Buying an iPhone or smartphone with ecocheques

Has your employer given you ecocheques? You can use them to pay for a refurbished iPhone, Samsung, iPad, Apple Watch or MacBook. Below you can read why that is allowed, what you cannot buy with them and exactly how paying at Green-ware works.

What are ecocheques?

Ecocheques are a benefit that employers in Belgium can give their employees. Since 1 January 2022 they only exist in electronic form: the amount is loaded onto a card or account with an issuer such as Pluxee (formerly Sodexo) or Monizze. They can only be used for products and services of an ecological nature that appear on an official list, the annex to collective agreement no. 98 of the National Labour Council.

How long are ecocheques valid?

An ecocheque is valid for 24 months from the moment it is put on your account. After that it expires. You can find your balance and the expiry date of your cheques in your issuer’s app or on its website. It is worth checking before you order, especially if your cheques have been on your account for a while.

Why does a refurbished device qualify?

The official list includes the purchase of second-hand products, except devices with a non-electric motor and hybrid devices. A refurbished smartphone is a previously used device, so it falls into that category. For completeness: new smartphones and tablets with an EU energy label of class A are now on the list as well. So ecocheques are not in themselves a reason to choose refurbished, but they do make a refurbished device even more affordable.

What about accessories?

New accessories such as cases, screen protectors and chargers are not on the list, so you cannot pay for them with ecocheques. If you order them together with a device, that is no problem: you pay for the device with your ecocheques and for the accessories straight afterwards by Bancontact or credit card. An accessory ordered with a device travels in the same parcel free of charge.

How to pay with ecocheques at Green-ware

  1. Choose your device and add it to your basket.
  2. At checkout, select Pluxee or Monizze as your payment method, just as you would select Bancontact.
  3. You are taken to your issuer’s secure environment, where you confirm the payment with your ecocheque card details.
  4. Not enough balance? You pay the difference by Bancontact or by credit card. The ecocheque surcharge is then still calculated on the full amount (see below).
  5. If there are accessories in your basket too, you pay for them straight afterwards by Bancontact or credit card.

What does it cost?

For a payment with ecocheques, the payment provider charges a surcharge of €0.50 plus 5.5% on the full amount of your order, even if you pay part of it another way. The surcharge is always shown in your summary before you confirm, never afterwards. Bancontact has no surcharge; a credit card costs €0.25 plus 3%. We would rather say it up front: if you have enough ecocheques, you pay slightly more than with Bancontact, but you use a budget that might otherwise expire.

Why Green-ware?

Your device comes with a 2-year warranty, battery included, a battery of at least 85% and a test on more than 50 points under the Keurmerk Refurbished quality mark. The price includes VAT, the Belgian private copying levy and delivery. Order before 4 pm on a working day and it arrives the next working day. Having trouble with your ecocheques? Call us on +32 56 980 680 and we will sort it out together.

Further reading

Frequently asked questions

Can I buy an iPhone with ecocheques?

Yes, a refurbished iPhone counts as a second-hand product on the official list. At Green-ware you pay with Pluxee or Monizze ecocheques.

Can I pay for a case or screen protector with ecocheques?

No, new accessories are not on the list. If you order them with a device, you pay for the device with ecocheques and for the accessories straight afterwards by Bancontact or credit card.

What if my balance is not enough?

You pay the difference by Bancontact or credit card.

How long are my ecocheques valid?

24 months from the moment they are put on your account. You can find the expiry date in your issuer’s app or on its website.

Is there a surcharge for paying with ecocheques?

Yes, the payment provider charges €0.50 plus 5.5% on the full amount, even if you pay part of it another way. You see the amount before you confirm.