Turn Your Old Tech Into Amazon Gift Cards And Discounts Before Black Friday - Here's How

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How to usage Amazon's Trade-In Program
Elyse Betters Picaro / ZDNET

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ZDNET cardinal takeaways

  • Trade aged tech for gift cards and get a discount connected caller devices.
  • Shipping is free pinch a prepaid UPS explanation from Amazon.
  • Credit usually arrives wrong 10 to 14 days aft your trade-in.

Amazon is gearing up for its Black Friday sale (only a fewer weeks away!), and if you still person a ton of vacation shopping near to do (like me), this tech extremity tin thief make your purchases a spot much affordable.

Say it pinch me: Amazon gift cards. Normally, you'd person to bargain these, but if you waste and acquisition successful old, dust-collecting electronics that you nary longer usage done Amazon's Trade-In Program, nan institution will reward you pinch gift paper in installments and moreover discounts (like up to 20% disconnected a caller device). That's free spending money for you, and little e-waste for Mother Nature.

Also: Best early Black Friday Amazon deals 2025: 20+ of my favourite income retired now

Your aged gadgets aren't gaining worth sitting successful a drawer, particularly pinch caller models launching constantly. While other trade-in services mightiness connection higher payouts aliases support much brands, Amazon's programme is worthy considering because of its easy shipping process, other discounts and rebates, and gift paper credits applied consecutive to your account.

How to usage Amazon's Trade-In Program

What you'll need: Old tech you want to waste and acquisition and an Amazon account.

Go to Amazon's Trade-In portal. From there, you tin take from Amazon's ain instrumentality categories (like Kindle e-readers, Fire tablets, Fire TV streaming devices, and Echo speakers), aliases you tin prime 1 of nan categories that judge eligible electronics from different brands, specified arsenic Cell Phones and Video Game Systems.

Opening a class page will show you a hunt barroom and a database of products associated pinch your Amazon relationship (if any). Select nan items you'd for illustration to waste and acquisition in. Each merchandise will show an estimated trade-in value, and if it's an Amazon device, you mightiness spot an other discount aliases rebate connection listed arsenic well.

Also: You tin get nan Amazon Fire HD 10 tablet for up to $90 disconnected pinch this sneaky woody - here's where

For example, correct now, Amazon is offering an further 20% disconnected eligible Kindles, Echos, Fire TV Sticks, Ring and Blink devices, Fire tablets, and Eero routers.

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Select items to waste and acquisition in
Elyse Betters Picaro / ZDNET

After selecting your device, Amazon will inquire a fewer qualifying questions astir its information to supply an meticulous appraisal. It whitethorn inquire whether nan instrumentality powers connected and holds a charge, if each accessories are included, and whether location are immoderate cracks aliases defects. You'll besides request to corroborate nan wide information of nan device.

Be arsenic honorable and meticulous arsenic possible, because Amazon's inspectors will verify your answers. If nan information doesn't lucifer your description, Amazon will set nan trade-in offer.

Once you've answered everything and clicked nan appraisal button, you'll person an connection to reappraisal and accept.

Also: Your Amazon driver whitethorn commencement showing up pinch smart glasses connected - why that's a bully thing

When I tried this process pinch an aged Fire TV Cube, Amazon offered maine a $3 gift paper and a 20% trade-in rebate toward my adjacent Fire Tablet purchase. The connection applies if I nonstop successful nan instrumentality by Jan. 18, 2026, and Amazon verifies its condition. I was besides offered $20 for an Amazon Fire Kids Tablet, positive different 20% rebate.

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Answer nan qualifying questions
Elyse Betters Picaro / ZDNET

Once you've accepted an offer, Amazon will make a prepaid UPS shipping explanation for you. It should spell straight to nan email associated pinch your Amazon account. Shipping is free -- conscionable people nan explanation and slap it connected your container (I usually reuse an aged Amazon container for this). You'll person up to 45 days to nonstop your device.

You tin driblet disconnected nan package astatine immoderate UPS shop and beryllium judge to get a receipt for tracking. In galore areas, you whitethorn besides beryllium capable to driblet disconnected trade-in items astatine definite Amazon-affiliated locations (like prime Whole Foods aliases Amazon Hub counters) if that's much convenient. Just make judge you usage nan provided label.

Also: Best early Black Friday deals nether $100 2025: 10 income retired now

Tip: Before trading successful a phone, tablet, aliases immoderate instrumentality pinch individual data, backmost it up, mill reset it, and motion retired of each accounts. Also, return photos of its information for impervious successful lawsuit of shipping issues aliases inspection discrepancies.

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Ship nan items
Elyse Betters Picaro / ZDNET

Now comes nan easy part: beryllium backmost and fto Amazon grip nan rest.

Once your package arrives, Amazon says it usually takes astir 14 days aliases little to measure your items and rumor nan credit. The trade-in worth will beryllium added to your relationship arsenic an Amazon gift card, and immoderate rebate (like 20% disconnected a caller device) will automatically use astatine checkout for your adjacent purchase.

Also: You tin bargain refurbished tech from Back Market successful personification now - here's where

The email containing your shipping explanation besides includes links to track your trade-in progress and shop for caller devices eligible for your rebate.

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Wait for your appraisal and in installments to process
Elyse Betters Picaro / ZDNET

According to Amazon, you should "allow up to 14 days for instrumentality information verification erstwhile your instrumentality is shipped," though trade-in in installments is typically issued wrong 10 days aft your items get astatine nan sorting facility.

Amazon whitethorn set trade-in rates complete time, particularly if newer models are released, truthful it's champion to commencement nan process arsenic soon arsenic you're happy pinch nan quoted credit.

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Amazon's Trade-In Program accepts items that scope from non-functional to bully condition. Depending connected really damaged aliases pristine nan physics is, you'll person little aliases much in installments successful return.

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You person 45 days aft nan prepaid shipping explanation is provided to vessel your instrumentality aliases devices. 

Your champion stake is to driblet disconnected nan shipment astatine a section UPS shop arsenic soon arsenic imaginable and inquire for a drop-off receipt to corroborate its delivery. Trade-ins tin besides beryllium dropped disconnected astatine immoderate Hub Lockers and Whole Foods stores.

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The reply depends connected what you're looking to get retired of nan trade-in. If you conscionable want to get free of your electronics and not person to interest astir buying shipping labels aliases paying listing fees, and you're willing successful other discounts connected a caller purchase, past yes, Amazon's programme is simply a bully deal.

Also: Fire TV acting slow? 10 settings I changed connected excavation to instantly amended nan performance

If you're hoping for nan highest return value, resale platforms for illustration eBay and Swappa mightiness beryllium better. Just remember, while you could waste your tech for much money, you'll person to screen nan work and shipping fees.

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Possibly. You tin effort to cancel your bid by going to Your Trade-In Account and prime "Cancel Order" nether nan trade-in bid number. But if you alteration your mind aft Amazon receives your device, cancelling isn't possible.

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You tin find an Amazon gift paper equilibrium by logging successful to your relationship connected nan website aliases app and heading to nan "Gift Cards" aliases "Manage gift paper balance" section. Or you tin conscionable spell directly to this link.

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