Electronics Trade-In Method Established

N.E.W. Customer Service Cos. Inc., Dulles, Va., is ramping up a Web-based program called ecoNEW that will allow individuals and companies working with retailers to receive trade-in value for a range of obsolete electronic items.

At an exhibit at the 2008 International CES show in Las Vegas in early January, ecoNEW was being demonstrated and touted as “a proven green solution that can strengthen your corporate environmental image, drive more traffic to your stores and increase your profits.”

A range of products from computers and monitors to cell phones and MP3 players can be assessed for value through the Web program, with results starting at $0 but ranging much higher.

The way the system works has been spelled out in three steps by N.E.W. Corp.:

• Individuals go to retail-branded Web sites and enter information about the product they wish to recycle, and the consumer is presented with a trade-in value “which reflects the actual valuation minus a portion that is shared” by the retail company. 
• The consumer then prints out a pre-paid shipping label and sends the product to N.E.W. Corp. The firm inspects the item upon receipt before mailing the consumer a gift card for that retailer’s store or Web site. The retailer also receives its portion from N.E.W.
• The product is then recycled safety and cost-effectively, according to N.E.W.

More information on the Web-based recycling effort can be obtained by e-mailing N.E.W. Corp. at ecoNEW@newcorp.com.