It’s a new year. Out with the old, in with the new.
There are many reasons you may need to replace or upgrade your pre-existing electronic equipment and devices. What do you do with the components you just replaced? You can’t simply throw them away in the trash. You may be fined and the components of those leftover devices contain metals not suitable for a standard landfill. Let’s discuss just a few options available to properly and safely dispose your outdated electronic equipment.
Donation
You can donate your older equipment to a charitable organization and those donations are tax deductible. Some organizations will even pick up your equipment from you. Schedule a pick-up online, leave your electronics on your doorstep and they will take them away for you. Many private schools, churches and other community groups are delighted to get usable equipment – even if they aren’t state of the art. Feel good knowing your devices are going to a good home and about the money saved.
Amazon
You can sell your device to Amazon for Amazon credit, even if you did not buy it from their website. Amazon calls this feature the ‘trade-in’ service and it can be used for cameras, cell phones, calculators, tablets, laptops, etc. Shipping is free and they offer competitive prices for newer electronics. The Amazon credit you receive can be used for any future purchases made on their website. If you make frequent purchases on Amazon, their trade-in system is definitely worth your time.
eBay
If you’re replacing a broken device, you might be able to sell it for parts on eBay. eBay is a community online auction website, which makes money through listing and sales fees. Making an account and browsing active listings on eBay is free and easy. You can look up your device you plan to sell and see its current value, list the item and ship the device to the auction’s winner. The majority of monetary transactions on eBay utilize PayPal services so will have to create a PayPal account if you do not already have one.
Craigslist
You can use craigslist’s local ‘for sale’ section to post a description and a picture of your device. Potential buyers will contact you through a randomly generated email address (Keeping your personal information hidden). The benefits of using craigslist are convenience and anonymity. There are no fees for listings and you can keep the sale local. This is an excellent way to sell broken electronics, as many people are willing to buy the device for replacement parts.
Retail Store Recycling
Many retail stores such as Best Buy, Office Depot and Radio Shack offer electronic waste recycling services. This service is the easiest, allowing you to simply walk into the store and drop it off. There is no need for an appointment or an explanation. This is the closest you will get to ‘tossing out’ your old electronics, so do not expect any reimbursement from the retailers. This is especially useful if you don’t want to schedule an appointment, register an account, create a listing or ship a package.
Contributions to this article courtesy of Devin Sag, Tech Helpline Technical Analyst