"The spare market is unpredictable and can often reach saturation and the retail environment doesn´t favour older handsets" explained Vodafone liquidation manager Simon Griffiths.
According to the network the decision has had unprecedented success. Sales recoup 60 to 70 per cent of a handset´s cost price as apposed to an average of 30 per cent using traditional selling channels.
"We really needed to initiate a new way to move these less fashionable handsets quickly with maximum returns" said Griffiths.
"The reserve price on eBay means we´re guaranteed to achieve a minimum price online. And subsequent use of the handset provides us with another revenue stream in airtime usage."
Logistics is being handled by Marketworks in conjunction with Royal Mail.
Marketworks international vice-president Kyle Antcliff said: "Vodafone was looking for a new and effective cost-recovery solution for its end-of-line handsets. The outsourced Marketworks/ Royal Mail solution using eBay has achieved excellent results with up to 3000 handsets a week being sold directly to consumers through this new channel."

It has also appointed Simon Button formerly of Australian consumer electronics company Voxson as chief technical officer. Voxson specialises in GSM handset design hardware and software development.
Newing and Button will focus on marketing and product delivery of Benefon´s TWIG brand. Both roles report to Benefon CEO Jonathan Bate.
Newing was responsible for BenQ´s marketing strategy throughout western Europe. He will oversee Benefon´s regional marketing activities.
"Jeremy will help us win our planned market share in each region" said Bate. "Simon will implement our product roadmap over the next two years. They will secure the success of TWIG."

The promotion is available to both pre-pay and contract users whether they are new or existing customers.
Customers who join Virgin Mobile will get a nominated allowance of 1000 free text messages a month to other Virgin Mobile users.
Existing customers will also be able to take advantage of the offer. As all their on-net SMS messages will be free their existing text bundles will be applied to cross-network messages only.
Virgin Mobile sales and marketing director Graeme Hutchinson said: "This offer rewards every customer. Our customers are going to be the most social mobile phone users in Britain this summer."
The promotion is supported by a print and outdoor advertising campaign.
Virgin Mobile currently has 4.34 million customers.

The initiative encourages people to shoot everyday experiences and share them with the Nseries online community.
Nokia vice president for sales and channel management Mads Winblad said: "It´s an opportunity to explore the camcorder part of the N93 so people can start to be their own movie stars."
There will be competitions on the site to encourage usage.
Winblad added: "We want to create an experience that allows the consumer to see what they are capable of producing on their multimedia devices."
Oldman is shooting mobile videos for the web site based on the theme open your eyes´.
He said: "I am fascinated by the potential of mobile video devices. They allow us to catch the fleeting moments we observe in our daily lives and share them as they happen. The possibilities for film-making are endless."
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Traders are hoping to bring claims against Customs for withholding VAT repayments and causing damages such as cashflow interruptions and consequent loss of profits fees incurred in seeking professional advice financing costs and costs for liquidations.
The High Court issued a preliminary ruling that these claims should be grouped together under a group litigation order (GLO).
London legal firm DLA Piper has been appointed by the High Court as lead solicitors to administer the GLO.
Customs claims that a total of 157 traders have had VAT withheld.
Michael Anderson an associate at DLA Piper said: "There are at least that many potential claimants out there. Whether they all have the appetite to bring damages claims is of course a different matter."
DLA Piper is currently agreeing the terms of the GLO with Customs before seeking final approval.
After that at least one claim will go forward as a test case with the other claimants sharing the costs of litigation. It is likely that there will be a cut-off date for traders to join the GLO.
A Customs spokesman said: "HM Revenue & Customs did not act unreasonably and we will rigorously contest any claims for damages and/or compensation.
"It is part of HMRC´s responsibilities in the care and management of tax to undertake legitimate verifications of VAT claims prior to payment. These claims total many millions in an area of significant fraud. We would be failing in our duties to taxpayers in general if we did not take adequate steps to ensure traders were entitled to this money before we repaid it."

The advert dubbed Silk´ focuses on core areas of mobile TV music and Internet services. The company describes it as having a ´50s Americana feel.
"The ad features two lovers entwined in a stream of silk that binds them together on their separate journeys emphasising the communication strand in 3´s strategy" the company said.
The ad first aired on May 1.
3 marketing director Graeme Oxby said: "This campaign communicates 3´s offer to a broad audience in a distinctive 3 style."

The MVNO will have a presence across Comet´s entire 250 store estate. Easy will be offering the Nokia 2600 for £4.99 if bought with £30 airtime. EasyMobile sales and marketing director Mike Lewis said: "This is only the latest part of our ongoing roll-out of the brand across retail distribution."

Kidner has been involved in the development of Airwave the nationwide digital TETRA network for the UK emergency services since its inception in 1994.
Kidner takes over from John Cox who is retiring.

The move is part of a wider strategy to differentiate the Nseries from ordinary mobile phones which includes selling the devices through other channels including specialised camera and music stores.
Nokia vice-president of sales and channel management Mads Winblad commented on the move at the Nseries conference in Berlin.
"We are now standing in the middle of a transition of change for retail" he said. "We cannot sell these devices as mobile phones because they offer so much more."
Winblad said the devices "need to be played and experimented with in store so people can really hear the quality of music and see how clear the photos are."
He called on retailers to create dedicated sections in store specifically for what he termed these "multimedia computers".
He also explained Nokia´s plan for the Nseries to be sold through specialist retail shops such as camera stores.
"From day one we will be selling the Nseries through independent channels. That way we can roll the handsets out quicker without relying on the old pattern of network testing before the mobile stores decide to stock them."
Winblad added. "We are hoping to implement this strategy in the next 12 to 18 months."
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His remit will be to develop new channels to market for the company´s new stereo headsets and help manage the growth of the company´s existing mono headset portfolio.
Toms will report to Jabra UK and Ireland country manager Andrew Doyle and will play a key role in managing the company´s relationships with its current partners including high street retail and network accounts.
He spent the past 11 years in sales and was previously national account manager at O2 where he managed the indirect business channel relationship with 4U Business.