Pre-owned Gadgets on the Rise
27 Sept 2017
- 48% are now investing in pre-owned gadgets over new ones
- 52% said this shift was down to price, 45% said they didn’t need latest features
Almost half of Brits are now investing in pre-owned and refurbished gadgets as technology becomes more robust and longer lasting, according to new research. The survey of 2,001 British adults carried out by
, found that 48% are now opting for pre-owned technology, rather than investing in brand new gadgets such as smartphones, laptops, and tablets. More than half (52%) listed price as the main factor for choosing a pre-owned gadget, as it is more cost effective than new devices. This news comes as the latest Apple smartphone, the iPhone X is set to retail for £999. 45% felt that new models included features which they didn’t yet have a requirement for and therefore didn’t warrant a new handset, with new models including facial recognition, augmented reality and wireless charging. Two thirds (65%) admitted to getting a ‘second-hand’ gadget from a family member or friend, while a quarter (26%) had purchased one from an online marketplace such as eBay. One in five (22%) surveyed said they kept their old gadget as a backup, while more than half (53%) said they had sold or traded-in a gadget to offset the cost of a brand new model. Less than one in six (13%) said they had recycled their old gadget, showing that there is still some work to be done when it comes to making use of old gadgets and their components. Mark Kelly, marketing manager at
commented: “Given the recent hype surrounding the launch of the new iPhone X, it is quite surprising to see that consumers are increasingly opting for preowned models of their favourite technology. Whilst Brits will always be interested in new gadgets and their features, the market for preowned and recently refurbished products is growing as appetite for gadgets that ‘just do the job’ rises.” “The research shows a clear picture of how spending patterns on gadgets are changing with the times, as we become less inclined to have the most up-to-date gadgets on the market. Evidently, more of us are recognising the strong advantages of purchasing pre-owned devices, but it is clear there will always be those who do desire to have the newest gadgets.” Those aged 45 – 54 are the most likely to own refurbished technology, while despite their traditionally lower incomes millennials (those aged 18-30) were most likely to buy the latest technology. LaptopsDirect.co.uk is the UK’s largest online laptop specialist, selling a wide range of new and refurbished laptops from leading brands, as well as a wide range of other lifestyle gadgets.
