Brits can now trade in old smartphones for cash in 1,300 high street shops | Personal Finance | Finance
Brits can now turn old smartphones into instant cash at more than 1,300 high street shops after a major new trade-in scheme launched nationwide. AO World-owned MusicMagpie has partnered with Timpson to roll out in-store smartphone trade-ins across the UK, following a successful four-month trial.
The service allows customers to bring in unused devices, have them assessed on the spot and receive payment within minutes. The initiative aims to remove the hassle from selling old tech and encourage people to unlock the value of phones that would otherwise sit unused in drawers at home. Research cited by the companies suggests 73% of UK adults have at least one unused smartphone, with the average device worth around £250.
That adds up to an estimated £10billion worth of unused smartphones across the country. The findings also point to strong demand for in-person trade-ins, with 68% of consumers preferring to trade devices face-to-face and one in four saying immediate payment is a key priority.
MusicMagpie managing director and co-founder Steve Oliver described the nationwide rollout as a “huge milestone” for the business.
“We know that apathy is the biggest barrier to trading in old tech,” he said.
“The ability to ‘Take it to Timpson’ now makes it a no-brainer for customers who can get cash in only a few minutes for their old smartphone at over 1,300 Timpson sites.”
He added that combining MusicMagpie’s refurbishment expertise with Timpson’s trusted high street presence would help keep more devices in use and make refurbished tech more affordable.
The partnership follows AO World’s acquisition of MusicMagpie in December 2024 and supports its strategy to grow in new categories, particularly mobile.
It is also designed to increase the volume of devices going through MusicMagpie’s refurbishment operations, strengthening AO’s circular economy credentials across reuse, repair and recycling.
Timpson group director Sid Hubbard said the move builds on the company’s long-standing focus on repairing goods and extending their lifespan.
“Adding Magpie to 1,300 Timpson stores across the UK is a huge milestone for us,” he said. “This partnership means that most people in the UK are now just minutes from turning their unused tech into hundreds of pounds of instant cash.”
The service is now live in participating Timpson stores nationwide.
