Amazon India offers buyback programme for large appliances

Online retailer Amazon India has entered into a tie-up with GreenDust for a new buyback programme for washing machines, refrigerators and air conditioners in select cities.

This programme is available in  Ahmedabad, Bangalore, Chennai, Delhi, Gurgaon, Hyderabad, Lucknow and Mumbai. The scheme works like an exchange programme where consumers can sell their old home appliances while buying a new one. The buyer has to first evaluate the value of the old appliance by visiting the website of GreenDust, a Delhi-based seller of refurbished factory products.

If the buyer is satisfied with the buyback offer, he needs to fill in the details such as Amazon order ID, contact details and pickup address of the appliance on the website. GreenDust will call and confirm within two days, and pick up the old appliance and hand over cash within nine days of the exchange form submitted by the customer.

Under this programme, customers can get a maximum of Rs 1,500 for a washing machine and a maximum of Rs 4,000 for air conditioners and refrigerators.

However, while checking the portal, the quote for a working 1.5-ton O General Split AC was only Rs 3,000. For a non-working AC with major accessories present, the quote was Rs 2,500. Similarly, for a Whirlpool washing machine in a working condition, the maximum amount quoted by the website was Rs 1,100. For a working Hitachi refrigerator (over 400 litre) the maximum buyback one could get was Rs 3,500 only.

Amazon's rival Flipkart also offers exchange on selected models of washing machines, televisions and refrigerators.