SAN DIEGO, Feb. 12, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- The average
American upgrades their mobile phone every 18 months[1], and, with
top device manufacturers putting more devices in the hands of
consumers through record smartphone sales in 2014[2], the buyback
industry continues to grow. Today, ecoATM®, the nationwide network
of automated electronics recycling kiosks, announced that it has
collected more than four million cell phones, tablets and MP3
players – nearly double the amount that online buyback competitors,
such as Gazelle and uSell, have each reported. ecoATM kiosks can
now be found in 1,890 locations in 42 states nationwide (as of
December 2014).
"ecoATM was founded with a mission to reduce electronic waste at
a time when only three percent of phones were recycled. That
environmental commitment and the instant cash rewarded are why
consumers choose our kiosks to recycle their devices," said
Maria Stipp, president of ecoATM.
"The four-million milestone is a true sign of growth, as we have
collected more than one million devices in the past six months
alone, outpacing our previous collection rate by more than two
months."
ecoATM also announced today that co-founder Mark Bowles will take on a new role as senior
vice president of innovation. In this new role, Bowles will focus
on developing new technology to make device buyback even easier and
more rewarding for consumers, ensuring ecoATM maintains its
leadership position in the category.
A survey from ecoATM found that less than half (49 percent) of
Americans have sold, recycled or given their old smartphones to
someone else after they are done using it[3]. This lack of phone
recycling and reuse leaves countless devices cluttering drawers and
closets in American homes, or finding their way into landfills,
contributing to the growing e-waste problem.
"ecoATM provides a convenient recycling option for consumers as
e-waste continues to grow at a staggering rate," said Kate Pearce, head of mobility research and sr.
strategist at Compass Intelligence. "While the collection of four
million devices is an impressive milestone, we expect that by the
end of 2015 there will be nearly 425 million idle or inactive
mobile devices in the U.S., and of those, only about 100 million
will be recycled – a relatively small percentage that we hope will
continue to increase with smart solutions such as ecoATM."
ecoATM makes it easy for consumers to recycle their old tablets,
cell phones and MP3 players, offering instant cash rewards to
combat the growing e-waste problem and keep gadgets out of the
nation's landfills. ecoATM kiosks can be found in malls, retail
locations and grocery stores including select Wal-Mart, Kroger and
Safeway locations.
To learn more about ecoATM or to find a kiosk, visit
www.ecoatm.com.
About ecoATM
ecoATM, an Outerwall Inc. (Nasdaq: OUTR) brand, is the first
company to create an automated self-serve kiosk system to buy back
old phones, tablets or MP3 players for cash. ecoATM uses patented,
advanced machine vision, electronic diagnostics, and artificial
intelligence to evaluate electronics. ecoATM's eCycling
stations provide a convenient trade-in solution with features that
validate sellers' identities and deter the sale of stolen phones,
and the company collaborates with national, state, and local
law-enforcement groups in combating mobile phone theft through
innovative use of technology and
education (http://www.ecoatm.com/law-enforcement/).
ecoATM holds Responsible Recycling (R2) and ISO14001
certification, confirming the company's commitment to maintaining
the highest standards of electronics recycling, as well as ISO27001
certification for information and personal data security. See
http://www.ecoatm.com/how-it-works/ for a video of how an ecoATM
kiosk works. For more information, visit www.ecoatm.com and
for more information about Outerwall Inc. please visit
www.outerwall.com.
About Outerwall Inc.
Outerwall Inc. (Nasdaq: OUTR) has more than 20 years of
experience creating some of the most profitable spaces for their
retail partners. Outerwall delivers breakthrough kiosk experiences
that delight consumers and generate revenue for retailers. As the
company that brought consumers Redbox® entertainment,
Coinstar® money services, and ecoATM®
electronics recycling kiosks, Outerwall is leading the next
generation of automated retail and paving the way for inventive,
scalable businesses. Outerwall™ kiosks are in neighborhood grocery
stores, drug stores, mass merchants, malls, and other retail
locations in the United States,
Canada, Puerto Rico, the United Kingdom, and Ireland. Learn more at www.outerwall.com.
[1] Source: Environmental Protection Agency
[2] Source: Apple Q1 earnings announcement
[3] Source: ecoATM 2014 consumer device survey
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SOURCE ecoATM