If you’ve only ever sold surplus gear through Craigslist or dealt with local recyclers who toss it all in a bin, you’re in for a much better experience when working with a certified asset recovery team.
Here’s how it goes when you work with a real ITAD partner like OEM Connect:
Secure Chain of Custody from Pickup to Payment
Expect full transparency from the moment your equipment is collected. That means serialized tracking, chain-of-custody documentation, and barcode scanning so you know what went out and what came back in resale credit or recycling receipts.
The good ones will even issue prepaid shipping labels or schedule a pickup at your location, no charge.
Real Resale Value
You’re not just “offloading old junk.” Most IT hardware still carries value, especially if it’s less than five years old. Laptops, servers, and business-grade printers often have a second life in resale markets—if they’re wiped properly and remarketed by a certified seller.
At OEM Connect, we appraise and wipe the gear, then sell it through secure channels—cutting you in on the returns.
Compliance-Ready Documentation
Don’t settle for a shrug and a handshake. A real ITAD service gives you everything you need to prove compliance:
- Blancco-certified wipes
- NIST 800-88 verification
- Serialized asset logs
- Chain of custody receipts
- Final recycling or resale reports
It’s plug-and-play documentation for any audit or internal report.
See Our Guide: Learn More About Secure Data Destruction
Asset Recover & Buyback Guidance, Not Guesswork
Got questions about how to handle expired lease returns, mixed-condition equipment, or sensitive data issues? A good ITAD partner won’t just take your stuff—they’ll help you build a strategy. We guide clients through every step.
And if you need to understand the differences between wiping and shredding, or what makes the process actually secure, we’ve got the answers.
Most ITAD vendors make you jump through hoops. We don’t.
At OEM Connect, we’ve stripped the hassle out of the recovery and resale process—so you can extract maximum value from your surplus gear without getting buried in logistics.
Here’s how it works:
- We send the labels. You box up your retired equipment—servers, laptops, printers, networking gear, whatever’s gathering dust—and slap on the pre-paid shipping label.
- We handle transit and tracking. No need to chase couriers or track packages. Every shipment gets serialized inventory tracking from pickup to final destination.
- We assess resale potential. If your gear holds market value, we evaluate, wipe, and resell it through secure, vetted channels. You get paid.
- We destroy what’s not viable. Any devices that fail audit or resale viability go through Blancco-certified wipes or physical destruction, per your compliance needs.
- You get paid and protected. We issue detailed reports, certificates, and audit trails for every asset. That means ROI in your pocket and peace of mind for your compliance officer.
Whether you’re offloading one floor’s worth of laptops or purging entire data centers, OEM Connect keeps it frictionless, auditable, and revenue-positive.
Ready to Turn Your Older Tech & Surplus Into a Working Strategy?
You don’t need to let aging tech or surplus toner sit around collecting dust, and you definitely shouldn’t pay to dispose of gear that still holds value.
We make asset recovery simple, secure, and actually worth your time. From free shipping labels and serialized tracking to data destruction and real resale recovery, our certified ITAD solutions help you recapture value without lifting more than a finger.
Have a closet full of old IT equipment?
Sitting on stacks of unopened toner?
Let’s make that our problem and your opportunity.
👉 [Get a Quote for Your Surplus Gear]
Or reach out directly, and we’ll talk you through the process.
Asset Recovery & Buyback FAQ
What is IT asset recovery and buyback, exactly?
Asset recovery and buyback is the process of pulling value back out of your retired IT gear. Instead of paying to haul it away, a certified ITAD partner evaluates each device, securely wipes data, resells what still has market value, and responsibly recycles the rest. You get documentation and a return on equipment you were ready to write off.
What types of equipment qualify for asset recovery and buyback?
Most business-grade hardware less than about five years old is a good candidate, including:
- Laptops and desktops
- Servers and storage
- Networking gear (switches, firewalls, routers)
- Business-grade printers and MFPs
- Unopened or surplus toner and supplies
Older, damaged, or low-value gear can still go through certified data destruction and recycling; it just may not generate resale credit.
How does OEM Connect’s asset recovery process actually work?
The flow is simple:
- You box your gear – laptops, servers, printers, networking, toner.
- We send prepaid labels or schedule pickup – no freight contracts, no hassle.
- We track everything – serialized inventory and chain-of-custody from dock to destination.
- We appraise and wipe – Blancco-certified wipes and NIST 800-88–aligned processes.
- We resell or recycle – viable assets go to secure resale channels; the rest is destroyed or recycled.
- You get paid and documented – resale returns plus full reports and certificates.
How do I get paid in an asset recovery and buyback program?
After your equipment is received and evaluated, OEM Connect:
- Assigns fair market value to assets with resale potential,
- Deducts any agreed handling or processing fees (if applicable),
- Issues payment or credit based on the final resale recovery.
You also receive itemized reporting so you can see exactly what was recovered and where the value came from.
Is data really secure during the recovery and buyback process?
Yes. A real ITAD partner treats data security as non-negotiable. At OEM Connect, that means:
- Blancco-certified data wipes
- Processes aligned with NIST 800-88
- Serialized device tracking from intake to final disposition
- Chain-of-custody documentation for every shipment
If a device fails wiping or doesn’t pass audit, it moves to physical destruction so nothing leaves the process with readable data.
What documentation do I receive for compliance and audits?
You can expect a full paper trail, including:
- Serialized asset inventory logs
- Chain-of-custody records
- Certificates of data destruction
- Recycling and resale reports
That gives your compliance officer and auditors exactly what they need to verify proper handling, data sanitization, and environmental responsibility.
What happens to gear that can’t be resold?
Not every device holds resale value, especially if it’s too old, too damaged, or fails data wipe verification. In those cases:
- Devices are wiped and/or physically destroyed, per your policy
- Materials are sent through responsible recycling channels
- You still receive documentation showing how each asset was handled
You don’t get stuck with risky e-waste, and you’re not paying to store dead hardware “just in case.”
Is there a minimum volume for asset recovery and buyback?
You don’t need a full data center decommission to make it worthwhile. OEM Connect works with:
- Single-location refreshes (a floor of laptops, a fleet of printers)
- Multi-site cleanouts
- Ongoing refresh programs for growing organizations
If you’re unsure whether your volume or mix of gear makes sense for asset recovery and buyback, we can review your inventory and give you a straight answer.
How is asset recovery different from just recycling old IT equipment?
Standard recyclers focus on disposal. Asset recovery and buyback focus on value and security:
- You get resale recovery, not just removal
- You get data destruction and documentation, not just a generic recycling receipt
- You get a strategy for future refresh cycles, instead of one-off pickups
The result: less waste, more compliance, and actual money back from hardware you were ready to scrap.
