DionWired has launched its new Tech Trade-In service that allows consumers to trade in their old cellphones, tablets and smartphones in exchange for vouchers.
Nobody leaves their old car in a garage to rust, or abandons it on a rubbish dump. Instead, used vehicles are sold or traded-in against new ones. However, while 16 million mobile phones are sold in South Africa each year, old ones usually find their way into drawers or are tossed into dustbins. That’s why DionWired is offering customers an opportunity to ‚’trade-in’ their used cellular phones, tablets, iPods and notebooks in exchange for vouchers that can be spent in store.
The new service, known as Tech Trade-In, is available in all DionWired stores. It is backed by local telecommunications company Pure Distribution, the United Kingdom’s fastest-growing recycling company and powered by Redeem: a solution developed to facilitate the service. DionWired now makes it easy and affordable for their customers to trade up to the latest models, or simply use the trade in value to buy something new.
‚”Everybody has a phone and they are replacing them with a new one every one to two years. As people become increasingly aware of the environmental dangers posed by electronic goods that are discarded and manufacturers and service providers struggle against illegitimate phones that find their way into the market, it is becoming increasingly important for both consumers and retailers to devise ways to either re-use second hand devices or recycle and dispose of components in an ecologically responsible way. This is the service that DionWired is now offering,‚” explains Andrew Jackson, Director of DionWired.
Until now, trading-in used devices hasn’t been an option that was readily available to South African customers. The result is that e-waste – discarded cell phones, computers, tablets, printers, appliances and other ‚’white’ electronic goods is becoming a massive problem in South Africa.
For those wanting to buy state-of-the art devices, a trade-in can also assist with meeting the costs involved or open the way to more premium upgrades and better options. That’s why, according to Jackson, the Tech Trade-In service is a win-win for all parties. Customers can gain value from obsolete devices while DionWired can use the new service to attract both new and loyal customers, making it the destination of choice for those looking for superior products and service.
Already, DionWired offers ‚’Tech Smart services’ in all stores. ‚”This assists you, the customer, with technical know-how that helps solve IT and related problems. We recognize that today’s merchandise is no longer purchased in isolation. Individual technology related purchases now add to a customer’s existing technology eco-system. This brings complexity, so we offer IT related services that include a full bouquet of either wireless or wired connectivity solutions from data transfers to your new laptop or tablet to RAM and hard drive upgrades and virus checks,‚” Jackson explains.
Tech Trade-In is a logical extension of this. When a customer wishes to trade in a device, a DionWired sales assistant can conduct a five-step grading process in less than a minute. The value of the voucher is based on prices in the global second hand phone or electronics market. It takes into account the fact that, although used items are rarely in perfect condition, consumers still want good value.
Jackson said, ‚”Cash-back websites only offer the full price if the phone is in perfect condition. Our Tech Trade-In system offers full price even if the phone is scratched or scuffed.‚” The only phones that cannot be accepted are those for which the IMEI number has been blocked on the Checkmend database of blacklisted, stolen or counterfeit goods. The system will then not allow the transaction to continue.‚”
From November, Tech Trade-In will accept mobile phones, tablets and iPod’s with a view to extending the offering in 2014 to include trade-ins on electronics like gaming consoles, notebooks, camera’s and navigation devices such as Garmin and Tom-Tom.
So this Christmas, there’s no reason you can’t get your hands on that new Apple iphone 5s or Playstation 4. It’s time to dust off the collection of old phones at the bottom of your drawer and put them to good use. What could be better than a hand full of vouchers to spend at South Africa’s leading electronics and appliance store? Not much.
Now there is no reason to be down this Christmas season. Enjoy the latest technology by getting to a DionWired store, trading in your current phone or tablet for a DionWired voucher and experience what’s possible from one of the most inspiring ranges of merchandise. You could be one of the first to get your hands on an Apple 5s or a Playstation 4.
*