Walmart today revealed that it'll soon join the myriad of methods that consumers have to trade in their old cellphone. Starting on Sept. 21, consumers will be able to walk into one of 3,600 participating Walmart or Sam's Club stores and trade their existing handset for an immediate credit. The program will accept over 100 models and credit values will range anywhere between $50 to $300 that can then be applied toward the purchase of a new model. Some examples include $300 for an iPhone 5, $175 for a Galaxy S III and $52 for a Galaxy S II.

The process of actually trading in a smartphone at Walmart is fairly straightforward. Consumers visit the electronics desk at a participating store and will be asked some questions about the phone's condition and specs. Once the value of the device has been assessed, the credit for that device can then be put toward the cost of a new phone with a two-year contract on AT&T, Sprint or Verizon. Walmart says that the credit can also be applied to smartphones intended for use with prepaid brands like Straight Talk.

There's certainly no shortage of ways for consumers to get rid of their old phone when they decide that it's time to upgrade, including Craigslist, eBay, dedicated trade-in websites and retailer programs like this one. Because Walmart's new service will be available in 3,600 stores and is associated with a brand that most everyone knows, though, it's got the potential to become one of the more popular ways that consumers opt to get rid of their old hardware. 

Via Walmart