How To Turn Your Old Electronics Into Free Groceries At Costco

A little-known Costco program can help rid your home of unwanted electronic devices while also contributing some extra cash for essential groceries. The retail warehouse chain offers a Trade-Up Program that allows members to submit electronics for review, which can result in a Costco Shop Card equal to the value of the item. According to Yahoo! News, Costco accepts a variety of trade-in electronics, including gaming consoles, laptops, mobile devices, and more. 

To get started, visit the trade-in page on Costco's website and select the type of device. There are options for Apple products, as well as other smartphones and tablets. Upon selecting the device, supply its serial or International Mobile Equipment Identity (IMEI) number, which is a specific 15-digit number that allows efficient tracking of smartphones. Once the correct number has been supplied, Costco will ask a few more questions regarding the functionality of the item, whether it's fully paid off, and its cosmetic condition. While the trade-in program seems promising for getting rid of unwanted electronics, how well does it really work?

Costco outsources its trade-in process to a company called Phobio, which handles the evaluation and processing of electronic devices that customers want to trade in. While Phobio claims to be "trusted by leading carriers, manufacturers and retailers worldwide" on the Costco trade-in page, not all consumers have glowing reviews of the company. In fact, a Reddit thread details one user's poor experience with Phobio when attempting to trade in a new computer. 

According to the poster, Phobio denied their trade-in and sent back a visibly damaged computer complete with scratches, as well as a "screwed up SSD," which is a type of storage device that contains RAM and other types of data. When the person complained to Costco, they were told the store could do nothing about the issue since the trade-in was through Phobio and not Costco directly. A commenter chimed in to offer their perspective, claiming that Phobio went back on its original quote of $210 because it classified a fingerprint on the screen as damage. As a result, the new offer was just $40. 

Costco memberships are intended to provide many benefits to shoppers, so it stands to reason that members would become irritated by poor experiences. It appears that these complaints are just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to Costco's trade-in partner. 

The Better Business Bureau helps consumers find information about businesses all over the U.S., as well as Canada. It also allows consumers to make complaints against businesses when they feel they've received poor service or were treated inappropriately. As for Phobio's page on the Better Business Bureau website, numerous customer complaints point to poor practices and service. It should be noted that Phobio is accredited with the Better Business Bureau and currently holds an A+ rating. Despite that, it seems like many consumers are not pleased with the trade-in process. 

According to one complaint, a person sent in an iMac that they claimed was in "perfect condition," and was quoted a trade-in amount of $450 by Phobio. However, the company eventually adjusted the amount to $90 due to damage the owner claimed was not evident on the device when they sent it to Phobio. Other people relayed similar experiences with questionable inspection processes, while some claim to have never received their gift cards even after their devices were accepted and trade-in amounts confirmed. While Costco isn't responsible for Phobio's business practices, members have called out the warehouse retail chain for continuing a relationship with such a highly criticized company. As stated by one disgruntled poster on Reddit, "I expect better from Costco."