This wouldn't be necessary if Apple just set reasonable prices for the chargers to begin with. These chargers are only compatible with Apple's devices and their profit margin must be enormous. It's supply and demand, people want to get a reasonable price for something as simple as a charger. As long as that is the case people will continue buying alternatives on eBay, without thinking of possible safety concerns. So what is the reaction? A trade-in program that makes people pay extra just to get an Apple-branded charger, while many chargers on eBay could be perfectly fine too. Apple wins, the consumer loses.
Shaking my head at how asinine that whole diatribe was. What is your evidence to show what their profit margin is on these devices? Do you have some empirical evidence that shows what it costs them to bring the products to market? If so, show it to us, instead of throwing out some half-assed statement like "their profit margin must be enormous."
You show absolutely no concept of what supply and demand means in market terms. Supply and demand is an economic model that is determined by the demand of a product vs. the availability of said product. That has absolutely nothing to do with the phenomena of certain people in a market deciding that they don't want to pay the price for a certain quality of product, and instead are willing to by a non-proven or substandard product for a cheaper price.
Your statement that Apple's program "makes people pay extra for an Apple-branded charger" is just ludicrous. People are free to keep their non-Apple approved chargers if they wish. Apple is just giving them the opportunity to trade those non-approved chargers in for an Apple certified charger if they choose that they no longer wish to risk death by electrocution from a charger that doesn't meet basic safety standards.
The other half of the statement, "while many chargers on eBay could be perfectly fine too." is equally absurd. Sure, they could be perfectly fine. Then again, they could kill you. And if they do, nobody will stand up and accept liability.
Your statement that "Apple wins. The consumer loses." is just mystifying to me. What the Hell is that even supposed to mean? Because Apple is allowed to make a profit from their investment in R&D, design, manufacturing, distribution, marketing, packaging, legal fees, regulatory expenses, support and warranty they are somehow a bad company?
It never ceases to amaze me how some people get such a sense of entitlement about things. Just because someone packages a turd and sells it to you at a bargain price does not make it comparable to a quality product that meets safety regulations and guidelines.
Go buy cheaper parts. Roll the dice. Save $5, or $10. Do the research and see if that other company is following industry standards for safety. Buy what you feel comfortable with buying. Then take a deep breath and contemplate your decision every time you plug it into the wall. But don't put your economic decisions on Apple's back. It's not their responsibility to make you feel like you're getting a bargain on your damn charger. Geez.