London, UK, February 9th, 2026, FinanceWire
EE, one of the UK’s largest mobile networks, has redesigned its trade-in experience to support its expansion beyond mobile into broader technology and gaming categories, launching a fully integrated, in-journey solution across its app and website.
As EE broadened its offering, trade-in emerged as a strategic opportunity to help customers upgrade more easily while unlocking value from devices they already own. However, the company’s previous trade-in model was fragmented, hard to scale, and disconnected from the main purchase process.
By rethinking trade-in as a unified marketplace feature, EE has created a seamless experience that links trade-in directly to the purchase point, while reducing delivery risks and building a scalable base for future growth.
“We saw trade-in as a way to make upgrading easier for customers, while supporting our expansion into new tech categories,” said Daniel Boulton, Digital Product Manager at EE. “To do that, we needed a solution that could scale quickly and integrate directly into the customer journey.”
Turning Trade-In into a Growth Lever
EE’s move comes amid rising demand for trade-in, driven by cost-conscious consumers and growing interest in sustainability. Research showed that more than half of consumers had unused devices at home, yet many had never considered trading them in — highlighting a significant opportunity to reduce friction when upgrading.
At the same time, few retailers offered a simple way to purchase new technology and receive trade-in value within a single, trusted journey. EE identified this gap as it expanded into additional device categories beyond mobile.
Reusing Marketplace Capabilities to Move Faster
Rather than building a bespoke solution from scratch, EE identified a key insight: trade-in follows a similar operational pattern to product returns, involving device intake, logistics, and value reconciliation.
Building on its existing marketplace infrastructure with Marketplacer, EE tested whether established marketplace and returns workflows could be adapted to support trade-in. A proof of concept validated the approach, enabling EE to manage device catalogues, intake, and settlement without complex, one-off integrations.
“Once we realised trade-in could follow the same pattern as returns, everything clicked,” said Nagendra Kanakapura, Consumer Tribe Architect at EE. “It gave us a fast, low-risk path forward and allowed us to move with confidence.”
From Concept to Launch
EE worked across multiple internal teams, its trade-in partner, and Marketplacer to deliver the new experience. What began as a small core team scaled to more than ten squads working in parallel, enabling faster delivery while maintaining control.
The solution launched simultaneously across the EE app and website, supporting six device categories from day one and delivering a consistent, end-to-end trade-in journey across channels.
Results and Impact
The new trade-in experience has delivered measurable benefits for both customers and the business.
For customers, trade-in is now embedded directly into the shopping journey, reducing friction and increasing confidence when upgrading devices. For EE, the model provides full visibility into trade-in volumes, values, and commissions, while creating a scalable platform aligned with its wider tech and gaming strategy.
The approach also supports sustainability goals by increasing the refurbishment and responsible recycling of devices and recovering value from unused household technology.
Looking Ahead
With trade-in now live across digital channels, EE plans to expand into additional device categories and extend the experience into assisted retail environments. By treating trade-in as a core marketplace capability rather than a standalone service, EE has created a flexible foundation to support evolving customer expectations.
For further details, read the full EE trade-in case study.
About EE
EE is one of the UK’s largest mobile networks, serving millions of customers with mobile, broadband, and TV services. Since 2010, EE has focused on delivering connected experiences that help customers get more value from their technology — whether upgrading, purchasing new devices, or trading in items they no longer use.
ee.co.uk
About Marketplacer
Marketplacer is a global SaaS platform that helps businesses build and scale online marketplaces at speed. With tools for drop-shipping, seller onboarding, and third-party range expansion, Marketplacer enables growth without inventory. Over 100 marketplaces and 13,000+ businesses trust Marketplacer to power their next stage of eCommerce.
marketplacer.com
ContactKate Packman
press@marketplacer.com