The smartphone market is rich in many references and manufacturers push consumption by launching new models very regularly. But this mode of operation has a significant environmental impact and consumes precious resources.
To limit the effects of this race for overconsumption, refurbished goods offer an alternative that claims to be more virtuous. The principle is simple: rather than letting functional smartphones sleep in drawers after a few months, why not put them back into circulation so that they can benefit others?
But not under any conditions since the refurbished sector is responsible for checking them and repairing them if necessary by replacing certain components before offering them for sale again.
Refurbished, extended life for electronic products
Their lifespan is thereby extended, making full use of the resources involved in their production, with lower prices varying according to the quality of their general condition.
This also helps to reduce the volumes of electronic waste by extending the life of equipment without having to produce and buy new at a rapid pace.
These lower prices are valid all year round and do not need the boost of one-off trade operations. It is therefore possible to equip yourself at a lower cost and not only with basic products.
The refurbished offer affects all segments of the market, from entry-level smartphones to premium products such as iPhone ofApple. If we can equip ourselves at low cost by choosing older models, it is also possible to take advantage of much more expensive and recent smartphones with a slightly reduced price compared to new.
From old to new
On platforms like the French leader Back Marketa smartphone iPhone 14 Pro Maxflagship ofApple with its 6.7-inch display with Dynamic Island, sound processor Apple A16 Bionic and its main 48 Megapixel photo sensor, can be found in all storage capacities (even 1 TB) for a few tens to more than a hundred euros less compared to the reference price.
The price will depend on the general condition and its rarity (certain colors are preferred), hence the fact that the prices are not all identical for the same category of product. The other advantage of reconditioned compared to a second-hand product concerns the guarantee which can range from 6 to 12 months depending on the platform.
We can thus buy without fear of unpleasant surprises, beyond the verification and repair of the products. Note that if smartphones are somewhat the stars of refurbished products, this market extends to other products such as mobile accessories (headphones, in particular), laptops, connected watches or even video game consoles.