Amazon has a trade-in program that pays you for your old tech - here's how it works
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- Amazon has an extensive trade-in program that allows you to turn used electronics, tech, and books into credit that is placed on an Amazon gift card.
- By visiting the trade-in page, you can check the highest value of your item, which will then be further evaluated by an Amazon employee before the trade-in is complete.
- If you follow the steps to submit your item and your product is accepted, you'll receive an Amazon gift card within ten days of beginning your application - a win-win for anyone looking to get old items off their hands while being able to earn some money to spend on new products.
When work, social plans, and springtime tasks start to populate your calendar, it's easy to let other things that aren't on the top of your to-do list, pile up (quite literally). I'm referring to the household clutter that appears out of thin air - the kind that should be sorted through in a timely manner, but continuously gets pushed to the "I'll take care of that tomorrow" agenda.
It's normal to donate or sell old clothing and last season's winter-weather gear, but getting rid of electronics typically gets overlooked during the spring cleaning process. Considering the number of new releases and upgrades that happen in the tech world, it makes total sense to have unused electronics lying around the house - and due to environmental concerns, a lot of people avoid tossing their unwanted items in the trash.
Amazon makes the task of tech liquidation a piece of cake by providing a pretty extensive trade-in program. By visiting the Amazon trade-in page, shoppers have the opportunity to browse and send in thousands of eligible items in exchange for a gift card they can use throughout the website. After locating the product you're considering for trade-in and clicking on the "trade-in" button (highlighted in green), you'll be prompted to answer some basic questions about the current condition of your item as well as if it works as described. By filling in this information, you'll see the highest trade-in value of your used product - but the item still has to go through thorough analysis before officially becoming eligible for trade-in.
Basically, products in near-new or excellent condition will result in more money in the form of a gift card, whereas items in poor shape will trade at a lower value. So, when submitting your product for evaluation, make sure you're as detailed and honest as possible so you can be accurately informed about the value of your item. Customers who want more information about the eligibility of their product can visit the Product Eligibility Criteria page for more details.
The online application takes a couple minutes max, and from there, Amazon will provide you with a free UPS shipping label, meaning you won't incur any cost for shipping.
Amazon Prime members are used to waiting very little time for the processing and shipping of their favorite items, but the trade-in process takes a little more time due to the full evaluation procedure. You will be notified about the acceptance or rejection of your product within a couple business days via email, and should receive your shiny new gift card within ten days. Otherwise, Amazon will safely recycle your tech for you.
Former Insider Picks tech reporter Brandt Ranj swears by this program for ridding his house of unwanted products and claims that their trade-in values are fair and that the process from start to finish, is easy to complete.
So do yourself a favor, and get to your "I'll take care of that tomorrow" list. Check out Amazon's trade-in program to see what eligible items you have lying around that could result in some extra spending money.
Check out some of the eligible items below and be sure to visit the site to search more products that are trade-in worthy.
Fire HD 8 Tablet 16GB (7th generation), up to $10 trade-in credit
Samsung Galaxy Tab 8GB, up to $30 trade-in credit
Samsung Galaxy Tab 32GB, up to $50 trade-in credit
Kindle Paperwhite E-reader (7th generation), up to $25 trade-in credit
Echo Spot Smart Alarm Clock, up to $30 trade-in credit
Echo (2nd generation), up to $30 trade-in credit
Echo Show (1st generation), up to $30 trade-in credit
Sonos Play 1, up to $50 trade-in credit
JBL Pulse 3, up to $65 trade-in credit
Sonos Playbar, up to $250 trade-in credit
Bose SoundLink Revolve, up to $60 trade-in credit
See eligible devices and start your Amazon trade-in here
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