eRecyclingCorps (eRC), the world's leading provider of carrier-grade wireless device trade-in and reuse, today announced that it completed more than 1.1 million secure wireless device trade-ins in May 2013, setting a new industry record for device collections in a single month.
Throughout the month of May, eRC collected more than 37,000 mobile devices each day via incentivized in-store trade-ins or roughly one device trade-in every second that carrier retail stores were open in May. The 1.1 million devices represent more than 450,000 pounds of e-waste diverted from landfills, demonstrating the sheer scale that can be achieved by an integrated trade-in platform.
"eRC's extraordinary trade-in volumes demonstrate that in-store incentivized carrier-grade trade-in programs are fundamentally transforming the mobile device ecosystem," said David Edmondson, CEO of eRC. "The success of our platform demonstrates that consumers are eager to unlock the value in their perceptually obsolete devices to obtain the latest technology at lower prices."
Additional trade-in data from eRC reflects the extent of the company's rapid growth:
More than 270 percent increase in total device trade-ins compared with May 2012. More than 300 percent increase in total device trade-ins for smartphones year over year.
"The growth in trade-in activity for smartphones reflects the consumers' fascination with powerful connected devices," added Edmondson. "Our data indicates the trend of customers upgrading to their second and third smartphone as they continue to seek new features and higher speeds."
Unlike online only or other trade-in solutions in the marketplace, eRC's platform is completely integrated into the retail environment, offering a transparent, convenient and secure trade-in transaction. The company works hand-in-hand with major carrier partners to co-develop tailored retail programs that drive unparalleled trade-in rates of high-quality phones. eRC's retail programs include device, seasonal or geographically targeted promotions, marketing programs and robust in-store staff trainings.
"The significant momentum in the device trade-in market can be attributed to carriers and OEMs' appreciation of a win-win proposition between them and consumers," said Bill Ho, a wireless industry analyst with 556 Ventures. "The growing success of these trade-in programs reflect the power of incentivized and customized retail programs that drive in-store customer transactions."
The millions of devices collected via eRC's carrier and retail in-store programs are resold in developed and emerging markets, where they offer consumers access to high quality mobile technology at lower costs, helping to bridge the digital divide.
