E-Commerce News: Customer Service: When Customers Recycle Electronics, Sam's Club Picks Up the Tab

Wal-Mart's wholesale division, Sam's Club, has partnered with New Customer Service Companies for a program that will allow customers to ship old electronics items to a recycling center for free. The customers can also receive gift cards if the items are deemed to still hold value.

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Sam's Club warehouse stores are starting a new online recycling program for electronics that will pay for some of the items that customers want to discard.

Under the program by Sterling, Va.-based New Customer Service Companies, Sam's Club will help its members dispose of older small- to medium-size electronics. The company has a link to the program on its Web site.

Free Shipping

Sam's Club, a division of world's largest retailer Wal-Mart (NYSE: WMT)

Stores, won't collect the items at its stores. But members will be able to ship items free of charge to recycling centers.

For items determined to still have value, members will get Sam's Club gift cards. Even if the items aren't purchased, the program will provide prepaid shipping and will recycle the items.

The program guarantees that the electronics won't end up in landfills and won't be exported. The items may be reconditioned and sold or disassembled so parts can be sold or turned into raw material to produce new items, New said in a news release.

Computers, Printers, More

Members who want to recycle items can go to the program Web site, fill out a form and enter contact information. The system will generate a label for free shipping. Members will get a gift card for any value the items are determined to have.

Items accepted under the program include desktop and laptop computers, game systems, LCD monitors, printers, camcorders, digital cameras and MP3 players.

New said the parts may be used within the company's service repair network ; the company provides extended service and buyer protection plans.