Tuesday, January 6, 2009

HP offering free money for old tech equipment

Hewlett-Packard announced on Tuesday- Free money in exchange for their old tech equipment in USA.

HP calls its new program the HP Consumer Buyback and Planet Partners Recycling Program. The program offers money in exchange for any brand of PC, monitor, printer, digital camera, or smartphone HP determines still has some sort of value. It's part of HP's effort to recycle 2 billion pounds of electronic junk by 2010. As of now, the company has recycled over 1 billion pounds.

The HP earlier had a recycling program for years that lets consumers determine the value of their old tech equipment, then receive a credit for that value toward a new HP or Compaq brand product.

But, this new recycling program does not require people to buy anything to get the money for their old tech equipment, although they are responsible for postage when mailing in the item.

It's like Antiques Roadshow for techies, for which you don't need to go to the fair to find out what your attic junk is worth.

HP has a quote Web site for the buyback program that lets consumers input the specs of their old tech equipment and receive a free instant quote.

If you find the quote worth your time, mail them your stuff (at your expense) and HP will mail you a check. Alternatively, you can opt for a "Premium Service" in which FedEx picks up the item or items at your house. The cost of that service is taken out of your final check from HP.

If your tech junk is determined by the online tool to have no value, you're out of luck on the money, but can still opt to mail it to HP for recycling if it's an HP or Compaq brand product.

Given this economy, I'd say it's worth your time to look up the value of your electronic junk on HP's site and make that trip to the post office.

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