Niche market for broken iPods & abandoned GameCubes

Earlier this year, we wrote about a small start-up that had found an interesting niche: buying broken iPods from consumers. BuyMyBrokeniPod.com offers people a very simple way to sell their broken or unused iPods: after indicating which model they’d like to sell and what condition it’s in, the website gives an instant price-quote. Send it in, and payment is transferred via PayPal within 24 hours after the iPod has been received. Now, six months later, the company’s founder is expanding the concept to offer the same easy sales service for game consoles. Again, users indicate which item they’d like to sell and what condition it’s in, and are instantly given a quote and sent shipping instructions. For example, a good condition Nintendo DS Lite will net its seller USD 61.50 (new DS Lites are currently retailing at USD 129). Other electronics, including cell phones and laptops, will follow within the next few months at BuyMyTronics.com. Offering consumers a simple alternative to selling broken or unused gadgets on eBay? Still a smart concept, in our book. The challenge now is for the company to retain its ease of use while expanding to other products.