trade in
Latest
iPhone 5s reappears on GameStop trade-in page, joined by the 5c
GameStop jumped the gun in late August by (perhaps mistakenly) putting the unannounced iPhone 5s on its device trade-in page, complete with offers for cash trade and in-store credit. The page was pulled after we first pointed it out, but now that the iPhone 5s is officially official (yeah, I said it) the company has brought it back. Oh, and the iPhone 5c has popped up as well. The prices for the iPhone 5s appear to be in line with what we got a sneak peek of back in August, though the Verizon version of the device -- which wasn't available in the early price leak -- is worth less. Normally the Sprint version of the smartphone warrants the lowest trade-in value, so either there's something special about the iPhone 5s or GameStop hasn't tweaked the Sprint values quite yet. All prices are USD. iPhone 5s ("Like New" condition): 16GB (AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile) -- $480 (store credit), $382 (cash) 32GB (AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile) -- $530, $422 64GB (AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile) -- $580, $462 16GB (Verizon) -- $460, $366 32GB (Verizon) -- $510, $406 64GB (Verizon) -- $560, $446 The iPhone 5c, on the other hand, shows the wild trade-in value variation we usually expect from carrier to carrier, with Sprint's version of the device taking a huge hit: iPhone 5c ("Like New" condition): 16GB (AT&T, T-Mobile) -- $252.50 (store credit), $200 (cash) 32GB (AT&T, T-Mobile) -- $258.75, $205 16GB (Sprint) -- $190, $150 32GB (Sprint) -- $196.25, $155 16GB (Verizon) -- $208.75, $165 32GB (Verizon) -- $215, $170
Walmart joins the smartphone trade-in fad with its own program in the US
Nowadays, it seems like everyone has a plan to help you part ways with a smartphone in return for some sort of store credit or, in a few cases, cash. Apple's doing it. GameStop's doing it. Amazon's doing it. You get the point. Starting on September 21st in the US, we'll be adding giant retailer Walmart to the list of companies currently offering a way to trade-in smartphones. The newfound program, powered by CExchange, is slated to be open in over 3,600 stores across the country (including Sam's Club locations); Walmart says its program will offer customers instant credit which can then be applied towards a shiny new handset. Obviously, the value will depend on the device's overall condition, so don't expect to get too much for that shattered iPhone you've been rocking the past few months.
EE's 'Swap' brings another option for chronic phone-changers
If you're the type to regard your six month-old handset like a relic from the stone age (and believe us, we are), then you've now got another option with EE's Swap program. UK customers can now trade in their smartphones six months or later into their 18 or 24 month plans starting at £49. That appears to be EE's attempt to catch up to plans like O2's Refresh and JUMP from Phones 4u, but there's a huge catch, of course. You'll have to start a new 24 month contract from scratch, and the trade up price depends on which you end up choosing. Those opting for the cheapest £36 plan, for instance, will have to pay a much steeper £249. Still, for those of us who can barely stand going out with a mere Samsung Galaxy Note II when the Galaxy Note 3 is now in the zeitgeist, it's a small price to pay.
