Pennsylvania consumers can shop for used electronic items with confidence this holiday season by using the newest Fixed for the Holidays shopping guide, released by the PennPIRG Education Fund on Thursday. The consumer guide is packed with useful shopping tips to help Pennsylvanians find high quality, like-new, refurbished products at deep discounts during a period of rising prices and tighter budgets.
“Buying refurbished electronics is a win-win: They can be considerably less expensive than new ones, and it’s far better for the planet than just accumulating more stuff,” said Kari Schmidt, Associate with the PennPIRG Education Fund. “Our guide helps consumers spot great deals that make great gifts while giving them the tips to ensure they get quality products and don’t get ripped off.”
This year’s guide includes advice on:
- Recommended vendors.
- Which devices make a good refurbished gift.
- How to know if you are getting a good deal.
- The risks and common pitfalls you might encounter in buying used products.
- How to avoid products that don’t receive software support, and how you could repurpose these devices.
- How to get your money back if there are issues with your purchase.
Fixed for the Holidays also gives advice on how to avoid products that no longer receive software support, including the hundreds of millions of computers potentially still running on the Windows-10 operating system. Microsoft ended support for Windows 10 on October 14, but many millions of computers are not able to upgrade to Windows 11, so they won’t receive critical security updates and will be vulnerable to threats.
In further efforts to reduce e-waste and inform customers, PennPIRG has been advocating for Right to Repair and other e-waste reducing measures. In the Pennsylvania legislature, HB1512, sponsored by state Representative Kyle Mullin (District 112), would create a statewide Right to Repair law for electronics bought and sold in the state and recently passed the state House with bipartisan support. The proposal currently awaits action in the state Senate. The Senate version of this legislation (SB 833) has been introduced by Senator Dan Laughlin (District 49).
“As a state legislator, offering Pennsylvanians and my constituents useful tools to help them be better and wiser consumers in the marketplace is an important way that I can be a helpful resource to the public,” noted State Senator Dan Laughlin. “I’m proud to partner with Representative Mullins in the State House to put forth Right to Repair legislation that will promote refurbishing electronics instead of having to throw them out or send them to a landfill.”
“When Pennsylvanians have the freedom to fix the products they own, we save families money and keep countless devices out of our landfills,” stated State Representative Kyle Mullins. “This legislation is a practical step toward empowering consumers and reducing unnecessary waste.”
Advocacy in support of Right to Repair policies is gaining traction and showing successes all across the country. Apple’s last two iPhone models have been their most repairable devices yet, and Right to Repair legislation is making massive inroads not just in Pennsylvania, but in other states and at the federal level as well.
“Buying refurbished is an excellent way to treat our loved ones and give a heartfelt gift without hurting the planet or our wallets,” said Schmidt. “Even with prices rising this year, consumers can still get the high-tech gifts of their dreams using our helpful tips.”
