Selling Unwanted Goods Of Electricals Products

Keeping up-to-date with technological developments is desirable if you want to make the most of items like computers, phones or even cookers. Mobile phones started life as unwieldy bricks, designed simply for making phone calls; today, they take photographs, connect to the Internet, play music and fit into your jeans pocket with barely a bulge. Equally, computers are almost being constantly upgraded, or so it seems. New operating systems, software and hardware flood the market. Every new development promises a 'better' product, as well as a top class fashion accessory.

Even if you like your old stuff, you can run into problems because it seems like 'everyone else' has upgraded. Or perhaps colleagues, friends or children expect you to be able to run a certain piece of software on your home laptop. It is not that there is anything wrong with your old stuff, but it no longer quite fits in with your lifestyle and expectations.

Everyone has different points at which they will wish to upgrade. Some consumers are happy to have a two-year old Mac laptop, whilst others want the wide-screen, high-powered version, out only last month. Some are happy to make do with an old and sturdy electric cooker; others want a modern gas/electric combination model, which they can use for the next dinner party. In simple terms, tastes and expectations differ.

But throwing away still functional stuff can feel wasteful - particularly with all the media coverage of climate change, reminding us to be 'environmentally friendly' and make the most of scarce resources. It is tempting to simply store old stuff in cupboards, the garage, or a loft, but why use up valuable space? Simply accept that you won't ever use your old goods again and sell them online instead. This option means that you can see your old stuff 'recycled' and make some money in the process, perhaps to offset the cost of a new computer, phone, dishwasher etc.

There are a huge number of sites that allow you to do this - in recent years, the second-hand market has really opened up and appeals to a wide variety of people. Although it is sometimes difficult to see past the mammoth enterprise that is Ebay, a number of smaller sites offer opportunities for selling, perhaps at a fixed price instead of by auction. The type of goods for sale has also expanded. You can sell electricals, computers, mobile phones, cookers and dishwashers. Larger items can be advertised as 'for collection only', which means you don't need to worry about transport options and buyers can check out the product before making a commitment.

So, instead of letting old stuff clog up the cupboards and the loft, try online selling. Not only will you free up space and make some money, but you'll also be helping the environment.

Directives And Recycling Options For Consumer Electricals

The price of electrical goods including TV’s and washing machines looks set to increase following the implementation of a new EU directive on recycling. The Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) directive could stimulate an increase in price of electrical goods of over £500 million per year in the UK. The directive orders the collection and recycling of discarded electrical goods that would otherwise be dumped in landfill sites. The ultimate aim is to reduce the volume of toxic chemicals in the environment with a reduction is harmful chemicals such as lead, mercury and hexavalent chromium if the goods can be reused. Some of the recycled goods will be refurbished and sent to the Third World as part of the scheme.

The directive is aimed at government and local councils rather than individuals but will mean a dramatic change to the way that we discard of consumer electrics. Councils will be expected to handle electrical goods at their recycling centres, with consumers dropping off their unwanted electrics. Although there is no direct requirement on the part of the individual – some councils will charge for the collection of large items such as washing machines pushing the cost of electrical goods up for the average consumer. Some stores will operate a take back scheme for old items when delivering a new item but for the majority this is likely to mean additional costs.

Most electrical goods that are discarded in the UK are still fully functioning, operative goods. Part of the EU’s aim is to increase the life cycle of such goods to limit the number of operative goods going out of circulation and thereby, again, reduce pressure on the environment. The aim to get people thinking about the life cycle of their electrical goods and find alternative methods of disposal does have options. If the cost of disposal is to be avoided, you essentially have to find another home for your unwanted electricals. The use of classifieds to sell unwanted goods is on the rise and resources such as Loot electricals are ideal for not only disposing of your items without paying a fee, but possibly even making a bit of money out of the process.

With lifestyle trends changing and the ongoing pursuit of environmentally friendly policies in Brussels, we could be set to see similar policies emerging from the EU in the months and tears to come. Although this looks, on the surface at least, like a bad deal for consumers the application of a little lateral thinking can reap some benefits. Passing on your unwanted electrical goods – be it to the Third World or to someone down the road in answer to your personal ad, makes sense for the environment and for the life cycle of goods which might be perfectly functional even if they don’t fit with your redesigned kitchen!