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Here at Gazelle we are constantly updating innovating and trying to anticipate our customers needs. Recently we added hundreds of Blu-ray and video game titles to our ever-growing catalog, and people have been responding.

How do we know what to add to our catalog?  Well, in this case it’s simple.  Blu-ray disc sales climbed to an all time high with the release of “The Dark Knight” this week. The Batman sequel apparently sold 600,000 Blu-ray copies on its release day this Tuesday, beating the previous record of 260,000 set by Iron Man over a month ago. Consumer research this year puts Blu-ray as one of the most highly requested holiday gifts among HDTV owners.

Lots of people buying Blu-ray discs today means they’ll be looking for an outlet once they’ve memorized all the lines in a few months.

Now, consider that analysts predict a 76% surge in Blu-ray player sales during 2009 and you don’t have to be Nostradamus to guess the next category addition on Gazelle…

Today I’m excited to introduce the first post by Kahn, who works on the team that opens all the boxes and  checks out the electronics you send in.

Here at operations, each incoming package represents an exciting possibility for what lies in store. Whether it’s a nostalgic antique like the Motorola Star-Tac or a contemporary art piece like Bang & Olufsen’s Samsung Serene, a diverse array of gadgets provides ample yet welcome distraction for our inspection team. Put it this way: we love your gadgets as if they were our own.

With the Presidential elections finally behind us, some of you may be feeling a void.  Nothing to vote for, no cause to get behind.  Well, look no further: Gazelle needs your vote!

The Mashable Open Web Awards is an online contest where people vote for their favorite sites in various categories.  This year we are pushing to become a finalist in the Environmental category.

WHAT CAN YOU DO TO HELP? It’s simple, go to this website: http://mashable.com/openwebawards/home/

1. Select the Environmental category from the dropdown.
2. Enter www.gazelle.com.
3. Then enter an email address, and submit.  You’ll get a confirm email that you’ll have to click on to verify.

Please, tell your friends, tell your neighbors and help us win the nomination.

This week the iPhone was knocked off it’s throne!  Well, kind of.  After 3 weeks as the sole top traded item on gazelle.com, the RAZR V3m tied the iPhone at the top of the list.  Biggest mover of the week: the HTC 8125.  Strong showing from the smartphones again, as people get ready to buy the new google phone:

1. Apple iPhone 8GB & Motorola RAZR V3m (tie)
2. Palm Treo 650
3. Blackberry RIM 8830 World Edition
4. Palm Treo 700p
5. LG Chocolate VX8550
6. HTC 8125
7. LG enV2 VX9100
8. Motorola RAZR V3
9. Samsung Alias SCH-U740

In non-cell phone news, a huge leap for the iBook, coming out of nowhere to grab the top spot.  Clearly people are getting an early jump on selling their old iBooks to get ready for the new Mac Notebooks:

1. Apple iBook PowerPC G4
2. Dell Notebook
3. Nintendo Wii
4. Apple iPod Mini 1st Generation 4GB
5. Compaq Notebook
6. HP Notebook
7. Sirius Sportster 3 Sirius Satellite Radio
8. IBM Notebook
9. Sony Notebook
10. Sony PSP PlayStation Portable Entertainment Pack

Check back next week to see how the google phone introduction shakes up the rankings.

Another week at Gazelle HQ, another victory for the iPhone!  The 8GB topped the charts for the second week in a row.  A few of the other usual suspects made the list, Razr, Chocolate, Treo etc.  But the big mover of the week goes to the Samsung SGH-T439, from unranked all the way to #5!  Where did that come from?  Maybe people upgrading to the Shadow?  We also had a Blackberry Pearl sighting.  Check out the top 10 cell phones sold to us this week:

1. Apple iPhone 8GB
2. Motorola RAZR V3
3. Palm Treo 650
4. LG Chocolate VX8500
5. Samsung SGH-T439
6. Motorola RAZR V3m
7. Nokia 6019I
8. Blackberry RIM Pearl 8100
9. Motorola Razr V3c
10. LG Rumor LX260

In the non-cell phone world, the ipod dominated the list, and Toshiba Laptop fell off the map, from #1 to unranked:

1. Apple iPod Classic 5th Generation 30GB
2. Apple iPod Mini 1st Generation 4GB
3. Dell Notebook
4. Microsoft Zune 30GB Digital Multimedia Device
5. Nintendo DS Lite Console
6. Apple iPod Classic 4th Generation 20GB
7. Apple iPod Nano 2nd Generation 4GB
8. Apple iPod Nano 3rd Generation 8GB
9. Compaq Notebook
10. HP Notebook

