January 26th - 2014

Wired Office: Out with the old, in with the new

Interested in earning some quick cash (or gift cards)? It’s as easy as gathering up your old technology and selling it or trading it in.

Interested in earning some quick cash (or gift cards)? It’s as easy as gathering up your old technology and selling it or trading it in. We’re talking phones, tablets, computers, gaming consoles and cameras. Not all of them will have monetary value, but it is definitely worth investigating – you might be pleasantly surprised.

Previous generations of Apple products (e.g., iPhone and iPad) are often accepted as trade-ins towards current Apple products. This trade-in service is offered by some cell phone providers and reduces the upfront cost of a new iPhone. Some electronics stores accept trade-ins of older iPads towards the iPad Air. These are often limited time promotions and change all the time. If you plan to invest in a new Apple device, ask the retailer if Apple product trade-ins are accepted, which could save you a few bucks.

Best Buy Canada, Future Shop and The Source all have trade-in programs. The products they accept vary from time to time. The best way to take advantage of these programs is to visit their websites, and locate the “trade- in program” section. That will show you which products are currently accepted and lead you through the process of estimating your item’s value. If it’s worth your while, you can then bring your used items to the local store. The retailers will again check the item’s current value and, if you agree, they will accept the item and give you a gift card for the purchase of any product in their store.

For photography equipment, Henry’s® runs a Trade-In/Trade Up program, which accepts 35 mm SLRs, DSLRs, point and shoot cameras, video cameras and lenses. You will receive a store credit for this equipment. Visit www.henrys.com and search for “Trade-In Program”.

As well, HP has programs in which it will take back products and equipment and provide you with cash towards your next HP purchase. Go to www.hp.ca and search for “HP Trade-In”.

Sellyourelectronics.ca buys used electronics. Visit the website, locate your item and get a quote. If you choose to proceed with the transaction, you will get a mailing label for shipping the item to them. Once they have received your item(s), they will issue payment by cheque or via PayPal. Cellcycle.ca takes a similar approach for cell phones, smartphones, netbooks and tablet computers.

You can also try selling your castoffs on eBay. Visit http://www.ebay.com/own/sellyourphone/index.html for hints and tips for selling your old tech on eBay. It walks you through the process of listing the model and its condition. It even supplies sample text for your listing.

Another idea is to try selling your gently used electronics on Kijiji or Craigslist, with no cost to post your item. Take safety into account when responding to queries or carrying out a transaction. When meeting someone to conduct a transaction, select a well-lit, public meeting place.

To get the most value from used goods, they should be in good, working condition. Clean your items before making a deal. If you’ve kept the original packaging with manuals and any software, and still have the chargers, even better. Before trading in (or recycling) any electronics, make sure you remove any SIM cards and wipe out all data.

All that older electronic stuff you have sitting around might just be worth something.

 
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Ontario Real Estate Association

Jean-Adrien Delicano

Manager, Media Relations

JeanAdrienD@orea.com

416-445-9910 ext. 246

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