Abstract:
In the past 10 years, the world has witnessed an increasing demand for newer, efficient and effective digital gadgets. Despite this increasing demand, there is still no well defined trade-in policy and collection methods for used mobile devices leading to an increased pile of electronic waste that often leads to both economic and public health problems. The purpose of this study was to assess trade-in policy framework in management of used mobile phone devices in Eldoret town. Specific objectives were: determine the levels of used mobile phone devices identify the inventory management methods used by the mobile phone dealers for used mobile phones, identify the challenges encountered by mobile device manufacturer agents in handling used models of mobile phone devices and to suggest effective trade-in policy framework for used mobile phones. The study was a cross-sectional survey design, where the target population was 390 and the sample size was 198. The study utilised stratified random sampling technique in selecting respondents who participated in the research.A questionnaire and an interview schedule were the instruments for data collection. Frequencies, means and standard deviation were employed in data analysis. Data coding and entry was aided by use of statistical package for social sciences (SPSS V.21.0). The findings indicated that only (28%) of the respondents reported to the presence of used phones of which (63.6%) reported Nokia while (63.6%) reported Samsung phone models.They also agreed that they buy their inventory from suppliers who have products that easily upgraded. However they disagreed that they have a lot of the phone’s stock remaining and inventory from suppliers that have products that easily take back obsolete. More than half of the respondents (64.1%) desired that used/slow moving stock is returned to their suppliers so that they make sales of the still useful parts of a used mobile phone handset (73.7%), that they have a collection point/place where the used mobile phone handsets are taken (76.3%) and that they usually collect used mobile phone handsets from our customers (88.7%). Challenges included, malicious customers who carelessly mishandle their phones and bring it for a trade in policy with the fact that it is available, handsets are sold in different places, so if someone breaks theirs in Mombasa and come to Eldoret they bring it to offices which interferes with their regional records. Also, there are handsets that are much similar so someone just gets rid of the cover and hand the different handsets to them. In conclusion, there is presence of used phones and that most mobile phone dealers have a great challenge of dealing with used handsets. The Trade-in policy framework generated in this study will be an important foundational document that will be used in formulating trade-in policies for the mobile device industry, vendors, agents and consumers. It will also add value to the body of knowledge.
