Asda has launched a tech trade-in scheme where consumers will get paid for recycling their ageing gadgets.
In a move the supermarket has groaningly branded an “Antechs Roadshow”, where customers can “cash in their digital chips”, Asda claimed the service will be good for the environment and customers' pockets.
“We reckon that the average UK home has hundreds of pounds worth of old gadgets that could be traded in for cash,” said Asda electronics services manager Phil Stout. “There are more mobile phones in the UK than people, for example, so there is a lot of cash out there waiting to be released.”
According to the company, citing Omnibus research, there are 11 million unused digital cameras, nine million old PCs, more than five million old laptops, a million redundant satnavs and 12m outdated games consoles in UK homes.
The service launched today for small gadgets - mobile phones, satnavs, digital cameras, MP3 players and portable games consoles - while the scheme will start accepting laptops, PCs and games consoles in June.
Asda says it will match the payments offered by any mainstream competitor, or pay the difference, but that doesn't mean it will be the best place to sell unwanted hardware.
The site's quote system offers, for example, just £10.01 for a Canon Ixus 95 IS digital camera, less than half the £23 current top bid offered for the same on eBay.
Meanwhile a 4GB fourth generation iPod Shuffle would fetch £5.50 on Asda, a drop in the ocean compared with the top current bid of £21 for a 2GB version of the MP3 player on eBay.
However, Asda says it offers services such as data deletion tools that add value to its service. Consumers submit gadgets by sending a sealed envelope off, receive a valuation, and, if they accept the offer, are sent payment by cheque or bank credit.
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