Music Magpie has announced a significant new partnership with high street retailer Timpson, enabling customers to trade in their old smartphones for cash at over 1,300 locations nationwide. This collaboration follows a successful four-month trial period that saw the service rolled out across Timpson's extensive store network.
Convenient High Street Solution for Unused Devices
The partnership represents a strategic move by AO World, which acquired Music Magpie in December 2024, to make technology trade-ins more accessible to the general public. Customers can now visit participating Timpson stores, hand over their old smartphones, and have them assessed on the spot while they wait. The company promises that funds will be transferred to customers "within minutes" of the assessment.
Addressing Consumer Apathy Toward Old Technology
John Roberts, chief executive and founder of AO World, highlighted how this partnership tackles one of the key barriers to electronics recycling. "We know that apathy is the biggest barrier to trading in old tech," Roberts explained. "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."
Roberts emphasized the complementary strengths of both companies: "By combining Music Magpie'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."
Substantial Untapped Value in UK Smartphones
The partnership arrives against a backdrop of significant unused technology in British households. According to figures from a recent Censuswide survey commissioned by AO World, the total value of unused smartphones across the UK is estimated at approximately £10 billion. The poll, which surveyed 2,000 adults at the end of November 2025, revealed that nearly three quarters (73%) of adults have at least one unused smartphone at home, with an average trade-in value of about £250.
Expanding Reach and Customer Convenience
Steve Oliver, managing director and co-founder of Music Magpie, described the partnership as a "huge milestone" for the company. "Adding Magpie to 1,300 Timpson stores across the UK will take our reach and convenience for customers far beyond anything we've tried before," Oliver stated. "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."
Building on Timpson's Existing Services
The mobile trade-in service will complement Timpson's established range of high street offerings, which already includes shoe repairs, key cutting, and dry cleaning services. This expansion represents a natural evolution for both companies, bringing technology recycling into the mainstream retail environment where customers already visit for other everyday needs.
Stockport-based Music Magpie has built its reputation on buying and selling refurbished electronics, along with used computer games, consoles, books, films, and music. The Timpson partnership significantly extends the company's physical presence beyond its traditional online and postal trade-in services, creating what the company describes as a "faster and more convenient way" for people to exchange their old devices for cash.
