Microsoft has launched a marketing offer targeting Apple’s iPad users by luring them with a minimum $200 to swap the ‘gently used’ tablets for its Surface tablets.
As per the offer, which is currently launched in the US and Canada, customers bringing in a ‘gently used’ Apple iPad 2, 3 or 4 would be offered a minimum $200 gift card to the Microsoft store to exchange their device for Surface RT and the Surface Pro.
Being carried out in collaboration with retailer Cexchange, the Recycle for Rewards programme mandates the devices to be swapped together with power chord and to be password-free.
By the end of 30 June 2013, Microsoft sold $853m worth Surface tablets, while earnings have been hit by a $900m charge for inventory writedowns owing to poorer than expected tablet sales.
As part of efforts to boost tablets sales, Microsoft also slashed prices of its products including 32GB Surface RT to £279 from £400, while the 64GB model had been priced at £359.
Microsoft also revealed plans to sell Surface tablets via resellers to boost sales by targeting corporate customers.
