Retail giant Timpson and musicMagpie have announced a partnership that will allow customers to trade in their old smartphones and get paid in minutes.
Following a successful four-month trial, the service is now available in over 1,300 Timpson stores across the UK, enabling customers to hand over their device in-store, have it assessed in front of them and have funds transferred within minutes.
It’s estimated that 73 per cent of UK adults have at least one unused smartphone at home with an average trade-in value of around £250.
AO buys musicMagpie: ‘Life was pretty tough as a standalone PLC’
musicMagpie was acquired by electrical retailer AO World in December 2024.
John Roberts, CEO and founder of AO World, said: “We know that apathy is the biggest barrier to trading in old tech, and the ability to ‘take it to Timpson’ now makes it a no-brainer for customers who can get cash in only a few minutes for their old smartphone at over 1 ,300 Timpson sites.
“It’s another great synergy from our acquisition of Magpie in 2024 and is really just the start of the enormous potential that we see for this partnership.
“By combining musicMagpie’s refurbishment expertise with Timpson’s trusted nationwide network, we’re helping customers unlock the value in their old tech instantly, while keeping more devices in use and making them more affordable for every pocket.”
Steve Oliver, managing director and co-founder of musicMagpie, said: “Adding Magpie to 1,300 Timpson stores across the UK is a huge milestone for us and will take our reach and convenience for customers far beyond anything we’ve tried before.
“It’s great to see that so many customers are choosing to trade in their old phones in a way that’s as good for the planet as it is for their wallets.
“This partnership means that most people in the UK are now just minutes from turning their unused tech into hundreds of pounds of instant cash.”
Sid Hubbard, group director of Timpson, said: “Our expert colleagues are a trusted and friendly face to millions of customers across the UK, and this additional service further enhances the high street experience for new and existing Timpson customers.
“Repairing worn, old or damaged goods has been at the heart of the Timpson service offer for over 150 years. We are pleased to extend this to smartphone trade -in for our customers on behalf of musicMagpie.”