New Tech Trade-In Service Provides Customers With Office Depot
Gift Cards for Old Technology Products
DELRAY BEACH, Fla.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Sept. 4, 2008--Office Depot
(R) (NYSE:ODP), a leading global provider of office products and
services, and N.E.W. Customer Service Companies, Inc. (NEW), announced
that Office Depot has launched the Office Depot Tech Trade-In program,
an electronics trade-in and recycling service that helps customers get
money back by clearing out their old, small- to medium-size
electronics -- all through a free, environmentally-friendly solution.
The Office Depot Tech Trade-In program is powered by ecoNEW, a program
administered by N.E.W.
Office Depot customers may trade in their old electronics for an
Office Depot gift card which is determined by a recycle trade-in value
generated through the website, www.officedepot.com/techtradein. Office
Depot's Tech Trade-In program accepts LCD monitors, LCD TVs, digital
cameras, desktop and laptop computers, gaming systems, MP3 players,
camcorders, Smartphones/PDAs, and printers.
"In the wake of a tough economy, Office Depot is excited to help
customers clean out their old technology, and provide them with a
store credit in the process," said Randy Wick, Vice President of
Merchandising for Office Depot. "This is also a great opportunity for
small business customers to upgrade their outdated office equipment
without breaking the bank."
The Office Depot Tech Trade-In program is simple to use:
1. Access it online - at www.officedepot.com/techtradein
2. Enter product information - use the online form to enter
information about the electronic item, including condition details and
whether or not all the cords and original packaging are available.
Based on input, the screen will instantly calculate what the estimated
trade-in value will be;
3. Enter contact information - enter contact information to
receive the Office Depot gift card for the value of the item;
4. Free shipping - once a customer confirms that they want to
proceed with the transaction, a free shipping label is generated;
5. Receive gift card - once the recycling center receives the item
and verifies the information submitted is correct, an Office Depot
gift card for the recycled value is sent back to the customer via
standard mail.
"We are excited to be partnering with Office Depot to give
customers a great new way to trade-in old electronics," said Tony
Nader, President and CEO of NEW. "Given the growing demand for green
programs, along with a tough economy, this service delivers a strong
win-win scenario for both retailers and their customers."
The Office Depot Tech Trade-In program has a "no export and no
landfill" guarantee. Electronic equipment received will either be
reconditioned or recycled. Some items may be sold into the secondary
or used marketplace in whole machine form or disassembled and sold off
as usable service parts. Recycled equipment and parts will then be
broken down into raw material and used to produce new materials. The
parts may become part of NEW's service repair network that supports
more than 150 million customers across the nation.
"Office Depot has an environmental vision to increasingly buy
green, be green and sell green," said Yalmaz Siddiqui, Director of
Environmental Strategy for Office Depot. "As part of this commitment,
we are focused on providing green products as well as solutions such
as the Tech Trade-In program. Office Depot customers now have another
simple and effective option to keep e-waste out of landfills."
About Office Depot
Every day, Office Depot is Taking Care of Business for millions of
customers around the globe. For the local corner store as well as
Fortune 500 companies, Office Depot provides products and services to
its customers through 1,680 worldwide retail stores, a dedicated sales
force, top-rated catalogs and a $5.0 billion e-commerce operation.
Office Depot has annual sales of approximately $15.4 billion, and
employs about 49,000 associates around the world. The Company provides
more office products and services to more customers in more countries
than any other company, and currently sells to customers directly or
through affiliates in 44 countries.
Office Depot's common stock is listed on the New York Stock
Exchange under the symbol ODP and is included in the S&P 500 Index.
Additional press information can be found at:
http://mediarelations.officedepot.com. Press materials and background
specific to Office Depot's environmental initiatives and product
offerings is available at
http://mediarelations.officedepot.cc/environment.
About N.E.W. Customer Service Companies, Inc. (NEW)
NEW is the leading provider of extended service plans, buyer
protection services and product support, providing coverage to more
than 150 million consumers worldwide. Founded in 1983, with
headquarters in Sterling, Va., NEW provides award-recognized post-sale
consumer care for leading retailers, consumer services providers,
wireless carriers and financial services firms. NEW has expanded its
product offerings and now delivers a comprehensive customer care
solution that begins on day one of the product purchase and extends
through the end of the product lifecycle. For more information, please
visit NEW at www.newcorp.com or call 1-800 WHAT'S NEW
(1-800-942-8763).
CONTACT: Office Depot, Delray Beach
Jason Shockley, 561-438-0037
Jason.Shockley@officedepot.com
or
Focused Image (for NEW)
Kristina Messner, 703-678-6023
Kmessner@focusedimage.com
SOURCE: Office Depot
Home > Media Relations > Press Releases
