AO World-owned MusicMagpie has launched a UK-wide partnership with Timpson to offer customers instant, in-store smartphone trade-ins, following a successful four-month trial.

The service is now available in more than 1,300 Timpson stores nationwide, allowing customers to hand over unused smartphones, have them assessed in-store and receive payment within minutes.

The initiative is designed to remove friction from the trade-in process and encourage consumers to unlock the value of unused tech.

Research cited by the partners shows that 73% of UK adults have at least one unused smartphone at home, with an average trade-in value of around £250.

The total value of unused smartphones across the UK is estimated at £10bn. The findings also highlight strong consumer demand for physical trade-in options, with 68% preferring to trade in devices in person and one in four saying immediate payment is very important.

MusicMagpie managing director and co-founder Steve Oliver described the rollout as a “huge milestone” that significantly expands the business’s reach and convenience.

“We know that apathy is the biggest barrier to trading in old tech, and 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 said.

“By combining MusicMagpie’s refurbishment expertise with Timpson’s trusted nationwide network, we’re helping customers unlock the value in their old tech instantly, while keeping more devices in use and making them more affordable for every pocket.”

The partnership follows AO World’s acquisition of recommerce specialist MusicMagpie in December 2024 and supports the group’s strategy to grow awareness and share in new categories, particularly mobile.

It is also intended to drive higher volumes through MusicMagpie’s refurbishment operations and strengthen AO’s circular economy credentials across reuse, refurbishment and recycling.

Timpson group director Sid Hubbard said the new service builds on Timpson’s long-standing focus on repairing and extending the life of goods.

“Adding Magpie to 1,300 Timpson stores across the UK is a huge milestone for us and will take our reach and convenience for customers far beyond anything we’ve tried before,” 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.”

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