One broken TV is a household problem. A pallet of them is a trade. If you hold a lot of broken TVs, monitors, laptops or phones, from an office refit, a retailer's returns or a repair shop, you can sell them to recyclers, refurbishers and parts buyers, but only if you describe the lot clearly and check the rules on moving it. This guide covers how to put a lot together, who buys it, what the seller's risks are, and the export rules for sellers in Australia, which we cover because it is the market we have data for. It is written for businesses, repairers and collectors. We give no prices, because we found no reliable source for them, and we say where our evidence stops. ScrapTrade operates a scrap marketplace and does not take ownership of material or act as a broker.
Where the demand is
Search interest is global and fragmented. Autocomplete suggestions for "sell broken tv" include places as different as Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Cape Town, Pretoria, Auckland, Glasgow, London and Toronto, as well as Australian cities. We did not find volume data for most of those markets. In Australia, which Ubersuggest data does cover, "sell broken tv" is searched about 40 times a month and "broken tv" about 480, which suggests a small market for individual sets and a larger one for disposal. Bulk sellers should expect to deal with recyclers and parts buyers, not retail customers.
Step 1: Sort before you list
Buyers price by type and condition, so sort your stock:
- By device type: televisions, monitors, laptops, phones, printers and batteries are different material streams. Keep batteries, especially lithium batteries, out of the pallets and handled separately.
- By condition: working, repairable, parts only, and damaged beyond use. A buyer wants to know which is which.
- By model: repairers pay for known models, so record brands and sizes.
- By packaging: note whether stock is palletised, boxed or loose, and whether it is stacked safely.
Step 2: Describe the lot like a buyer would read it
A listing that gets a reply includes quantity and weight, the types and conditions, the brands and sizes, photographs of the stock and of typical faults, where the goods are, and how they can be collected. Be exact about what is not included. If you cannot say how many sets are working, say so. The ScrapTrade marketplace has an e-waste category, which held 5 of the 72 listings we counted on 4 November 2026, so a clear lot stands out. You can browse the marketplace or create a free account.
Step 3: Know who buys, and what they want
- E-waste recyclers buy lots to dismantle and sort into plastics, glass, circuit boards and metals. Our guide to what happens next is Where Old Electronics Go After You Hand Them In.
- Refurbishers and repairers buy working or repairable units and parts for known models.
- Parts brokers buy boards and panels.
We could not find a directory of buyers or a price list for broken equipment, and we do not publish one.
Step 4: Check the rules before it crosses a border
This is where bulk sellers get caught. According to the Australian Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water (DCCEEW), as summarised in our searches, which we could not open directly:
- Exporting hazardous e-waste from Australia needs a permit under the Hazardous Waste (Regulation of Exports and Imports) Act 1989, subject to listed exceptions.
- From 1 January 2025, the Basel Convention also controls non-hazardous e-waste, so exporting it requires a permit if the importing country controls it under its own law.
- Printed circuit boards are listed as a component that can be separated from whole e-waste, and solder containing lead is among the things that make e-waste hazardous.
- Enforcement is real. DCCEEW reported a Melbourne company that shipped e-waste containing circuit boards to Singapore without a permit, and it was required to bring the container back, dispose of the waste lawfully at its own cost, and pay a fine of A$19,800.
- One granted permit we saw covered waste electrical and electronic components, including circuit boards and lithium-ion batteries, up to 1,600 tonnes.
The department advises contacting the competent authority in the importing and transit countries before exporting, because each may have its own rules. These pages were not opened in full, so confirm current requirements with DCCEEW or your own country's authority. Buyers abroad should do the same on their side. Selling domestically to a recycler avoids the export question, but check your state's rules on landfill and transport.
What the Australian numbers show
Australia's export records include a classification for e-waste. In 2025-26 (provisional), those lines were 4,827 tonnes with a declared value of A$8.1 million, about A$1,670 a tonne. Almost half the tonnes were lead-acid batteries, 2,350 tonnes, and most of the rest were printers and copiers, 2,283 tonnes. Laptops and computers were only 109 tonnes. India took 38.6 percent of the tonnes, China 27.7 percent and South Korea 11.8 percent. These are border declarations and not prices, and the classification covers only part of what leaves the country, as we explain in the guide linked above.
Tips for sellers
- Be honest about condition. A buyer who finds a lot worse than described will not come back.
- Keep records. Note quantities, dates, who you sold to and where it went. In regulated markets you may need them.
- Remove or secure data-bearing devices. Laptops and phones can hold personal data. Check the rules and guidance that apply where you are.
- Do not mix hazards. Batteries, tubes and damaged units need separate handling.
- Ask the buyer for their licence or approvals before you hand over a large lot.
What we could not verify
- What broken electronics sell for. We found no reliable price source.
- Demand in markets outside Australia. We have autocomplete suggestions, not volumes.
- The current export permit rules. We relied on summaries of DCCEEW pages we could not open.
- Other countries' rules. Check yours.
- How many buyers on the marketplace are active in this category.
Frequently asked questions
Can I sell broken TVs in bulk?
Yes, to recyclers, refurbishers or parts buyers, if you sort and describe the lot honestly. Individual sets are rarely worth much.
Do I need a permit to export e-waste?
It depends on whether it is hazardous and on the rules of the importing country. In Australia, a permit is needed to export hazardous e-waste, and the Basel Convention changes from 1 January 2025 extended controls to non-hazardous e-waste. Check before you ship.
Who buys broken electronics?
E-waste recyclers, refurbishers and repairers, and parts brokers. Their needs differ, so describe what you have.
Is there a price list for broken TVs?
We found none, and we publish none. Ask buyers for offers on a described lot.
Sources
- Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water, pages on controlling e-waste exports and on a 2025 enforcement case, as summarised in search results.
- Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water, Waste exports data collation, September 2026 (ABS records), ScrapTrade calculations, e-waste lines.
- Ubersuggest keyword data and autocomplete suggestions, queried November 2026.
- ScrapTrade marketplace listings, counted 4 November 2026.
- ScrapTrade, Where Old Electronics Go After You Hand Them In.
This is general information, not financial or legal advice. Export rules change, so check with the relevant authority. ScrapTrade operates a scrap marketplace and has a commercial interest in the scrap trade.