Currys has begun trialling sales of refurbished technology on its website. The retailer is selling pre-owned items including mobiles, laptops and Chromebooks online as customers increasingly look to save money.
The trial started in November but, until now, customers have only been able to buy second-hand tech which has been graded as being in ‘excellent’ condition. However, a range of items in ‘very good’ and ‘fair’ conditions are available as of this week. Regardless of their condition, all items are sold with a 12-month technical guarantee.
Currys says 80% of the refurbished product lines have been selling out within the first week of sales, with refurbished laptops in particularly high demand. Products are individually checked over, restored if required, then repackaged.
Previously only available via the ‘Currys Clearance’ eBay store, the second-hand products can be bought using ‘buy now, pay later’ options. The company also promises that each refurbished item is sold with charging power outlets and leads.
Mandeep Gobindpuri, head of development – circular economy at Currys, said: “In the UK we produce the second highest amount of e-waste per capita in the world2. As much as we all love brand-new tech, we need to address this challenge. E-waste is a core reason why we are committed to our ‘Long Live Your Tech’ campaign, which helps customers make more informed environmental decisions when buying and disposing of technology.
“Buying refurbished saves customers money and saves good tech from landfill. This trial is a win for customers, and a win for the planet.”
