Home Depot to trade-in drills, holiday lights

By Rachel Tobin Ramos

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Home Depot is expanding its Christmas trade-in policy.

Starting Sunday and ending Nov. 8, Home Depot will let customers trade-in used or broken power drills for 15 percent off a new lithium-ion drill. This is the first time the company is inviting drill trade-ins.

Customers also can exchange old Christmas light strands for a $3 coupon on new LED holiday lights, which use less energy, a program the company started last year.

The light coupons are valid Nov. 5-15, and limited to five per customer.

Home Depot is marketing the trade-ins as part of its Eco Options program, which markets tools and appliances, for example, that are more energy efficient. The company now sells more than $3 billion in Eco Options products annually.

The trade-ins are an example of ways retailers are trying to spur sales as consumers hold tightly to their wallets due to high unemployment and the credit crunch.

The holidays are a crucial season for retailers, when some earn as much as half of their profit. Home Depot is likely to see incremental sales, but its peak season is spring, when customers fix up and beautify their homes.