Between rising costs of living, the improving quality of hardware, and the desire to live a more sustainable and environment-friendly life, British consumers are increasingly opting to buy second-hand smartphones, new research has found.
A report from Vodafone found a third (32%) of Brits now own a refurbished smartphone, with an additional quarter (24%) planning on buying one such device in the future.
This also seems to be a growing trend, as Vodafone claims that searches for refurbished phones on its website went up by 39% in the last six months, alone.
Refurbished phone bounce
Saving money is the primary driver pushing people towards refurbished phones, with almost half (47%) just looking to cut down on spending, with Brits believing they can save around £140 when buying second-hand. More than a third (37%) would consider a refurbished device to be more sustainable, too.
But they’re not just going to buy any used phone. Half (47%) want it to be in pristine condition and come with a warranty. Two in five (39%) demand a guarantee for the battery, but above all - 59% want the device to save them money.
While smartphones may be the most obvious choice when on the hunt for a refurbished device, Brits are buying all sorts of used tech. A quarter (26%) purchased refurbished laptops, while a fifth bought used TVs (22%) or tablet devices (21%). What’s more, 39% of Brits said they are now more likely to shop second-hand in general, as a direct result of the rising costs of living.
Gen-Z is most likely to buy such hardware (61%) compared to Boomers (21%).
Of those that would rather purchase a new device (42%), most are worried about the quality of the hardware (65%), while some fear the gear wouldn’t last as long (45%). A significant minority (27%) is worried about data breaches.
- Check out the best refurbished iPhones and prices
