Summary of Significant Accounting Policies | Note 2 – Summary of Significant Accounting Policies Basis of Presentation The accompanying consolidated financial statements have been prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (“GAAP”). Principals of Consolidation The accompanying consolidated financial statements include the accounts of uSell and its wholly-owned subsidiaries. All significant intercompany balances and transactions have been eliminated in consolidation. Segment Information Operating segments are identified as components of an enterprise about which separate discrete financial information is available for evaluation by the chief operating decision maker, or decision-making group, in making decisions on how to allocate resources and assess performance. The Company’s chief operating decision maker is its Chief Executive Officer. The Company and its Chief Executive Officer view the Company’s operations and manage its business as one operating segment. Use of Estimates The preparation of consolidated financial statements in conformity with GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the consolidated financial statements and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting period. Making estimates requires management to exercise significant judgment. It is at least reasonably possible that the estimate of the effect of a condition, situation or set of circumstances that existed at the date of the consolidated financial statements, which management considered in formulating its estimate, could change in the near term due to one or more future confirming events. Accordingly, the actual results could differ significantly from these estimates. Cash and Cash Equivalents All highly liquid investments with an original maturity of 90 days or less when purchased are considered to be cash equivalents. Cash equivalents are stated at cost, which approximates market value. Cash equivalents generally consist of money market accounts. Accounts Receivable Accounts receivable represent obligations from the Company’s customers and are recorded net of allowances for cash discounts, doubtful accounts, and sales returns. The Company’s policy is to reserve for uncollectible accounts based on its best estimate of the amount of probable credit losses in its existing accounts receivable. The Company periodically reviews its accounts receivable to determine whether an allowance for doubtful accounts is necessary based on an analysis of past due accounts and other factors that may indicate that the realization of an account may be in doubt. Account balances deemed to be uncollectible are charged to the allowance after all means of collection have been exhausted and the potential for recovery is considered remote. The allowance for doubtful accounts was $0 and $1,600 at December 31, 2017 and 2016, respectively. Inventory, net Inventory, comprised of all finished goods, is stated at the lower of cost (average cost method) or net realizable value. Inventory is recorded net of allowances. Allowances for slow-moving or obsolete inventory are provided based on historical experience of a variety of factors, including sales volume, product life and levels of inventory at the end of the period. The provision for slow-moving for inventory amounted to $170,000 and $115,000 for the years ended December 31, 2017 and 2016, respectively, Substantially all of the Company’s inventory purchases are paid for before inventory is received in the Company’s warehouse. Prepaid inventory amounted to approximately $474,000 and $221,000 at December 31, 2017 and 2016, respectively, and is included in inventory, net in the accompanying consolidated balance sheets. Property and Equipment Property and equipment represent costs associated with leasehold improvements, software, and computer and office equipment. Property and equipment is stated at cost less accumulated depreciation and amortization. Depreciation on property and equipment is calculated on the straight-line basis over the estimated useful lives of the related assets, which typically range from three to five years. Leasehold improvements are amortized over the shorter of the estimated useful lives or the remaining lease term. Maintenance and repairs are expensed as incurred; expenditures that enhance the value of property or extend their useful lives are capitalized. When assets are sold or returned, the cost and related accumulated depreciation are removed from the accounts and the resulting gain or loss is included in income. Capitalized Technology Costs In accordance with Accounting Standards Codification (“ASC”) 350-40, Internal-Use Software, the Company capitalizes certain external and internal computer software costs incurred during the application development stage. The application development stage generally includes software design and configuration, coding, testing and installation activities. Training and maintenance costs are expensed as incurred, while upgrades and enhancements are capitalized if it is probable that such expenditures will result in additional functionality. Capitalized technology costs are amortized over the estimated useful lives of the software assets on a straight-line basis, generally not exceeding three years. Goodwill and Intangible Assets The Company accounts for goodwill and intangible assets in accordance with ASC 350, Intangibles – Goodwill and Other (“ASC 350”). ASC 350 