SAN DIEGO, May 27, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- Tablet shipments
have been on a steady decline,[1] while tablet trade-ins are
growing. ecoATM, Inc., the nationwide network of automated
electronics recycling kiosks, saw tablet trade-ins more than double
from Q1 2014 to Q1 2015 and set out to determine what's changed
with tablet owners.
A recent ecoATM survey suggests a disconnect between initial
expectations and eventual tablet usage.
- More than one quarter of respondents (27 percent) indicate they
use their tablet less than they anticipated when initially
purchased
- Twenty-six percent report using their device less than three
hours per week
- Eight percent of tablet owners say they no longer use their
device
Survey findings point to utility as a primary reason why
tablet usage may be declining. Of those who no longer use their
device:
- 60 percent indicate they prefer using a laptop instead
- 26 percent say their smartphone does everything they need
- Seven percent indicate their tablet is broken
"Just because your tablet has fallen out of your favor doesn't
mean it has to gather dust. You can still take it to an
ecoATM® kiosk to turn it into cash and give it a second
life," said Randy Erman, director of
product marketing at ecoATM. "ecoATM kiosks recognize more than
5,500 devices including tablets, smart phones and MP3 players."
With a network of more than 2,100 kiosks in the U.S., ecoATM has
responsibly recycled or enabled the reuse of more than four million
devices. ecoATM kiosk data lends insights into additional tablet
trends:
- Southern states including Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama experience the highest collection
rates
- Of the tablets and cell phones collected, a higher percentage
of tablets traded in are broken; one quarter of all tablets traded
in are in non-working condition
- The Apple iPad® 2 and iPad mini™ are collected more
than any other tablets
To get the best value for tablet trade-ins through its network
of kiosks, ecoATM recommends these simple steps (go to:
http://blog.ecoatm.com/) for proper preparation before selling a
device. To find an ecoATM kiosk location, please visit
http://www.ecoatm.com/locator/.
Methodology: The ecoATM consumer tablet use survey was
conducted by Edelman Berland between
May 5-11, 2015, and polled 1,175
tablet owners in the U.S. The margin of error for the survey is
±2.9%.
About ecoATM
ecoATM, an Outerwall Inc. (Nasdaq: OUTR)
brand, is the first company to create an automated self-serve kiosk
system to buy back old phones, tablets or MP3 players for cash.
ecoATM uses patented, advanced machine vision, electronic
diagnostics, and artificial intelligence to evaluate
electronics. ecoATM® eCycling stations provide a
convenient trade-in solution with features that validate sellers'
identities and deter the sale of stolen phones, and the company
collaborates with national, state, and local law-enforcement groups
in combating mobile phone theft through innovative use of
technology and
education (http://www.ecoatm.com/law-enforcement/).
ecoATM holds Responsible Recycling (R2) and ISO14001
certification, confirming the company's commitment to maintaining
the highest standards of electronics recycling, as well as ISO27001
certification for information and personal data security. See
http://www.ecoatm.com/how-it-works/ for a video of how an ecoATM
kiosk works. For more information, visit www.ecoatm.com and
for more information about Outerwall Inc. please visit
www.outerwall.com.
About Outerwall Inc.
Outerwall Inc. (Nasdaq: OUTR)
has more than 20 years of experience creating some of the most
profitable spaces for their retail partners. Outerwall delivers
breakthrough kiosk experiences that delight consumers and generate
revenue for retailers. As the company that brought consumers
Redbox® entertainment, Coinstar® money
services, and ecoATM® electronics recycling kiosks,
Outerwall is leading the next generation of automated retail and
paving the way for inventive, scalable businesses. Outerwall™
kiosks are in neighborhood grocery stores, drug stores, mass
merchants, malls, and other retail locations in the United States, Canada, Puerto
Rico, the United Kingdom,
and Ireland. Learn more at
www.outerwall.com.
Safe Harbor for Forward-Looking Statements
Certain statements in this press release are "forward-looking
statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation
Reform Act of 1995. Words such as "expect" and "will" and
variations of such words, and future-looking and similar
expressions identify forward-looking statements, but their absence
does not mean that the statement is not forward-looking.
Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future events,
results, performance, or conditions. The forward-looking statements
in this report, including those relating to the recycled
electronics market and the performance of the ecoATM business, are
only predictions based on the current intent and expectations of
management, and actual events, results, performance, and conditions
may be materially different from those expressed or implied in
those statements. Differences may result from actions taken by
Outerwall or ecoATM, as well as from risks and uncertainties beyond
their control. Such risks and uncertainties include, but are not
limited to, competition from other companies who purchase
used electronics, actions resulting from federal, state,
local and other laws and regulations or taken by governing bodies,
as well as the ability to achieve the strategic and
financial objectives of Outerwall's entry into new businesses, such
as ecoATM. The foregoing list of risks and uncertainties is
illustrative, but by no means exhaustive. For more information on
factors that may affect Outerwall, please review "Risk Factors"
described in Outerwall's most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K and
subsequent Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q filed with the Securities
and Exchange Commission (the "SEC"). These forward-looking
statements reflect Outerwall's expectations as of the date of this
report. Outerwall undertakes no obligation to update the
information provided herein.
[1] International Data Corporation (IDC), April 2015
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SOURCE ecoATM