The Cell Phone Junkie

Verizon recently announced a new program, offering gift cards to customers who trade-in an old cell phone. For customers purchasing a new device, Verizon will do an in-store assessments on an old device, and offer up to a $300 gift card to buy a new device, or apply the amount to a monthly bill. Verizon is offering the program in hopes of encouraging device recycling. The EPA says only 10% of mobile phones are recycled.

Press Release:

BASKING RIDGE, NJ — This Valentine’s Day, Verizon Wireless encourages customers to share their love for the planet by participating in the newly launched In Store Trade-In program. Through the program, customers who are purchasing a new device can trade in their no-longer-used wireless devices at any Verizon Wireless company-owned store and kiosk nationwide and receive a Verizon Wireless gift card in exchange for their devices.

According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), only 10 percent of cell phones are recycled in an environmentally sound way. To help address this issue, Verizon Wireless has made it easy for customers to bring no-longer-used wireless devices into their local Verizon Wireless store or kiosk for a quick evaluation by a Verizon Wireless representative. Depending on the make, model and condition of their trade-in device, eligible participants can receive an instantly redeemable gift card of up to $300 for use toward the purchase of a new phone, tablet or accessory – or toward their Verizon Wireless bill.

“We recognize that customers want to get all of the value they can from the devices they’ve already purchased,” said Robert Miller, vice president of marketing, Verizon Wireless. “Verizon Wireless’ In Store Trade-In Program is a great way to give them that value.”

Individuals also can donate their no-longer-used cell phones to the long-running HopeLine® from Verizon program, which collects wireless devices and accessories to support victims of domestic violence. Since the October 2001 launch of the national cell phone recycling program, HopeLine has collected more than 9 million phones, distributed more than 123,000 phones with the equivalent of 406 million airtime minutes to victims of domestic violence, and awarded more than $14 million in cash grants to organizations working to prevent domestic violence. In addition, HopeLine from Verizon has properly disposed of more than 1.7 million no-longer-used wireless phones in an environmentally sound way and kept more than 210 tons of electronic waste and batteries out of landfills.

For more information about the Verizon Wireless In Store Trade-In Program, stop by any Verizon Wireless store. To learn more about HopeLine from Verizon, go to www.verizonwireless.com/hopeline.

Source: Verizon via Phonescoop