requires that goodwill and other intangibles with indefinite lives be tested for impairment annually or on an interim basis if events or circumstances indicate that the fair value of an asset has decreased below its carrying value. Goodwill is tested for impairment at the reporting unit level (operating segment or one level below an operating segment) on an annual basis (December 31 for the Company) and between annual tests if an event occurs or circumstances change that would more likely than not reduce the fair value of a reporting unit below its carrying value. Among other relevant events and circumstances that affect the fair value of reporting units, the Company considers individual factors such as macroeconomic conditions, changes in the Company’s industry and the markets in which the Company operates, as well as the Company’s historical and expected future financial performance. Prior to January 1, 2017, when conducting its annual goodwill impairment assessment, the Company initially performed a qualitative evaluation of whether it is more likely than not that goodwill was impaired. If it was determined by a qualitative evaluation that it was more likely than not that goodwill was impaired, the Company then applied a two-step impairment test. The two-step impairment test first compared the fair value of the Company’s reporting unit to its carrying or book value. If the fair value of the reporting unit exceeded its carrying value, goodwill was not impaired and the Company was not required to perform further testing. If the carrying value of the reporting unit exceeded its fair value, the Company determined the implied fair value of the reporting unit’s goodwill and if the carrying value of the reporting unit’s goodwill exceeded its implied fair value, then an impairment loss equal to the difference was recorded in the consolidated statements of operations. Effective January 1, 2017, the Company prospectively adopted the provisions of ASU 2017-04, “Intangibles - Goodwill and Other (Topic 350): Simplifying the Test for Goodwill Impairment” (“ASU 2017-04”). ASU 2017-04 eliminates the second step of the goodwill impairment test. Therefore, for goodwill impairment tests occurring after January 1, 2017, if the carrying value of a reporting unit exceeds its fair value, the Company will measure any goodwill impairment losses as the amount by which the carrying amount of a reporting unit exceeds its fair value, not to exceed the total amount of goodwill allocated to that reporting unit. The valuation of fair value for reporting units is determined based on a discounted future cash flow model that uses six years of projected cash flows and a terminal value based on growth assumptions. Rates used to discount cash flows are dependent upon interest rates and the cost of capital based on the Company’s industry and capital structure, adjusted for equity and size risk premiums based on market capitalization. Estimates of future cash flows are dependent on the Company’s knowledge and experience about past and current events and assumptions about conditions expected to exist, including long-term growth rates, capital requirements and useful lives. The Company’s estimates of cash flows are also based on historical and future operating performance, economic conditions and actions the Company expects to take. In making its assessments of fair value, the Company relies on its knowledge and experience about past and current events and assumptions about conditions expected to exist in the future. These assumptions are based on a number of factors, including future operating performance, economic conditions, actions the Company expects to take and present value techniques. There are inherent uncertainties related to these factors and management’s judgment in applying them to the analysis of goodwill impairment. It is possible that assumptions underlying the impairment analysis will change in such a manner that impairment in value may occur in the future. As a result of recurring and projected operating losses, the Company undertook a review of the carrying amount of its goodwill as of December 31, 2017. The Company performed its review based on both qualitative and quantitative factors and determined that the carrying value of the Company’s reporting unit exceeded its fair value. Accordingly, the Company recorded a goodwill impairment charge of $8,449,000 in the accompanying consolidated statement of operations for the year ended December 31, 2017. Intangible assets represent customer relationships and trade names/trademarks related to We Sell Cellular. Finite lived assets are amortized on a straight-line basis over the estimated useful lives of the assets. Indefinite lived intangible assets are not amortized, but instead are subject to annual impairment evaluation. The Company periodically reviews the carrying values of its intangible assets and other long-lived assets when events or changes in circumstances indicate that it is more likely than not that their carrying values may exceed their fair values, and records an impairment charge when considered necessary. When circumstances indicate that an impairment of value may have occurred, the Company tests such assets for recoverability by comparing the estimated undiscounted future cash flows expected to result from the use of such assets and their eventual disposition to their carrying amounts. If the undiscounted future cash