Toshiba’s ezTrade-in
Source: Tom's Guide | Keywords: ewaste, recycle, phones | Themes: The Internet
4. Toshiba’s ezTrade-in
Toshiba’s ezTrade-in
Much like Greenphone.com, which pays you to send cell phones to it, Toshiba’s ezTrade-in program buys your unwanted technology – but it doesn’t stop at cell phones. Instead, the company will buy video game consoles, monitors, car audio systems and more for relatively fair prices.
Toshiba’s system comprises four parts. First, possible donors need to surf over to the company’s ezTrade-in page and use the product estimator to see if a specific tech toy will qualify for a trade-in. If yours qualifies, you’ll need to register a trade-in account, print a pre-paid label and ship the device to the company’s warehouse, where it will be tested, compared to the condition you said it was in and checked to make sure all of its functions are operational. After testing, the company sends you a check for the value of the gadget. If it’s not operational, Toshiba will still recycle the unwanted tech, but you won’t be paid for it.
Toshiba is obviously in business to turn a profit. Perhaps that’s why I wasn’t too pleased with its offers. Although the system does work as advertised, I quickly realized that the $1,000 computer I bought last year isn’t worth much at all after just one year of use – Toshiba said my Acer laptop was worth about $200. To make matters worse, my Nikon D50 DSLR, for which I paid about $500, is only worth $216 today. That said, it’s a fine solution if your gear isn’t getting any traction for sale on eBay or Craigslist. At least you’ll make something off all that unwanted tech, and sometimes Toshiba will even throw in a Starbucks gift card for your trouble.
- Previous page The Wireless Foundation’s Call to...
- Next page Free Geek
AT&T also sponsors a program called Cell Phones for Soldiers, where you can donate used cell phones to be recycled and help pay for prepaid calling cards for our soldiers to call home.
Why isn't my Nokia 3210 in the list on ebay? It's not that old is it?
For those of you that can't figure out what to do with the old stuff, Best Buy in the U.S.A. will accept electronic junk at no charge and ship it to dedicated electronics recyclers. This is not a donation - no charitable tax receipts can be given - but Best Buy can make sure that toasted monitor (hazardous waste) in your basement does not end up in a landfill before it has been properly recycled. Contact a manager at your nearest Best Buy for more details on their recycling program if this sounds like something you could use.
Free Geek isn't just for people in Oregon. People have started Free Geek branches in cities all over North America. I volunteer at Free Geek Vancouver, and we're just as happy to recycle your old junk as the one in Portland.