Chinese home appliance retailer Gome has announced plans to reclaim used mobile phones at its chain stores across the country in an effort to create a green industry chain for mobile phone consumption.
Sun Yiding, general manager of Gome Communications, says that Gome will hand over the mobile phones collected to Shanghai Xikui Company to process and recycle.
In coordinating the reclamation, Gome will carry out a "Change Old for New" campaign at more than 1200 stores throughout the country. During the period, the company will offer a voucher worth up to RMB200 to consumers after their old mobile phones or accessories are appraised by Gome's professionals so that they can purchase a new mobile phone or accessory.
Gome's efforts mimic those of rival Dazhong, who announced in January 2008 plans to launch a 15-day campaign to recall used mobile phones at 10 of its stores from January 30. More than 20 mobile phone manufacturers, including Nokia, Motorola and Sony Ericsson, participated in the activity in which Dazhong reclaimed the old mobile phone for as much as 75% of the phone's original value.