PowerOn Recycling

Don't use it. They don't write enough in the definition of poor, fair, great condition ect and then when they get the computer they stick it to you :) I originally was offered 350 and then offered 71. I'm all for it if the computer was listed wrong but my screen u can see perfectly. No lines or anything and it was considered poor. All in all it was a waste of time and I personally felt like they wasted my time and once they get the item they come back and low ball you. I haven't heard anyone says its a good program. Even the worker at my local apple store told me I shouldn't had done it and it's a waste of time. Next time Craigslist. :)

Ive had the best experience with you guys thanks so much,people poweron is a great and honerable company.

In fact they offer to send back your items free if you dont accept quote. heres my timeline:

	Item Quoted	Apr 18, 2012
	Shipping Materials Requested/Sent
	Product Received at Audit Facility	Apr 26, 2012
Audit Complete
Audit Accepted
	Payment Sent	Apr 30, 2012

The audit was extremly fast,and i recieved gift card early on may 4 thank you all at poweron for your services,go green!

Like almost everyone else, I feel that I have been badly treated by Apple and Poweron. $100 less than quoted for defects that I dont agree with. The only reason I have accepted their offer is becuase I wont be around for a few weeks to accept my machine back.

I could not even see some of the defects on photographs they sent me and I am left wondereing how any laptop nearly 3 years old could actually be in better condition than mine. I could not see a mark onthe screen or the body.

I will never use this company again!

Hello,

I'm looking for the link to check my poweron status for recycling.

thanks...

LS.

Worked fine for me and highly recommend. Answered their questions honestly and to the best of my knowledge, received quote, dropped item off at fedex location. Actual amount received was same as original quote.

No problems at all for me.

So has anyone had good luck with Gazelle or another program, like Best Buy's recycle? I got a quote from Poweron and am just waiting for the shipping materials, but now I'm a little afraid to try them.

Gazelle is flawless and trustworthy, I would stick with them and stay away from PowerOn.

I recently tried to recycle my 2008 MacBook Pro through PowerOn. I went to their website and saw that I could get $438.75. I figured they would knock off a few dollars for some scratches and a couple dead pixels. It took two weeks for them to come back with an audit and they offered me $70! They said my systemboard was defective. I have used this laptop for work for the last 4 years and used it right up until I slicked the drive and put it in the shipping container.

I responded to their offer by saying that either they have made my board defective or that they don't know how to insert a system dvd to see it boot up. I told them no way would I accept $70 and please ship it back. When I get my computer back, the system better be working or I will bring it up with the Better Business Bureau.

I was going to use the gift card towards a new 13" MacBook Air, but I'll probably hold off now. You've partnered a winner, Apple.

I don't think PowerOn is a shady company. They do, however, need to change their online estimate system--though if their estimates were more accurate (true to their final offers) I wonder if they would get enough business. After reading through these reviews (which I wish I'd done before sending my computer to PowerOn) it seems like, in the end, few people receive the full amount of the online estimate. Many do not receive an amount that's even close. For instance, the online estimate for my MacBook was nearly $200. After I sending my computer to PowerOn, they said it was only worth $60. I considered my computer to be in "good" or "fair" condition--it worked well and I would have contintued to use it, if I hadn't received a new one as a gift--but PowerOn said it was in "poor" condition. Since used MacBook chargers sell for nearly $20 on Amazon, I find it difficult to believe that the rest of my working, albeit old, MacBook is only worth $40.

Bottom line: If their estimate system was more accurate and I had known that PowerOn was only going to give me $60, I wouldn't have sent my MacBook to them. But since they already have it, I don't want to risk having it shipped again, and ... well, I guess I'm just a bit lazy... oh well, I'll take the Apple giftcard. But when my new MacBook gets old and it's time to sell, I'm going to sell it myself.

I say, if you just want to get rid of your old computer, phone, etc., and don't care how much money you get for it, definitely use PowerOn. If you actually want to get what your computer is worth, or anything close, you should delete all of your information from it, and sell it through Craigslist or Ebay.

I just found this thread. PowerOn has already given me an extimate and are sending the packing stuff. I have serious second thoughts about sending my MacBook Air off to them after reading this thread.

Can I just pitch their packing materials and come up with Plan B for the old computer? Or did I accidently agree to send them my computer - no matter what?

Thanks

P

Hi

You are under no legal obligation to complete the transaction. You can just tell them yoiu've changed your mind.

If you decide to go through with it, I would recommend taking some pictures of the computer in operation (to prove it works) and the body (for damage). If they give you a runaround, you'll have the pictures to send them and call them on the BS.

Also, if they change the quote once they get the machine, you can always refuse and they have to send it back. The pictures will be useful to make sure it wasn't damaged by them. Oh, and record your serial number, that's good advice no matter which reclamaition service you use.

If you want to use a service like this and your gear isn't too old, I'd recommend either Gazelle (gazelle.com) or eBay Instant (http://instantsale.ebay.com/). I've used both without the hassle or borderline fraud that I got from PowerOn.

S

Stephen, your advice is sound. My problem was that after sending my laptop to Poweron and them reducing their offer, I was overseas and unavailable to take back my machine so I was trapped. I am not sure photos will be so much help because when Poweron told Me my machine was damaged, they sent me photos of the damage and I couldn't see any damage at all on the photos. The machine looked brand new to me.

I have spent tens of thousands of dollars on apple over the last few years and they have been pretty reputable but I was thoroughly unimpressed with Poweron.

Well yeah, in your scenario you are at a disadvantage. I'm assuming that Margaret (the poster before me) is going to be at home and able to get her stuff back if she's displeased. You're an outlier, most people wouldnt have that particular problem 🙂

Of course my first advice to everyone is just stay away. It's unfortunate Apple has tarnished themselves by associating with PowerOn. They should either choose a more reputable company, or just not recommend anyone at all.

Few days ago I sent my 2008 MBP (Unibody) to Poweron for audit for the 1st time, and it will be my last time.

The esitmat I received was 494.55, and I was confident the audit would go well as I keep my laptop in excellent condition: No Scratches. No Dent. No usage in smoking room. No travel without a neoprone case. Documentation, disk, power cable supplied in very good condition. I was sure with the condition as it is, it could fetch between 600-800 on eBay.

The audit result was 110.40 due to Defective LCD Display (Flickering screen when waking from sleep mode. Requires complete replacemen to repair). I think it's absolute BS, and the quote they offered was insulting.

As I prepared recyling MBP, I erased and reinstalled Mountain Lion properly twice to make sure everything was wipped out and nothing was defective. THE SCREEN WAS PERFECTLY FUNTIONAL IN EVERY STAGE OF USAGE!!

I rejected the quote immediately. I would rather keep it as a entertainment unit in my living room or try on my luck on eBay/channel. I just wish I had read some reviews on Apple.com before sending in my request and my laptop. I'm worried they will swap out my perfectly working LCD with a defective unit before sending back to me. 😟

I recently sent in my IPad 3rd Gen WIFI only to Power On for a Quote of $250. Audit Completed as of today for the same price of $250.00. as long as you don't lie to them you should NOT have a problem. Just FYI.