Can the iPhone hold on for a third straight week?  Tune in next Friday…

This week was no different than any other, in that lots of people sold us lots of stuff.  So what item topped the list?  Drum roll please….The Apple iPhone 8GB! Apparently some people are a little late on their upgrade to the 3G.  Here’s the top 10 cell phones sold to us this week.  Looks like it’s dominated by Razrs and Chocolates:

1. Apple iPhone 8GB
2. Motorola RAZR V3m
3. Motorola RAZR V3
4. LG Chocolate VX8500
5. LG enV VX9900
6. Palm Treo 650
7. LG VX6100
8. LG VX8300
9. Motorola Razr V3c
10. LG Chocolate VX8550

What about the other stuff we got this week besides cell phones?  Laptops and MP3 Players led the way:

1. Toshiba Notebook
2. Apple iPod Classic 5th Generation 30GB
3. Dell Notebook
4. Sony PSP PlayStation Portable Entertainment Pack
5. Microsoft Zune 80G
6. Nintendo Gameboy Advance SP
7. Compaq Notebook
8. Sony FD Mavica MVC-FD75 Camera
9. Apple iPod Mini 1st Generation 4GB
10. Apple iPod Nano 3rd Generation 8GB

Check back next week to see if the iPhone can hold onto the #1 spot…

Today  Rick, our Operations Manager shares some stories about what goes on once gadgets get to Gazelle.

“Your company seems OK, but how do I know I am getting an honest inspection of my item?” This is an honest question many potential customers of Gazelle ask themselves.   I know that this type of question might hold you back from sending your gadget to Gazelle, so today I’ll try to put your fears to rest with a few examples of how your items are handled once they arrive at Gazelle headquarters. Most folks don’t realize that there is a potential for many models to be similar to one another, but have very different values. It takes a trained eye to spot the differences, and that’s where the Gazelle Inspections Team comes in.  Our staff has handled tens of thousands of different items.     We’re not just passing items through an assembly line; we actually love this stuff.  We capture product specifications in our database for future reference, and we gather around each other’s screen when something new and notable comes in the door. The first step during our inspection process is to verify that the model is correct.  This step can catch mistakes that actually end of being a monetary gain in your favor.  For example, Jenna from NJ sent in what she thought was a Sharp T-Mobile SideKick ID when in fact it was a Sharp T-Mobile SideKick LX.  Simple mistake you say, but this resulted in an offer increase from $62 to $114.  That’s an increase of 83%!  I would say Jenna was pleasantly pleased with the increase.  She, of course is not alone.  If you can figure out the difference from one iPod to the next feel free to send us a resume.  Take Brian from Texas.  He sent us his 30GB iPod Classic 5th Generation and waited for his check of $51 to arrive.  I wish I could have seen Brians expression when he opened his check and it was for $103 that is an increase of 101%.  During the inspection process our Gazelle inspector discovered it was actually an 80GB iPod Classic 6th Generation.  These are simply 2 of the examples from the same week in which an offer was changed in a way that resulted in a happy customer. It’s just a couple of examples, but the point is that every item is carefully inspected with the customer’s best interest in mind.  So come on, finish that cup of coffee, get back to Gazelle.com and put some cash in your pocket.  Lisa from Seattle just got 86% more than she expected for her Dell Axim X30 Pocket PC.  That can be you.

“Do you really take the time to actually inspect my item?” Absolutely.  Each item is given a full inspection by a human being who takes the time to review each item as though it were their own.  At times this care has resulted in an unexpected gain for a customer.  Take for instance David from New York.  He sent us his Apple iPod Mini 1st Generation 4 GB that David claimed wouldn’t power on and he was doing the Green-thing to have Gazelle recycle the item properly.  One of our inspectors with a keen eye noticed the iPod did turn on and gave it a clean bill of health.  Not only was this iPod prevented from getting prematurely sent to a recycler, but environmentally conscious Dave ended up with a little green in his pocket — $26.  Now that must leave most of you green (had to do it) with envy over Dave’s financial gain.  Go ahead, find that old digital camera, get back that iPod from your cousin and send it Gazelle.

The Forrester Groundswell Awards honors excellent and effective use of social technologies to advance an organizational or corporate goal. The award categories – Listening, Talking, Energizing, Supporting, Embracing, Managing and Social Impact – are based on the ideas laid out by the book. Groundswell was written by Forrester analysts, Charlene Li and Josh Bernoff. Based on consumer data and case studies from dozens of large and small companies, Groundswell takes a look at the permanent, long-lasting shift in the way that the world works. The awards began in 2007, prior to the book’s release on April 21, 2008.