Gazelle CEO Israel Ganot discusses Apple's entry into trade-in
Apple's entry into the iPhone trade-in market this week is an important addition to the already growing number of options available for consumers looking to get money for old hardware. But how does their competition feel about it? We sent a few questions over to Gazelle CEO Israel Ganot today to see what one of the net's biggest buyers of used iPhones thinks Apple's latest expansion. These questions were answered via email. TUAW: What affect do you think Apple's new trade-in program will have on Gazelle? Israel Ganot: Apple's entry into reCommerce validates the market opportunity we pioneered at Gazelle. Because we take a different approach than Apple - our focus is on online trade-ins - we're actually pretty excited to have Apple in the game as another voice to raise consumer awareness of the opportunity to get value from used devices. TUAW: Do you think it will ultimately be a good thing, raising awareness of other trade-in sites, as people begin to shop around? IS: We fully expect Apple's in-store program to help accelerate consumer adoption to trade-in their old devices; we estimate the U.S. reCommerce market to be $14B by 2015, so there's obviously a huge opportunity here for multiple players to be successful. TUAW: Can you speculate as to why Gazelle is offering more for some models than Apple's own store? Obviously you don't know the details of their business, but it was interesting to see that you were offering more money outright to buy a 16 GB iPhone 5 than Apple was. IS: Gazelle is focused on delivering a great experience and a great price to consumers - this is our core business, not just an ancillary service we cross-sell. 9 out of 10 Gazelle customers report having a great experience with us and competitive pricing is a part of what drives that high satisfaction. TUAW: What is it about iOS products that allows them to keep their high resale/trade-in value despite only being upgraded around once a year? IS: There is an insatiable demand in secondary markets for high-end devices like smartphones and tablets. This is particularly true about Apple devices, though Android devices also have a similar demand. Many of these devices are made with the best materials available and are still valuable, even after their first owner is finished with the product. Think of emerging markets where top of the line iOS devices may not be available, or affordable, to the everyday person. Some of these people may prefer a slightly used iPhone 4 with all of the bells and whistles, rather than a lower-end new model of a different brand. It's a lot like someone who is in the market for a BMW. Many cannot afford the top of the line product, but are still excited about the idea of buying a slightly used premium model.
Apple's iPhone trade-in program goes live
Apple has officially launched its iPhone trade-in program we reported on earlier this week. Users can take their iPhone's to any Apple Store in the US and exchange their old device for credit towards a new model. The program has been active in a small number of test stores over the past few weeks, but this is the first time it has been nationally available. The phones have to be in good working order, meaning water damage is a deal-breaker and a cracked screen will lower the amount you're given. Depending on the condition of your device and which era it's from, you could receive up to US$250 in trade-in credit towards a new phone, but just a new phone. Unfortunately one of the stipulations of the trade-in program is it can only be used towards the purchase of a new iPhone, complete with a new contract. So if you want to trade in that old 3G for credit towards a new AirPort, you are out of luck. Apple is launching this program in advance of their impending new product announcements on September 10, where the next generation of iPhones are rumored to debut. TechCrunch was given the following statement regarding today's program launch: iPhones hold great value. So, Apple Retail Stores are launching a new program to assist customers who wish to bring in their previous-generation iPhone for reuse or recycling. In addition to helping support the environment, customers will be able to receive a credit for their returned phone that they can use toward the purchase of a new iPhone. However, before you run out to your nearest Apple store, you may want to shop around. As of right now, trade-in giant Gazelle is offering significantly more cash for an iPhone 5 16GB than the Apple Store. However, you wont get help transferring your information to your new phone if you trade-in at Gazelle. These are all important options to consider before making your final decision.
Apple's iPhone trade-in program hits its retail stores today (updated)
Well folks, it seems the rumblings we heard earlier this week were indeed true. CNBC has confirmed that Apple's iPhone trade-in program -- officially labled the iPhone Reuse and Recycling Program -- is starting up in the outfit's retail stores today. According to 9to5Mac, trade-ins will be offered for iPhone 3G up to the iPhone 5 with customers receiving a gift card for the determined value of their devices. Phones will then be handed over to BrightStar for recycling. It's worth noting that these number fluctuate, so there's no way of accurately calculating what a local shop will offer up. Of course, timing is everything, and folks looking to recoup some funds ahead of the anticipated iPhone 5S announcement now have an option. Update: We reached out to Apple on the matter and here's the response: "iPhones hold great value. So, Apple Retail Stores are launching a new program to assist customers who wish to bring in their previous-generation iPhone for reuse or recycling. In addition to helping support the environment, customers will be able to receive a credit for their returned phone that they can use toward the purchase of a new iPhone."
