As our tagline goes here at Bamboo Mobile, we are tracking the reuse and recycling market one device at a time. This time, I’m excited to talk about a newly-published Reuse and Recycling Survey and Market report coming out on November 15th, just in time for America Recycles Day. The new report provides insights and results from our user study where we asked nearly 1,200 mobile phone users questions about their attitudes around device reuse and recycling. Moreover, we compared results to our historic survey data from 2011 and 2012 when we first began studying this now burgeoning market. The quantitative survey coupled with our tracking and more qualitative understand of the market has produced a valuable and insightful report. In fact, it seems from our survey information program awareness is on the rise as we see it increase from 48% in early 2012 to 62% last month. Also, we asked end users about whether they turned in a used device for a payout or just dropped off a device for “end of life” recycling. About 28% said they had recycled in some way in the past year while 18% said they receive a payout when they sold back a used device.
For more information about how to purchase the report or other device reuse and recycling and services offered by Bamboo Mobile and/or Compass Intelligence, please contact Kate Pearce at kpearce@compassintelligence.com
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Here are some other takeaways from the new study:
- When we asked customers why they did not sell back a device, 29% said they thought their device was not worth anything.
- In addition, new or updated programs were launched this year, bringing new attention and importance to device reuse and recycling.
- Programs from Apple, Microsoft and Wal-Mart all launched new in-store used device buyback programs and received lots of mainstream press coverage.
- The carriers also were involved with early upgrade (and trade-in programs), including AT&T’s Next, T-Mobile’s Jump, Verizon’s Edge and Sprint’s One Up.
- However, while all of these used device trade in programs are great, we wanted to find out about attitudes toward “gently-owned” or “pre-owned” devices. Our survey found that 80% of mobile users were not interested in buying pre-owned devices.
- This will be the next challenge for the industry in the US market to improve and expand the customer’s willingness to purchase these devices.
For more information about how to purchase the report or other device reuse and recycling and services offered by Bamboo Mobile and/or Compass Intelligence, please contact Kate Pearce at kpearce@compassintelligence.com
