Looking for a good way to get rid of all those old computers and electronic devices that you no longer use? How about electronics trade in and recycling services that take your unwanted computers, electronics and gadgets, help you ship them, process them safely, and pay you too? What if you could actually get a few bucks for each of them along with knowing that they were reused or at least disposed of in an ecologically safe manner?
Best Electronics Trade In Services
You’re in luck. There are a growing number of services that can meet your needs. This post will look at 7 gadget trade in and recycling services that take your unwanted computers, electronics and gadgets, help you ship them, process them safely, and pay you too.
One of the best known electronics trade in and recycling services is Gazelle.com where along with giving you some cash for your old cell phone will also take a wide range of other electronics including digital cameras, MP3 players, PDAs, laptops, gaming consoles, GPS devices, camcorders, satellite radios, external hard drives, video games, LCD monitors, movies, Blu-Ray players, desktop computers (Apple only), and calculators.
There are a number of other electronic gadget trade-in and recycling services in addition to Gazelle.com. The devices they accept, how much they pay and how the process your order varies between services. Services to check out include:
BuyMyTronics.com — www.buymytronics.com
EcoNew.com — www.econewonline.com
MyBoneyard.com — http://myboneyard.com
Consumer Electronics Recycling — www.cerecycle.com
YouRenew.com — www.yourenew.com
Nextworth.com — http://nextworth.com
Gazelle.com — www.gazelle.com
Acceptable Gadgets and Payments Will Vary – Shop Around
The electronic devices accepted for payment or recycling varies between the different services as does the amount they are willing to pay. Some services focus on cell phones, MP3 players and other small devices. Others such as Gazelle, My BoneYard and EcoNew will take desktop PCs and monitors. Payments for devices can vary significantly so it is worthwhile to check more than one site if you are looking to maximize your revenue. Remember, not all devices have monetary value. For some devices you may not receive anything more than the knowledge that your device was disposed of in an ecologically safe manner.
How the Gadget Trade-in and Recycling Process Works
So you’ve identified what you want to get rid of, what’s next? First step is to evaluate which service will best meet your needs. This will vary depending on what type of devices you have to trade-in and what a specific trade-in service will pay for it. Here is a general framework of how the process works:
- Device Condition – before you even get online you should determine the condition of your devices that you want to trade-in: does each one turn on? Do you have any necessary power adapters? Do you have any other original accessories that came with each device? What is its condition in terms of scratches, dents, or cracks? Remember that the condition will be evaluated at the other end.
- Answer the online questionnaire – answer the questions for each device to assess the particular info the trade-in services needs for establishing a price.
- Finalize your list of what you want to sell and what you will be paid and submit it along with your contact and shipping information.
- Determine method of payment – the options for payment can vary by service. Common options include: check, PayPal, charity donation, and gift certificate for a specific merchant.
- Submit your order and wait for the postage paid shipping containers or prepaid shipping labels to arrive. Some services will send you boxes and packaging material, others will send a prepaid shipping label and you provide the packaging.
- Ship your items based on the instructions from the trade-in and recycling service.
Getting Paid for Your Electronics Trade Ins — Yeah!
Once the service gets your items they inspect them to determine if your original assessment of the equipment’s condition is accurate. If it is they send you the agreed upon payment. If there is a discrepancy they will send you an email with the revised price that they are offering. Once everyone agrees, your payment is sent. If an item has no market value they will recycle the device. Most services quote 7 – 10 days to get payment to you once they have received your shipment.
Some Pointers for Locating the Best Service or Deal
Here are a few thoughts for keeping your electronics trade in and recycling process as simple as possible:
- Know the manufacturer and model number for each of your devices.
- For a computer trade-in be sure to know the CPU type and speed and the memory (RAM) installed in the computer.
- Round up any accessories that came with the device. If you have the original box that can be a plus.
- Be accurate in how you assess the physical condition of the device. Services will decrease your payment if the device they receive doesn’t resemble what you had described.
- If you have several different devices consider using two different services to get the best deal.
- Wipe all your personal data off your devices. Most services offer some privacy guarantees but this can vary significantly. If this is a concern, be sure to check on the data privacy policy before shipping your devices.
These services are growing and evolving quickly with new services springing up and existing services expanding the types of devices they will accept. Check the different web sites for the latest info for selecting the service that works best for your collection of unwanted electronics. Happy recycling.