GameStop wants to buy your iPhone 5S, even though it doesn't officially exist yet (Updated)
GameStop sure is on top of its game these days. Not only does the company -- which has made a name for itself as a reseller of used video games -- accept trade-ins on a litany of devices ranging from BlackBerry smartphones to Android tablets, but it will even offer a hefty sum for your nonexistent iPhone 5S. As you can see by the screenshot above, GameStop has added the not-yet-official, next-gen Apple smartphone to its list of accepted devices, complete with its own trade-in values. So how much is an unreleased phone worth these days (or, more accurately, how much will the iPhone 5S be worth once it's actually available to purchase)? Let's compare the iPhone 5S trade-in values with that of the iPhone 5: iPhone 5 ("Like New" condition): 16GB (AT&T) - $390 (store credit), $310 (cash) 32GB (AT&T) - $458, $364 64GB (AT&T) - $466, $370 iPhone 5S ("Like New" condition): 16GB (AT&T) - $480 (store credit), $382 (cash) 32GB (AT&T) - $530, $422 64GB (AT&T) - $580, $462 As of this writing, the GameStop trade-in website only has AT&T models listed for the iPhone 5S, whereas the iPhone 5 has carrier options that include T-Mobile, Verizon and Sprint. Update: GameStop has now pulled the iPhone 5S listings from its trade-in page.
Apple iPhone 'Reuse and Recycle' program starts this week in select stores
If competition is good for consumers, then the phone trade-in market is looking up. Best Buy, Walmart, Gazelle and your mobile provider all accept trade-ins on old iPhones, giving you money to upgrade to a new phone. Now Apple is launching its own trade-in program at select Apple Stores starting on August 30, with a larger expansion of the program coming in September. Regardless of whether you're a business or standard customer, if you want to purchase a new iPhone, your trade-in is welcome at Apple. 9to5mac.com published the following details about the program. Apple decides the value of your iPhone based on information entered into the standard EasyPay system. The system takes into account the quality of your phone -- button quality, damage, if the display is scratched, if you engraved "I love Slayer" on the back, etc. -- and then calculates your trade-in amount. Apple Store employees will help you back up your iPhone before turning it in, and will hand over your old SIM card (the iPhone 5 uses the new nano-SIM card format). iPhones of all generations are eligible for trade-in, though obviously you'll receive less money for an iPhone 3G than an iPhone 5. As of now, the program is only available in the United States. You may want to shop around a bit before heading to the Apple Store, though. As 9to5mac.com has noted Gazelle offers significantly more for a iPhone 5 16 GB than Apple's own store. The online trade-in destination has been working hard to get as much iPhone business as possible before the September 10 announcement of new Apple products.
Apple's official charger trade-in scheme will cover UK, Canada and Australia
When we originally reported on Apple's replacement program for third-party USB chargers, we only knew for sure that it covered the US and China. As 9to5Mac has spotted, however, the official webpage for the scheme now lists a number of other countries in which Apple will start accepting trade-ins on Friday, August 16th. These include the UK, where an official first-party charger will be reduced to £8 (from £15) when you hand over a third-party charger you have concerns about -- and some Brits will indeed have concerns, as local Trading Standards agencies have issued warnings about knock-off chargers posing a risk of electrocution. Australia (where a new charger will cost $14 AUD), Canada ($11 CAD), France, Germany (10 euros) and Japan (1,000 yen) are also on Apple's updated list. Head to the source link to find your nearest participating store or service provider, and just as a quick heads-up: it's one replacement per device you own (a store rep will record your serial number) and the scheme will end on October 18th this year.
GameStop promo upgrades key Xbox 360 games to Xbox One equivalents for $10
Let's say that you decline an Xbox One pre-order, buy the Xbox 360 version of a big game this fall and promptly regret that you haven't gone next-gen. Are you hosed? Not necessarily: GameStop is launching a promo that will let you upgrade to an Xbox One edition of a game for $10 or less. Provided you're a PowerUp Rewards member, GameStop will offer at least $50 in credit if you trade in an Xbox 360 copy of Assassin's Creed 4, Battlefield 4, Call of Duty: Ghosts, FIFA 14 or Madden 25 and buy its Xbox One equivalent at $60. There are additional catches, of course. You'll have to buy a given Xbox 360 title within 30 days of its launch, and you'll have to use the credit before the end of the year. Even so, the promo could minimize buyer's remorse -- and save some Xbox One buyers from waiting until November to play the titles they want.
