Price hikes push India buyers to refurbished phones and laptops as new shipments fall
Rising memory and component costs are lifting India's secondary-market for devices. Refurbished smartphones seen growing 12% YoY in 2026 while new shipments drop 11% and laptops fall 9.8% to 14.3M units. With 85% of models seeing ~15% price hikes, Samsung expanded its certified refurbished programme to capture demand.
What happened
Samsung · Rising memory and component costs are lifting India's refurbished smartphone and laptop markets as new-device shipments decline. Refurbished phones
Key facts
- refurbished smartphones +12% YoY 2026
- new smartphone shipments -11%
- laptop shipments -9.8% to 14.3M units 2026
- smartphone ASP $302, +10.4% YoY
- 85% of models saw price hikes ~15%
- new launches 30-40% pricier
Why this matters
Samsung's expansion of certified refurbished capacity highlights a consolidation window—consider acquiring or partnering with secondary-market refurbishers and reverse-logistics players in India.
What to watch
- DRAM/NAND spot price movements and component-cost commentary from OEMs
- Quarterly India shipment data (new vs refurbished) from IDC/Counterpoint
- Rupee-dollar exchange rate affecting import costs
- Competitor refurb-programme launches (Apple, Xiaomi, OnePlus)
- Festive-season financing and discount aggressiveness
- Regulatory signals on e-waste, refurb labeling, or warranty mandates
- Expand OEM certified-refurbished inventory and warranty coverage to capture premium refurb demand
- Bundle refurb devices with financing/EMI and trade-in credits to lower entry price
- Secure reverse-logistics and grading partnerships to guarantee refurb supply and quality
- Position mid-tier new SKUs with locked specs to defend against cannibalization
- Launch buy-back guarantees to feed the refurb pipeline and build customer loyalty loops