Image: Vodafone Ireland
Vodafone said customers can get up to €400 for a smartphone, using an online tool that assesses its value in minutes.
Vodafone Ireland has launched a new online tool to let customers receive cash for their smartphones while doing their part for the planet.
The company said it is the first telecoms company in Ireland to offer an online trade-in service, with customers able to get up to €400 for a smartphone.
Existing Vodafone customers can avail of this initiative online, while non-customers can trade in their phones in a Vodafone shop for store credit.
The new online tool assesses the value of a smartphone through a series of device health checks. These checks look at issues such as cosmetic damage, touch sensitivity, screen condition and rear camera capabilities.
Vodafone said customers can receive a personalised quote for their phone within minutes. The customer can then trade in their phone by dropping it at a DPD collection point using a free postage label. Once the device passes final checks, the customer receives a payment into their bank account.
Vodafone Ireland said these devices are then refurbished, repurposed or recycled. This can contribute to a circular economy as the recycled parts are used in the manufacturing of new products.
Despite the various recyclable elements in smartphones, Vodafone Ireland said less than 15pc are recycled or traded in. The company’s consumer business director, Anita Carra, said there are almost 5m smartphones in the country that can be repurposed or recycled “to help the planet”.
“Vodafone Ireland is committed to reducing the impact of electronic waste and we have broadened our service offering in recent years to allow customers keep their devices for longer through repair and insurance products and services,” Carra said.
“This new offer ultimately extends the life of mobile devices, reduces waste and encourages Irish consumers to embrace a circular green economy.”
Last year, Vodafone Ireland launched an online version of its repair lab centres, allowing people to have their smartphones and tablets repaired nationwide.
The telecoms company also said it had become a green network as its operations are 100pc powered by electricity from renewable sources.
Vodafone Ireland is one of 70 companies in the country that has signed the Low Carbon Pledge developed by national network Business in the Community Ireland. This calls on businesses to set carbon emission reduction targets no later than 2024, based on the scientific aims to limit global heating to 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels.
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