According to the latest annual refurbished barometer conducted by Smaart and Ifop, more and more French people are turning to second-hand smartphones. They are 62% to have bought or to declare that they want to switch to refurbished. A percentage increase of 6 points compared to 2021.
For several years now, the refurbished market has been attracting more and more users. In April 2022, the analysis firm Counterpoint revealed that sales of second-hand smartphones had increased by 15% in 2021.
And indeed, the last annual refurbished barometer conducted by the specialized company Smaart and the Ifop polling institute confirms this trend. After a survey conducted among of a representative sample of 1201 people aged between 18 and 65, we see that more and more French people are turning to the second-hand or refurbished market. Especially when it comes to a smartphone (users remain more reluctant to buy a laptop).
Thus, we learn that 62% of respondents have purchased a refurbished mobile phone recently or say they are ready to buy a second-hand smartphone. This is a 6 point increase from 2021. As said above, for laptops, there is still mistrust with only 31% of users motivated by the idea of buying a second-hand device.
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The price remains the primary motivation of users
Unsurprisingly, the reasons why consumers turn to refurbished smartphones are varied:
- 41% do it for the price
- 12% for the longer warranty
- 10% for the preservation of the environment
The finding remains similar for laptops, with lower bills remaining the main motivation for 32% of users. Then, 12% hope to obtain a machine with superior performance. Unsurprisingly, however, there are barriers to purchase: 28% of respondents fear that the lifespan will be shorter, while a similar share expresses doubts about the reliability of the product.
You will therefore have understood it, if the refurbished laptop market has yet to prove itself to users, the second-hand smartphone remains the most popular product in the sector. As a reminder, the Directorate General for Competition and Fraud Prevention conducted an investigation into the refurbished market in March 2022. The institution had detected several irregularities, noting that many sellers were content to sell second-hand devices yet bearing the mention “Reconditioned”.
Source: Ifop