RELEASE: Guide helps you shop used electronics, have greener holiday

BOSTON — Consumers can shop for used electronic items with confidence this holiday season by using this year’s Fixed for the Holidays shopping guide, released by the MASSPIRG Education Fund on Thursday. The annual guide is packed with tips on what to buy, which products to avoid, how to know if you are getting a good deal and where to shop. Buying refurbished or repaired products can reduce the environmental impact of a purchase by as much as 91%, while consumers can enjoy savings of 20% and more as well as generous warranties.

“We want to show the magic of refurbished gift-giving and give shoppers the know-how to spot a good deal,” said Lucas Rockett Gutterman, Designed to Last campaign director with U.S. PIRG Education Fund. “It’s a win-win for the planet and consumers: create less waste, and save money during the holiday season.”

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 get your money back if there are issues with your purchase.

It also urges consumers to avoid new products that aren’t designed to last, such as Apple’s AirPods 4, which like its predecessors, have glued-in disposable batteries that can’t be replaced by the user.

In further efforts to inform consumers and reduce e-waste, PIRG has launched the Designed to Last campaign to make repair scores available to shoppers before they make a purchase. The scores are like car fuel economy stickers, but for repairability, providing a 1 through 10 rating based on availability of spare parts, ease of disassembly and longevity of software support. These scores are already provided in other countries by retailers such as Amazon, and PIRG has been collecting signatures from American consumers demanding Amazon make them available here.

Our efforts are working: Apple’s newest iPhone release is the most repairable device it has ever produced and Right to Repair legislation is making inroads at the state and federal levels. Meanwhile we’re fighting for the right to fix more of our stuff, from agricultural equipment to medical devices.

“It’s great to give gifts to loved ones or treat ourselves in the holiday season. We shouldn’t have to hurt our planet or our wallets to do that,” said Janet Domenitz, Executive Director of MASSPIRG Education Fund. “This is one of the many practical and important ways we can get to zero waste in Massachusetts and around the country.”