Electronics Trade-In Program

I found this information on the Real Simple website. I know we have lots of old electronics laying around our basement (AKA the graveyard...). This is a win-win for the environment and consumers, especially during the holiday shopping season!


"Yesterday I learned of an electronics trade in program that sounds like a good solution for someone like me. Radio Shack just launched an online electronics trade-in program that allows customers to exchange certain used portable electronics for a RadioShack gift card. That's right, use your old gadgets to buy new ones. Just in time for holiday gift-giving.

Acceptable devices include GPS devices, MP3 players, mobile phones and PDAs, game consoles,digital cameras, laptops and even car audio head units. The process is quite simple. Go online to receive an immediate estimate of your item's value. My 4th generation iPod that isn't fully functional and has minor scratches is estimated to be worth only $3.91. My fully-functional Palm Treo 650 with charger did better at $28.54.

Want to check the value of your devices?
1. Visit the RadioShack trade-in website and assess the value of your device(s).
2. If the value is acceptable to you, complete the transaction by following the online prompts.
3. Box up your item and print out the pre-paid shipping label (Continental US only).
4. Watch for an email notification that your trade-in has been received.
5. Receive your gift card for the trade-in value approximately 14 days later.

As with any electronics trade-in or recycling program, you'll want to be certain your device is wiped clean of any personal data before sending it anywhere. The best way to do this is to check with the manufacturer of your device on how to perform a factory reset. This information is not always easy to find. Here's how to do this on a Palm. The way I see it, recycling electronics for gift cards allows you to do what's good for the environment and what's good for the economy all at the same time!"