The sale of refurbished equipment is disrupting consumer habits and is establishing itself as a sustainable solution to the overconsumption of new electronic products, but also to an inflationary context combined with a gradual increase in the price of equipment that no longer seems to know any limits.
Whether for economic, ecological or technological reasons, refurbished products are attracting a growing number of buyers while also encouraging them to supply the market by reselling their old equipment. Faced with a sector that offers increasingly short renewal cycles and which encourages overconsumption, refurbished products are making more and more sense every day, both economically and ecologically and ethically.
A booming market
In 2023, the global refurbished market reached a record figure with an estimated value of $64.5 billion, and an annual growth forecast at 10.23% on average until 2028. In France alone, this sector has experienced a significant surge, exceeding the symbolic milestone of 3 billion euros in 2022 with an increase of 15% over the year. These figures prove the growing enthusiasm of users for refurbished products, and in particular that of smartphones which alone represent 80% of sales in this specific market.
Among the most popular refurbished products each year, it is undoubtedly The iPhone that is establishing itself as the leaderIn 2023, 20 million refurbished iPhones were sold worldwide, representing 40% of the refurbished smartphone market share. Four out of 10 refurbished smartphones sold are iPhonesand this is quite easily explained: the iPhone retains an enormous attractive power among users, the ratings remain relatively stable over time thanks to the general reliability of the devices and the software monitoring offered by Apple. The life cycle of an iPhone is thus on average 2 to 3 times longer than an Android device, which allows smartphones with the bitten apple to have 2, 3 or up to 4 owners during their life.
The advantages of reconditioned
Refurbished products are increasingly becoming a serious alternative to new products, for many reasons.
The main one is the economic issue: price remains a determining factor in the purchasing process of users, and refurbished products have the advantage of offering much more attractive prices than their new counterparts, particularly for smartphones like the iPhone which are offered at prices much lower than those of new models. The situation at Apple is all the more interesting since the brand continues to offer its old models (up to 3 to 4 generations) on the market without a significant price drop over the years and the renewal of the range. In fact, we only have to note for example the price of a iPhone 14 from CertiDeal to see the savings made by opting for reconditioned. Depending on the models and condition of the devices, it is not uncommon to be able to benefit from discounts up to 50%including on devices less than a year old.
Another advantage in favor of reconditioned products: they respond to consumers’ concerns about the environment. Reconditioned products extend the life of electronic devices and are in line with the recycling and upcycling with a much greater impact since it does not require any industrial process, treatment or modification involving the supply of new energy sources. The reconditioned market makes it possible to limit the production of electronic waste, considered to be the most polluting in the world (particularly in terms of batteries), with materials that are sometimes very complex to recycle, or involve heavy and highly polluting treatment processes. According to the European Environment Agency, extending the lifespan of smartphones on the market for just one year would save up to 2 million tonnes of CO2 in Europe each year.
In addition, refurbished products have an advantage over private sales: they offer guarantees of quality and reliability. The devices are systematically tested, defective parts are replaced if necessary, and the sale is covered by a warranty lasting from 6 to 24 months, which brings refurbished products a little closer to the experience of buying a new product.
Benefits for buyers and resellers
Buyers are the first to benefit from the advantages of refurbished products. Opting for this type of device generally allows you to benefit from a 30% savings compared to new equipment. It thus becomes easier to afford a high-end terminal from a previous generation than to access the entry-level model just released which will offer lower performance at a much higher price.
Refurbishment involves a thorough examination of devices to ensure their aesthetic condition on the one hand, but also their full functioning. Smartphones, tablets, televisions, computers, game consoles: the devices are inspected and the resellers offer a guarantee that allows purchases with complete confidence.
In addition, choosing refurbished is also an ethical choice: not playing the game of overconsumption and opting for more responsible and sustainable consumption is a growing lifestyle. It is sometimes an activist act to contribute to reducing electronic waste, limiting one’s carbon footprint and an ecological gesture that is making more and more sense to a growing number of users.
This circular market does not only benefit buyers: the boom in the refurbished market also benefits users who want to part with their devices, and in particular those who have a very different approach and opt more generally for each new generation of devices.
With shorter life cycles and the desire to stay technologically up to date, it is necessary for technophiles to find a way to finance their new purchases. Refurbished product platforms thus represent a ready-made opportunity for these users who can easily resell their devices, in order to reinvest in the latest models released. By choosing to give a second life to their devices, they participate, certainly less directly, but still, in a more virtuous circle for the planet and the environment. Purchasing thus becomes a little more responsible…
In this sense, a growing number of renowned companies are offering bonus programs for the recovery of old devices for the purchase of their new models, thus turning to refurbished specialists to encourage users to take part in this more virtuous circle of consumption.
It should also be noted that some brands are also turning to refurbished specialists to sell off their stocks of old devices rather than turning to recycling or dealing with unsold items.
A positive impact on the environment
If reconditioned goods have taken off in recent years, it is also and above all due to the awareness of individuals, but also of governments, of the need to better control electronic waste, overproduction and the overconsumption that results from it.
The production of new devices is an extremely resource-intensive process: raw materials, rare metals, manufacturing processes, transport, storage, energy, etc. According to a report by ADEME (the French Agency for Ecological Transition), the manufacture of a new smartphone generates an average of 80 kg of CO2. It is therefore becoming clear that the lifespan of these devices must be extended, and the multiple lives offered by reconditioning are a response to these challenges.
Reconditioning also has a significant impact on the production of electronic waste. It is estimated that 50 million tons of electronic waste are produced worldwide each year. This observation is what motivated Europe to impose the USB-C port as the universal charging port with all electronic devices since this year. The European Union hopes to avoid 11,000 tons of electronic waste per year linked to the proliferation of chargers or the loss of proprietary chargers making the equipment unusable for consumers.
Finally, the reconditioned market is part of a circular economic model that encourages offering products made to last, repaired and reused rather than replaced and thrown away after a short period of use. This mode highlights a more sustainable economy, creates jobs and the recovery of resources.