His Denver-based business, which operates out of a small office near City Park, is preparing to expand to include more items, including digital cameras, laptops and camcorders. And in a few weeks, Mosley said he will be able to offer cash back for all Apple devices.
"It's exciting because we've got so much more to add from what we offer now," Mosley said. "This is just a drop in the bucket."
Mosley got the idea for BuyMyTronics.com after a trip to an Apple store to see what he could get in return for his broken iPod. The store offered to recycle the device for free or receive 10 percent off his next purchase.
"I thought I could probably do better than that," Mosley said. "So I fixed it on my own and was able to resell it over
eBay for $150."
Mosley decided to expand the concept from there, launching the Web site
BuyMyBrokeniPod.com out of his home. The business flourished beyond his expectations and quickly expanded to include items other than just iPods -- not bad for someone with almost no prior experience in electronics repair.
"I guess fixing things and taking things apart and finding out how things work has always made sense to me," he said. "Now I can make it look easy, but to get to where I'm at now involved a lot of trial and error. I've definitely destroyed a few iPods to get here."
Mosley said the concept behind his company has caught on because it's simple, fast and user-friendly.
People looking to sell their old items log onto the site, submit their items and send them away to his office. Within 24 to 48 hours, they'll receive a cash transfer to a
PayPal account in return, while mailed checks take around seven days.
Though other companies offer similar services, Mosley says BuyMyTronics.com is one of few that will pay for broken items. Broken devices are still valuable, he said, because they can be parted out and used to fix other items.
"Most of the competition, their concept is turn and burn," Mosley said. "We're the only company that will pay for broken items and pay well," he said.
For example, a broken iPod with a cracked screen can fetch around $35.70. If the item is sent in with its original box, USB cord, charger and earbuds, the price jumps to $42.84.
If that same iPod is in excellent condition with all of the items included, users could receive up to $254.04 in return.
"It's a good deal for the consumer," he said. "People can go through their drawers and raise a little extra money."
Mosley said the service offers additional benefits, including reducing the amount of "e-waste." All of the items that cannot be resold are recycled, which has kept more than 8,000 pounds of e-waste out of landfills, he said.