Amazon’s Trade-In Program Will Give You Gift Cards in Exchange for Your Old Electronics
Written by
Ashley Donohoe
Edited by
Cory Dudak
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If you’re looking for some extra money to cover your holiday purchases, consider trading in your old gadgets. Amazon’s trade-in program accepts several types of electronics and offers digital Amazon gift cards and potential discounts on certain devices.
It’s convenient since some items qualify for instant payments and an in-person trade-in option. Here’s how Amazon’s program works and what you need to do to take advantage.
Which Items Will Amazon Accept?
While you’ll need to find your specific item on Amazon’s Trade-In Store, many Amazon devices (including Kindle, Fire, Echo, Ring, Blink and Eero) and gadgets from major manufacturers qualify. Examples include e-readers, headphones, tablets, smart home devices, cell phones, routers and video games.
Some accepted items will show an additional discount of up to 20% off a new Amazon device in the same category. For example, if you send in a qualifying iPad, you can get a 20% discount on a Fire Tablet. You can also send in a Roku streaming service and get a 10% discount on a Fire TV stick.
Amazon will take an item regardless of its condition, though this will affect the payout. If you submit something that doesn’t work or have any value, the company will offer to recycle it with no Amazon gift card issued. It lets you send in other electronics for free recycling as well
Note that Amazon won’t take any electronics that you don’t own outright, including cell phones you’re making monthly carrier payments on. You should also remove any lock and data on the device before you send it in. Be sure to read the full trade-in item terms on Amazon’s website.
How the Amazon Trade-In Process Works
The trade-in process is mostly straightforward and supports up to $1,800 in items on the same request. You’ll locate each item on the Amazon Trade-In Store, add it to the trade-in request and answer questions about its condition to see the value. Amazon will also ask about handling items that aren’t in the stated condition.
Next, you’ll specify which trade-in method you’ll use. While you’ll usually get a UPS shipping label to print and mail the item, Amazon lets you take its branded items to participating retailers. These include several Whole Foods Market, Amazon Hub Locker+ and electronics repair store locations. Both options are free, though trading your item in locally is faster.
After submitting the request, you get 45 days to mail or take your trade-in to a local retailer. Unless Amazon offers an instant payout, it will add the gift card amount and any discount promotion to your account after it gets and approves the trade-in. If it determines your item has a lower value, it will return it to you if you don’t accept the amount. It recycles rejected items.
Tracking Your Trade-In
You can use Amazon’s “Your Trade-In Account” page to see your trade-in status. This includes information on whether the company has received your item, decided about the payment or requested some action from you. Amazon will eventually email you about the trade-in decision, and you can contact the company with any questions.
Additionally, you’ll see the option to cancel the trade-in request until Amazon receives your stuff. Amazon can simply mail the package back if it’s still in transit, but once it has your item, you’ll have no way to recover it. If you received an instant payment for a later canceled or rejected trade-in, Amazon will either take away the credit or bill you for the amount.
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