flows are less than the carrying amount of the asset, an impairment loss, measured as the excess of the carrying amount of the asset over its estimated fair value, is recognized. The cash flow estimates used in such calculations are based on estimates and assumptions, using all available information that management believes is reasonable. Fair value, for purposes of calculating impairment, is measured based on estimated future cash flows, discounted at a market rate of interest. During the years ended December 31, 2017 and 2016, the Company noted no indicators of impairment. Debt Issue Costs Debt issuance costs incurred in connection with the Company’s debt are capitalized and amortized as interest expense over the term of the related debt. In accordance with Accounting Standards Update (“ASU”) No. 2015-03, “Interest—Imputation of Interest,” the Company presents debt issuance costs as a reduction from the carrying amount of debt. Convertible Instruments The Company reviews all of its convertible instruments for the existence of an embedded conversion feature which may require bifurcation, if certain criteria are met. These criteria include circumstances in which: a) The economic characteristics and risks of the embedded derivative instrument are not clearly and closely related to the economic characteristics and risks of the host contract, b) The hybrid instrument that embodies both the embedded derivative instrument and the host contract is not remeasured at fair value under otherwise applicable GAAP with changes in fair value reported in earnings as they occur, and c) A separate instrument with the same terms as the embedded derivative instrument would be considered a derivative instrument subject to certain requirements (except for when the host instrument is deemed to be conventional). A bifurcated derivative financial instrument may be required to be recorded at fair value and adjusted to market at each reporting period end date. In addition, the Company may be required to classify certain stock equivalents issued in connection with the underlying debt instrument as derivative liabilities. For convertible instruments that the Company has determined should not be bifurcated from their host instruments, the Company records discounts to convertible notes for the intrinsic value of conversion options embedded in debt instruments based upon the differences between the fair value of the underlying common stock at the commitment date of the note transaction and the effective conversion price embedded in the note. Debt discounts under these arrangements are amortized over the term of the related debt to their earliest date of redemption. Also when necessary, the Company records deemed dividends for the intrinsic value of conversion options embedded in preferred shares based upon the differences between the fair value of the underlying common stock at the commitment date of the financing transaction and the effective conversion price embedded in the preferred shares. Finally, if necessary, the Company will determine the existence of liquidated damage provisions. Liquidated damage provisions are not marked to market, but evaluated based upon the probability that a related liability should be recorded. Common Stock Purchase Warrants and Derivative Financial Instruments The Company reviews any common stock purchase warrants and other freestanding derivative financial instruments at each balance sheet date and classifies them on the consolidated balance sheet as: a) Equity if they (i) require physical settlement or net-share settlement, or (ii) gives the Company a choice of net-cash settlement or settlement in its own shares (physical settlement or net-share settlement), or b) Assets or liabilities if they (i) require net-cash settlement (including a requirement to net cash settle the contract if an event occurs and if that event is outside the Company’s control), or (ii) give the counterparty a choice of net-cash settlement or settlement in shares (physical settlement or net-share settlement). The Company assesses classification of its common stock purchase warrants and other freestanding derivatives at each reporting date to determine whether a change in classification between assets and liabilities is required. The Company determined that its outstanding common stock purchase warrants satisfied the criteria for classification as equity instruments at December 31, 2017 and 2016. Revenue Recognition Revenue is recognized when all of the following conditions exist: (1) persuasive evidence of an arrangement exists, (2) delivery has occurred, (3) the sales price is fixed or determinable, and (4) collectability is reasonably assured. Principal Device Revenue The Company, through We Sell Cellular, generates revenue from the sales of its cellular telephones and related equipment. The Company recognizes revenue “FOB shipping point” on such sales. Delivery to the customer is deemed to have occurred when the customer takes title to the product. Generally, title passes to the customer when the products leave the Company’s warehouse. Payment terms generally require payment once an order is placed. The Company allows customers to return product within 30 days of shipment if the product is defective. Allowances for product returns are recorded as a reduction of sales at the time revenue is recognized based on historical data. The estimate of the allowance for product returns