3 On Your Side: Electronics Buyback
PHILADELPHIA (CBS 3) ― With technology changing so fast, chances are you've got some old electronics sitting around your house collecting dust. So instead of feeling as if you wasted your hard earned cash, why not turn that stuff into money? 3 On Your Side's Jim Donovan shows you how.
Let's face it, electronics are expensive and if something breaks or a new model comes out, it's going to cost you.
"I've broken cell phones, they've dropped and it's not my fault and then you get a new one," said one woman.
"It's a waste if it broke and it happens all the time," another woman said.
Clare Coleman and her family have a houseful of gadgets.
"We're a four iPod family," she said.
When the batteries for their iPods died and her kids wanted newer models, she figured the old ones were money down the drain. That's until she heard about BuyMyTronics.com. It's a Web site which pays you cash for old, even broken electronics.
"You tell the computer what kind of iPod you have, what's wrong with it, is anything broken, is the battery dead and then it spits out a price for you," Clare said.
Clare's price: $30 for each one. She shipped them for free and within a couple of weeks, she got her check.
"My site offers a reliable, fast and easy way to get money for your used and broken gadgets," said Brett Mosley with BuyMyTronics.
Mosley and his crew take the working parts from some things and put them into others. Then they're able to resell them as used on eBay or in bulk to other resellers.
And it's not just iPods. The site buys iPhones, cell phones, Blackberry's, even old video game systems.
Another option is a site called econew.com. It offers Sam's Club members gift cards worth the value of your electronic. Econew accepts mp3 players and gaming consoles just like BuyMyTronics, but it also takes computers, printers, laptops, digital cameras and camcorders. And with today's economy, every dollar counts.
"That's a good idea, at least you get something for your money," said one man.
You have to register your item online with econew and then mail it in. Sam's Club stores will not accept the electronics. Econew plans to add more retailers later this year.
(less info)