Gamestop offers $50 credit with trade of select 360 games for Xbox One versions
Gamestop will offer $50 trade-in credit to PowerUp Rewards members who buy a new, Xbox 360 version of a game and then trade it back in for the Xbox One version. The promotion is valid for the Xbox versions of Call of Duty: Ghosts, Madden 25, FIFA 14, Battlefield 4 or Assassin's Creed 4. In order to be eligible to receive the trade-in credit, patrons must be PowerUp Rewards members at the time of the initial purchase, which must take place within 30 days of the game's release date. Then, upon trading the game in for the Xbox One version, the customer will be emailed a coupon that grants $50 trade-in credit for the Xbox 360 version, for use when upgrading to the Xbox One version before December 31 of this year. No mention of the PlayStation 4 was made in the press release, so whether a similar offer will be made for PS3/PS4 cross-generation games remains to be seen. Update: Gamestop has informed us that the $50 coupon is delivered in tandem with the purchase of the Xbox 360 version of the game, rather than after the upgrade to the Xbox One version. This article has been altered slightly to reflect that information.
GameStop Summer Playcation offers double credit on system trade-ins
GameStop's seasonal special, the Summer Playcation, is live now and offers double in-store credit for any system trade-in, and 30 percent extra in-store credit on games, smartphones, accessories, tablets or media players. These deals run through August 18, as does an existing deal that nets the customer any new game for $10 or less with the trade-in of two eligible games. Keep in mind this is not the Summer Placation, where we imagine GameStop would insult your mom and then offer up all games and systems for free, along with some kind words* about your heritage. *Kind words cost $5 a pop.
Nokia will pay you up to $300 to trade an old phone for a Lumia
Nokia's Lumia phones show promise despite the company's dwindling overall sales, and now's your chance to nab one at more affordable prices -- if you're willing to trade in an old phone, that is. The Finnish company's new trade up program in the US will take in old mobile devices and send back up to $300 loaded on a Visa prepaid card, so long as you also purchase a Lumia. A lot of brands and models are accepted (check out if yours is via the trade up portal linked below), but popular ones like the iPhone 4S, the Galaxy S 4, and the HTC One will net you the most money. So, if you're sick of being lost in a crowd of Androids and iPhones, now's the time to give WP8 a whirl.
Apple reportedly teaming up with Brightstar to start in-store iPhone trade-in program
Bloomberg reports that Apple will be starting an iPhone trade-in program in an effort to increase the uptake of the iPhone 5. According to the always erudite "people with knowledge of the plans," Cupertino has tapped wireless distributor firm Brightstar to help run the exchange program through Apple stores -- allowing customers instantaneous trade-ins instead of having to deal with the endless shipping wait times of online exchanges. We've reached out to Apple for comment, but if the news is true, you can bet that Cupertino isn't likely to confirm it until next week at WWDC.
Retailers reportedly briefed on how the Xbox One used-games market will work
The stage lights had barely dimmed at the Xbox One event before the internet started tripping over itself with questions about how the second-hand market was expected to operate -- or if there was going to be one at all. Microsoft assured us there would be, but aside from whispers of a used game "activation fee" the finer details were kept under wraps. We may know a little more now, however, as MCV claims to have heard specifics from retailers who have been briefed by Redmond on the trade-in process. Allegedly, shops that wish to buy and sell a title will need to be hooked up to a Microsoft database so that access to the game can be removed from the previous owner's account and transferred to a new one. A retailer can sell the game for whatever it likes, but the system will ensure that a cut goes to publisher as well as Microsoft. It all sounds fairly logical, but who knows? The truth could be even more complicated.