We’re entering the competition this year in the ‘Social Impact’ category.

Entry Description:

Second Rotation is the company behind Gazelle, a Web-based service making a social impact by encouraging consumers to sell or recycle their unwanted consumer electronics in exchange for cash. Consumers first answer a few questions about their gadget’s condition, then Gazelle determines an offer by aggregating data from popular online consumer marketplaces like eBay and running algorithms against the current market price. If the offer is accepted, Gazelle provides consumers with a prepaid shipping label and free box. Once Gazelle receives the gadget and confirms its condition, consumers receive their payment via check or PayPal or can donate the value to charity. Gazelle ensures that gadgets with no resale value are recycled responsibly. To put things into perspective, a Gadgets for Gas widget shows consumers how they can subsidize high gas prices just by cleaning out their closets (e.g. a Motorola Razor equals 5.2 gallons of gas).

Goals:

Second Rotation’s business goal is to promote reCommerce, which is a new green approach to selling. This economic model was created to reward both consumers and businesses for prolonging the lifecycle of a product. The Gazelle service provides a free and simple way for consumers to get fast and fair offers for gadgets that they no longer use or need, supporting the products’ reintroduction into the consumer consumption cycle more efficiently.  If a gadget no longer possesses any resale market value, Second Rotation promotes responsible recycling by shepherding the item into the appropriate channel free of charge. This model provides a no-risk, economically rewarding outlet for consumers who are intimidated by the complexities of peer-to-peer selling or recycling options. So far, Gazelle is making a social impact by preventing tens of thousands of consumers from dumping over 5 tons of potential electronic waste into landfills

The site came out of a 12 month beta on 7/28/08 and is open to the public.

South by Southwest Interactive is an amazing event. In their own words:

The SXSW Interactive Festival features five days of exciting panel content and amazing parties. Attracting digital creatives as well as visionary technology entrepreneurs, the event celebrates the best minds and the brightest personalities of emerging technology. Whether you are a hard-core geek, a dedicated content creator, a new media entrepreneur, or just someone who likes being around an extremely creative community, SXSW Interactive is for you!

We’ve thrown our hat in the ring to host a couple of panel sessions this year, but we need your help. Please take a moment to cast a vote for us on the SXSW Panel Picker site.

The first session is called Being Green on Your Own Terms. Reversing the trend of our deteriorating environment will take a sea change, but how much are people willing to sacrifice? This panel will explore and promote emerging services that make a positive contribution towards “going green” without asking consumers to radically change their lifestyle. Providing a practical way for individuals to each do their part towards a collectively huge outcome is what Gazelle is all about, so we’d be thrilled to have the opportunity to lead this discussion.

The second proposed session is a bit more business focused. It’s called Challenges and Solutions Surrounding Dynamic Pricing Structures. For anyone who asks “so, what happens to all the stuff I sell to you?”, this session will provide some tactical details about how we promote reuse with the best of the gadgets we buy.

Sound like something you’d be interested in? Then let the folks at SXSW know by voting today!

This week, the development team here that created Gazelle.com received a new mascot, sent to us by a fellow Boston area developer to congratulate us on our successful launch. We’d like to thank Wyatt Greene of MakeMeSustainable.com, another cool “green” company who is helping people realize an environmentally responsible and economically rewarding future. Their site also uses our current platform of choice, Ruby on Rails.

We had another exciting week, with a huge spike in traffic due to a Yahoo/US News and World Report link and a nice mention on the Today Show. We’d like to thank our hosting provider, EngineYard who helped us ramp up our capacity on short notice.

Finally, I’d like to give a well deserved shout out to our development team. They worked their butts off for the site launch and continue to keep gazelle.com running smoothly. Thanks to: Jason Wadsworth, our software architect, Kevin Kardian, our data architect, Graham Babbit, our front-end web developer, Dan Pickett, our director of engineering, Catherine Headen, our graphic designer, and Thos Niles, our product manager. We also had help from Brian Kaney and Eastern Suns with code development and Robin Dratch led QA efforts and managed a world-wide fleet of testers via our testing partner, uTest.  The team worked hard and smart and saw the sunrise on several marathon coding sessions that allowed us to launch on time with minimal downtime. What a team!

Gazelle.com also brought to you by: Lemmy, Radio Paradise, Red Bull, Moxie, the Upper Crust, and habenero hot sauce from Casa de Pedro.