With the release of the zwift ride, this seems like an ideal opportunity for zwift to offer a trade in option for those of us who have invested significantly in now obsolete hardware.
The briefly available one hub is replaced by kickr core, and the play controllers functionality is now integrated into the ride. Ride stand alone will not be available until later in the year making this an ideal opportunity to ensure customer loyalty and offer a trade in option to upgrade to ride and standardise equipment.
Will zwift consider this trade in option?
Almost certainly not as they will likely have zero interest in being left with a bunch of (by your own admission) “obsolete” equipment…I certainly wouldn’t.
If there is any value in the equipment you should be able to offload it locally (FB Marketplace, etc) otherwise just bin it - because if you can’t sell it why would Zwift want it???
There is already a well established second hand market, don’t see Zwift wanting to enter that space.
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I get it. Things can always be repurposed…
For me, this is about catering for existing customers. I can see the ride being an attractive proposition for somebody just getting into the virtual cycling world. But realistically those of us already zwifting have already invested significantly in our set ups and won’t justify purchasing ride.
A trade in for old hardware at least offers zwift the chance to make ride attractive to existing customers whilst still making dinner money.
Just because something new is coming out, doesn’t mean that what you are using is obsolete, does it still do the job you bought it for, if the answer is yes then why change it?
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Point accepted. Obsolete is a deliberately provocative word. It is how customers feel when improvements are made to products they’ve recently purchased. Perhaps superseded is a more acceptable term?
The point remains the same. It’s not like trade in offers are brand new to the electronics and gaming market…
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I don’t think I’d want old hardware that has been used by sweaty indoor cycling people - at least not play controllers. The smart trainers less of a problem, if they’ve been looked after well.
Old trainers you can get rid of yourself maybe even to people in local cycling clubs, parents with kids for instance who might want to be training indoors but don’t have the dollars for a smart trainer. Cycling is an expensive sport for parents especially if they have a few kids involved in it.
Most trade-ins for low-margin electronics products are a terrible deal. The trade-in process is essentially a convenience product with a high price.
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