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Google Store, Project Fi trade-in kits finally provide more shipping protections

Back in September, the Google Store and Project Fi unveiled a trade-in program to get credits towards a new device. However, one critique that quickly emerged was the flimsy packaging Google was sending out to ship phones back for appraisal. Weeks later, Google has finally remedied the situation.

At launch, the free “trade-in kit” that Google sent out to collect old phones was just a small bubble-lined bag. It appeared to provide only minimal protection and increased the possibility that the device would get damaged during transit. As such, this could greatly reduce the trade-in value before appraisal.

As result of this issue, the company provided an update in November that noted how “New packaging for trade-in kits will be coming in the next few weeks.” In the meantime, customer support allowed customers to ship their devices in their own secure packaging.

This week, the new kits finally arrived with one Reddit user receiving a cardboard box to ship back their old device. The box is compact and adequately foam-lined to prevent significant movement, with the phone being placed directly inside.

However, an additional sleeve to place the phone in would have been another nice layer of protection. Regardless, this is a vast improvement and a step in the right direction for the trade-in program.


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Avatar for Abner Li Abner Li

Editor-in-chief. Interested in the minutiae of Google and Alphabet. Tips/talk: abner@9to5g.com