Ghent (Brussels Morning Newspaper) – In Ghent, repairers process 2 pallets of electronic toys returned to a large online retailer. Items with minor damage or defects are repaired and will be resold at discounted prices in thrift stores.
As VRT News reported, in Ghent, repairers are processing 2 pallets of electronic toys returned by customers to a large online retailer. Francisco Trinidad carefully inspects an item on his workbench, checking for defects and testing its function.
“It’s some kind of DJ kit for kids, but there’s no sound coming out. Maybe the speaker is broken, or there’s a loose wire. I’m going to investigate that further,”
Francisco Trinidad said.
What is Kringwinkel Ghent doing to repair and resell returned toys?
The workshop is part of a network of nearly 100 stores that handle returned goods. Most products have minor issues, such as damaged packaging, missing parts, or small faults that need repair before they can be resold. Each item is examined to ensure it meets quality standards before being sent out again.
“We just received two pallets full of electronic toys from a large online store. The delivery season is coming up, and we’re trying to get everything in order so we can offer them at a reasonable price,”
says assistant manager Nathalie De Schampheleire.
“They have a lot of expertise in-house, and we offer a one-year warranty on all these items, because we’re confident they’re in good condition.”
The initiative is part of the retailer’s program to reduce waste and reuse returned products.
“Since last summer, we have already distributed 120 pallets of returned goods for inspection and repair,”
says Yasmine Van De Moortel of Bol.com.
Yasmine Van De Moortel of Bol.com mentioned that repaired items are either resold at discounted prices or donated, depending on their condition. The process keeps usable products out of landfills while making quality items available to customers.
In Ghent, a thrift store is processing returned items from a large online retailer. The items include household appliances, lighting, and special products such as treadmills and drones. De Schampheleire of Ateliee says the returns are treated as donations.
Most products are still in good condition. Yasmine Van De Moortel of Bol.com explains that about 70% of returned items can be resold in their original state. The remaining 30% are sold through online deals or auctions.
“I can fix almost anything,” laughs Trinidad. “I’ve been working here for 10 years now, so I have some experience.”
His colleague, Abdelrahman Mahdi, has pulled a toy camera out of its packaging that no longer works.
“It could be a bad connection with the batteries, or maybe there’s a manufacturing defect. We’ll fix this,”
he says enthusiastically.
“For us, this project is a valuable addition, because we can offer almost new items. It means we can price them a bit higher, but of course, the goal is to keep them affordable for all our customers. I recommend everyone to visit the thrift store occasionally to pick up a bargain,”
concludes De Schampheleire.
In 2015, some local thrift stores began partnering with online retailers to handle returns of items that were slightly damaged or missing parts. By 2019, the project was expanded nationally by Bol.com and set up to create nearly 100 stores that handled returned products, ranging from electronics and household appliances to larger items like treadmills and drones. The program continued to develop in 2022, with Bol.com partnering with organisations like Ateliee in Ghent to repair goods and resell them.
