Dive Brief:
- A recent study released by Staples finds that the U.S. tech recycling market is flailing.
- Staples determined that 4% of consumers recycle obsolete electronics, while 10% of devices are resold. An estimated 6% pass the used gadgets to others.
- In addition, research indicated that there are plenty of places available for consumers to recycle, re-purpose or trade in used devices—it’s just that most consumers don’t use older electronics.
Dive Insight:
Staples found that 55% of consumers have never bought a used device; 17% of respondents say they don’t know whether “they could” buy used electronics. More than 60% of those participating in the survey said they preferred to buy new equipment.
One issue customers are confronted with is that often, if an electronic is an “older” model, store take-back programs will not accept it, leaving consumers in the dust and clutching onto their old device.
Alongside the survey, Staples announced that it is introducing a trade-in program where consumers can turn in obsolete devices in-store or online.
