this before you factory reset.
On Android: Google adds Factory Reset Protection (FRP), which links the device to your Google account. Remove your Google account in Settings, under Accounts, before you reset. If it is a Samsung device, remove your Samsung account too. Resetting first without removing the account can leave the device asking for your Google login and unusable for the next stage.
In short: remove the accounts first, then factory reset. Doing it in the wrong order is the most common reason a device stays locked.
What happens to your device after pickup
When our pickup agent collects your device, they verify basic details — model, storage, and condition — against your locked quote, and check the IMEI or serial number to confirm it matches the device you booked. This verification is also how we confirm a device has not been reported lost or stolen. Your locked price does not change as long as the device matches what you described.
Every device we collect goes through a data-wipe step as part of processing, even if you have already reset it. We treat all incoming devices as if they may still hold personal data.
We do not read, copy, keep, or resell your personal files. Any data still on a device is handled only to complete the wipe and verification, and a device is wiped before it moves to its next stage.
Until a device has been wiped, it is kept under access controls to reduce the risk of unauthorised access. If a device cannot be reset or wiped for a technical reason, it is handled under the Company's data-handling policy and is not passed on with your data on it.
What if I forget to reset my phone before pickup?
We still run a data-wipe on every device we collect, so your data will be removed as part of processing. Even so, we strongly recommend you reset the device yourself first, because that is the surest way to protect your information.
If you realise after pickup that an account was still signed in, email support@sellgadgets.in as soon as possible with your order details. We will help and, where possible, prioritise wiping that device.
Please note that once a device has been collected and processed, we are not able to return any data left on it — so always back up before pickup.
I already did a factory reset — is my data still safe?
Yes. A factory reset removes your data from normal access and is exactly the right step to take before selling. As an added layer, the Company also wipes every device it collects, so your reset is backed up by our process.
For extra peace of mind, make sure Find My iPhone or your Google account is turned off before you hand the device over, so it is not left activation-locked. A device that is reset but still locked to your account cannot be fully processed.
Do I need to remove my SIM and memory card?
Yes. Take out your SIM card and any microSD or memory card before you hand the device over. They are not part of the sale, and they hold your own data, contacts, and photos.
Our agent will remind you at the doorstep, but please remove them in advance so nothing is missed during pickup. If a card is collected by mistake, contact us at support@sellgadgets.in and we will try to help, though we cannot guarantee recovery once a device has moved into processing.
Questions or a data-safety concern?
If you have a question about preparing your device, or a concern about a device you have already sold, email us at support@sellgadgets.in and share your order details so we can help quickly.
Registered address: 1, Shop 3, 11th Cross, ITPL Main Rd, above Laddoss, Kundalahalli Colony, Bengaluru, Karnataka 560037.
This page is a general guide to keeping your data safe when you sell. For full details on how the Company collects, uses, and protects personal information, please also read our Privacy Policy and Terms of Service.