amounted to approximately $267,000 and $130,000 at December 31, 2017 and 2016, respectively, and is recorded in accrued expenses in the accompanying consolidated balance sheets. Agent Commission Revenue Sellers on the Company’s uSell.com website are shown a list of offers from third party buyers interested in purchasing their devices. If a seller chooses one of these offers, the seller will ship their device directly to the buyer. The buyer is then responsible for testing the device, servicing the customer, and ultimately paying the seller for the device or returning it. The Company charges a commission to the buyers only when the seller sends in a device and is successfully paid for it. As such, the Company recognizes Agent Commission Revenue upon payment to the seller. Fulfillment Revenue The Company offers fulfillment services on behalf of its buyers for the items sold using the Agent Commission Revenue approach outlined above. The Company acts as the agent in these fulfillment services transactions, passing orders booked by its buyers to its third party fulfillment vendor, who then assembles the kits and mails them directly to the sellers. The Company earns a standard fee from its buyers and recognizes revenue upon shipment of the kits to the sellers. The Company evaluated the presentation of revenue on a gross versus net basis and determined that since the Company performs as an agent without assuming the risks and rewards of ownership of the goods, revenue should be reported on a net basis. Advertising Revenue Advertising revenues primarily come from payments for text-based sponsored links and display advertisements. Generally, the Company’s advertisers pay the Company on a cost per click, or CPC basis, which means advertisers pay only when someone clicks on one of their advertisements, or on a cost per thousand impression basis, or CPM. Paying on a CPM basis means that advertisers pay the Company based on the number of times their advertisements appear on the Company’s websites or mobile applications. Advertising revenue is recognized as income when the advertising services are rendered. Deferred revenue represents amounts billed to customers or payments received from customers prior to providing services and for which the related revenue recognition criteria have not been met. Shipping and Handling Costs The Company follows the provisions of ASC Topic 605-45 regarding shipping and handling costs. Shipping and handling costs included in cost of revenue were approximately $566,000 and $519,000 for the years ended December 31, 2017 and 2016, respectively. Advertising Advertising costs are expensed as they are incurred and are included in sales and marketing expenses. Advertising expense amounted to approximately $41,000 and $50,000 for the years ended December 31, 2017 and 2016, respectively. Share-Based Payment Arrangements The Company accounts for stock options in accordance with ASC 718, “Compensation - Stock Compensation.” ASC 718 requires generally that all equity awards be accounted for at their “fair value.” This fair value is measured on the grant date for stock-settled awards, and at subsequent exercise or settlement for cash-settled awards. Fair value is equal to the underlying value of the stock for “full-value” awards such as restricted stock and performance shares, and is estimated using an option-pricing model with traditional inputs for “appreciation” awards such as stock options and stock appreciation rights. Costs equal to these fair values are recognized ratably over the requisite service period based on the number of awards that are expected to vest, or in the period of grant for awards that vest immediately and have no future service condition. For awards that vest over time, cumulative adjustments in later periods are recorded to the extent actual forfeitures differ from the Company’s initial estimates: previously recognized compensation cost is reversed if the service or performance conditions are not satisfied and the award is forfeited. The expense resulting from share-based payments is recorded in general and administrative expense in the accompanying consolidated statements of operations. Subsequent modifications to outstanding awards result in incremental cost if the fair value is increased as a result of the modification. Thus, a value-for-value stock option repricing or exchange of awards in conjunction with an equity restructuring does not result in additional compensation cost. Income Taxes The Company complies with the accounting and reporting requirements of ASC Topic 740, “Income Taxes,” which requires an asset and liability approach to financial accounting and reporting for income taxes. Deferred income tax assets and liabilities are computed for differences between the financial statement and tax bases of assets and liabilities that will result in future taxable or deductible amounts, based on enacted tax laws and rates applicable to the periods in which the differences are expected to affect taxable income. Valuation allowances are established, when necessary, to reduce deferred tax assets to the amount expected to be realized. ASC Topic 740 prescribes a recognition threshold and a measurement attribute for the financial statement recognition and measurement of tax positions taken or expected to be taken in a tax return. For those benefits to be recognized, a tax position must be more-likely-than-not to be sustained