Gamestop: 'Xbox has said that they do support' used games market
Gamestop's approach to the Xbox One's nebulous pre-owned game policies – which may include charging players a fee for booting up a used game – involves emphasis on digital adaptation, and letting Microsoft do the talking. "I figured that question would come up," Gamestop President Tony Bartel said during a financial call's Q&A segment. "Definitely Xbox has said that they do support the trade-in/resale games at retail and that they want to handle communication from this point forward on that. I think what is important to note is that all three of the consoles that have launched have now come back and they say, 'I realize the value of the buy-sell-trade model,' and they have built that into their new consoles moving forward. We anticipate that we are going to be able to leverage that, like we leverage it on the consoles today." Microsoft has yet to clear up its used-game policy with the Xbox One, including whether it will charge a fee for pre-owned playtime. Gamestop generates the majority of its profit from used game and hardware sales, and following Microsoft's Xbox One event, Gamestop's stock fell five percent. Responding to another Xbox One question, Gamestop executives noted that its stores have systems for selling digital content, and they've sold digital products in the past. "Digital content can be easily discovered," Bartel said. "We will actually work with Microsoft and we will work with Sony as they come out with – I guess what you would call 'non-gaming entertainment properties.' We'll be selling those in our store." Customers will be able to pay for this content with trade-in currency, other executives said. In the previous generation transition, Gamestop saw people trade in all of their old games and systems to start fresh, and said it expected customers to do the same this time around. In the first 48 hours after the Xbox One's reveal, 250,000 people signed up for Gamestop's first-to-know list. "There's lots of rumors out there," Bartel said. He later continued, "I, for one, am very interested in what they're going to say at E3." Aren't we all?
GameStop confirms the end of PS2 trade-ins, still selling games and accessories
GameStop's corporate office has confirmed yesterday's news that all US locations will stop accepting any PlayStation 2-related trade-ins. GameStop also clarified in a statement to Engadget that PS2 games, accessories and systems will still be sold at its stores for "several months" until the remaining stock runs out. GameStop's statement reads: "We can confirm that as of June 1st we will no longer be accepting the PS2 console or its related product for trades. We know that the 12 year old system is a popular one and for many gamers, GameStop is the only place to find a great selection of its games. We will still offer a wide selection of the PS2 hardware, accessories and games in many of our stores and online for several months, based on remaining stock from trades. We are very excited about the upcoming PS4 and are making room in our stores for it and other new platforms expected this fall."
Report: GameStop no longer accepting PS2 trade-ins as of June 1st (update: confirmed)
Now that the PS2's started taking steps toward retirement with Sony ceasing its production in Japan, it seems GameStop doesn't plan to keep the console under its roof for much longer. According to a leaked in-store display posted to Reddit by eGORapTure, the gaming retailer will no longer accept the 12-year-old system for trade-ins as, effective June 1st. Our friends at Joystiq contacted multiple stores to confirm the news and many said the policy is indeed set to go into effect. Unsurprisingly, PS2-related accessories and titles will also be refused for trade-ins once the date rolls around. We've reached out to GameStop's corporate representatives for comment and will let you know what we hear back. For now, you can find more info at the via and source links. Well, they gotta make room for those PS4 boxes -- however they end up looking, right? Update: We confirmed with GameStop corporate that the June 1st date is correct. More information is available here.
GameStop will stop taking PS2 trade-ins as of June 1
GameStop will cease all PlayStation 2-related trade-ins as of June 1, according to a photo of a store display snapped by Reddit user eGORapTure, seen after the break. We contacted multiple GameStop locations and confirmed the news that all PS2 games, accessories and systems will not be accepted for trade across all US stores at that time. Production of PS2 systems in Japan ceased in late December 2012 after nearly 13 years and 150 million units having been shipped worldwide.
HTC looks to boost One sales with new weekend promo, offers $100 to $375 for trade-ins
HTC has already gone the trade-in route to offer folks a discount on its new One smartphone, but it's now giving it another go this weekend with an expanded promo in the US and Canada. This new one is open to anyone that buys an HTC One between today and Sunday, May 5th (the previous promotion required folks to pre-register), and it now offers up to $375 for smartphones that you trade in. Unless you're looking to unload your brand new smartphone in a hurry, though, you may want to check around for the going rates first. The slightly better option is for folks who've been sticking with an aging phone; as before, HTC is guaranteeing at least $100 for your trade-in, so you may well get more from it than you would on the open market (assuming you want to buy a One, of course). Those interested can find all the fine print and check the value of their phone at the source link below.