upon examination by taxing authorities. There were no unrecognized tax benefits as of December 31, 2017. The Company is currently not aware of any issues under review that could result in significant payments, accruals or material deviation from its position. The Company may be subject to potential income tax examinations by federal or state authorities. These potential examinations may include questioning the timing and amount of deductions, the nexus of income among various tax jurisdictions and compliance with federal and state tax laws. Management does not expect that the total amount of unrecognized tax benefits will materially change over the next twelve months. The Company’s policy for recording interest and penalties associated with audits is to record such expense as a component of income tax expense. There were no amounts accrued for penalties or interest as of December 31, 2017. On December 22, 2017 the U.S. Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 (“Tax Reform”) was signed into law. As a result of Tax Reform, the U.S. statutory tax rate was lowered from 35% to 21% effective January 1, 2018, among other changes. ASC Topic 740 requires companies to recognize the effect of tax law changes in the period of enactment; therefore, the Company was required to revalue its deferred tax assets and liabilities at December 31, 2017 at the new rate. The SEC issued Staff Accounting Bulletin No. 118 (“SAB 118”) to address the application of GAAP in situations when a registrant does not have the necessary information available, prepared, or analyzed (including computations) in reasonable detail to complete the accounting for certain tax effects of Tax Reform. The ultimate impact may differ from this provisional amount, possibly materially, as a result of additional analysis, changes in interpretations and assumptions the Company has made, additional regulatory guidance that may be issued, and actions the Company may take as a result of Tax Reform. Concentration of Credit Risk Financial instruments that potentially subject the Company to concentrations of credit risk consist primarily of cash and accounts receivable. The Company minimizes credit risk associated with cash by periodically evaluating the credit quality of its primary financial institutions. At times, the Company’s cash may be uninsured or in deposit accounts that exceed the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (“FDIC”) insurance limit. At December 31, 2017 and 2016, the Company had not experienced losses on these accounts and management believes the Company is not exposed to significant risks on such accounts. Concentrations of credit risk with respect to accounts receivables is minimal due to the large number of customers comprising the Company’s customer base and generally short payment terms. Fair Value of Financial Instruments Financial instruments, including cash and cash equivalents, accounts receivable and accounts payable are carried at cost, which management believes approximates fair value due to the short-term nature of these instruments. The fair value of debt approximates its carrying amounts as a market rate of interest is attached to the repayment. Net Loss per Share Basic loss per share (“EPS”) is computed by dividing net loss available to common stockholders by the weighted average number of common shares outstanding during the period, excluding the effects of any potentially dilutive securities. Diluted EPS gives effect to all dilutive potential of shares of common stock outstanding during the period, including stock options and warrants, using the treasury stock method, and convertible debt or convertible preferred stock, using the if-converted method. Diluted EPS excludes all dilutive potential of shares of common stock if their effect is anti-dilutive. The computation of diluted EPS excludes the common stock equivalents of the following potentially dilutive securities because their inclusion would be anti-dilutive: Year Ended December 31, 2017 2016 Unvested Restricted Stock 113,334 226,666 Vested and Unvested Restricted Stock Units 493,020 743,020 Stock Warrants 797,083 801,250 Stock Options 482,000 434,998 1,885,437 2,205,934 Recent Accounting Pronouncements In May 2014, the Financial Accounting Standard Board (the “FASB”) issued ASU No. 2014-09, “Revenue from Contracts with Customers” (“ASU 2014-09”). ASU 2014-09 provides guidance for revenue recognition and affects any entity that either enters into contracts with customers to transfer goods or services or enters into contracts for the transfer of nonfinancial assets and supersedes the revenue recognition requirements in Topic 605, “Revenue Recognition,” and most industry-specific guidance. The core principle of ASU 2014-09 is the recognition of revenue when a company transfers promised goods or services to customers in an amount that reflects the consideration to which the company expects to be entitled to in exchange for those goods or services. ASU 2014-09 defines a five-step process to achieve this core principle and, in doing so, companies will need to use more judgment and make more estimates than under the current guidance. These may include identifying performance obligations in the contract, estimating the amount of variable consideration to include in the transaction price and allocating the transaction price to each separate performance obligation. ASU 2014-09 was initially effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2016 and interim periods therein, using either of the following transition methods: (i) a full retrospective approach reflecting the application of the standard in each prior reporting period with the option to elect certain practical expedients, or (ii) a retrospective approach with the cumulative effect of initially adopting ASU 2014-09 recognized at the date of adoption (which includes additional footnote disclosures). Early adoption is not permitted. The Company will adopt the standard on January 1, 2018 using the modified retrospective transition method. The Company completed its detailed review of its revenue recognition methods to determine necessary adjustments to existing accounting policies and procedures and to support an evaluation of the standard’s impact on its consolidated financial statements and disclosures included within the notes to the consolidated financial statements. Based on reviews performed, the Company concluded that its revenues will not be materially impacted by the implementation of this guidance. In February 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-02, “Leases” (“ASU 2016-02”). In September 2017, the FASB issued ASU 2017-13, “Revenue Recognition (Topic 605), Revenue from Contracts with Customers (Topic 606), Leases (Topic 840), and Leases (Topic 842)”, which provides additional implementation guidance on the previously issued ASU 2016-02. ASU 2016-02 increases transparency and comparability among organizations by reporting lease assets and lease liabilities, both finance (capital) and operating leases, on the balance sheet and disclosing key information about leasing arrangements. Public business entities should apply the amendments in ASU 2016-02 for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2018, including interim periods within those fiscal years. Early application is permitted upon issuance. Lessees (for capital and operating leases) and lessors (for sales-type, direct financing, and operating leases) must apply a modified retrospective transition approach for leases existing at, or entered into after, the beginning of the earliest comparative period presented in the financial statements. The modified retrospective approach would not require any transition accounting for leases that expired before the earliest comparative period presented. Lessees and lessors may not apply a full retrospective transition approach. The Company is currently evaluating the impact of the new guidance on its consolidated financial statements. In March 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-09, “Compensation - Stock Compensation (Topic 718): Improvements to Employee Share-Based Payment Accounting” (“ASU 2016-09”). ASU 2016-09 was issued as part of the FASB’s simplification initiative and affects all entities that issue share-based payment awards to their employees. The amendments in this update cover such areas as the recognition of excess tax benefits and deficiencies, the classification of those excess tax benefits on the statement of cash flows, an accounting policy election for forfeitures, the amount an employer can withhold to cover income taxes and still qualify for equity classification and the classification of those taxes paid on the statement of cash flows. ASU 2016-09 is effective for annual and interim periods beginning after December 15, 2016. This guidance can be applied either prospectively, retrospectively or using a modified retrospective transition method, depending on the area covered in this update. The Company adopted the methodologies prescribed by ASU 2016-09 as of January 1, 2017. The adoption of ASU 2016-09 did not have a material effect on the Company’s financial position or results of operations. In August 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-15, “Statement of Cash Flows: Clarification of Certain Cash Receipts and Cash Payments” (“ASU 2016-15”), which eliminates the diversity in practice related to the classification of certain cash receipts and payments in the statement of cash flows, by adding or clarifying guidance on eight specific cash flow issues: debt prepayment or debt extinguishment costs; settlement of zero-coupon debt instruments or other debt instruments with coupon interest rates that are insignificant in relation to the effective interest rate of the borrowing; contingent consideration payments made after a business combination; proceeds from the settlement of insurance claims; proceeds from the settlement of corporate-owned life insurance policies (including bank-owned life insurance policies); distributions received from equity method investees; beneficial interests in securitization transactions; and separately identifiable cash flows and application of the predominance principle. ASU 206-15 is effective for annual and interim periods beginning after December 15, 2017 and early adoption is permitted. ASU 2016-15 provides for retrospective application for all periods presented. The adoption of ASU 2016-15 is not expected to have a material effect on the Company’s consolidated financial statements. In October 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-16, “Income Taxes (Topic 740)” (“ASU 2016-16”), which reduces the complexity in the accounting standards by allowing the recognition of current and deferred income taxes for an intra-entity asset transfer, other than inventory, when the transfer |