Most teenagers find refurbished smartphones an excellent alternative to a new smartphone

A survey by iVox on behalf of Swappie (the largest iPhone refurbisher in Europe) shows that 70% of the Dutch teenagers surveyed do not mind if they receive a refurbished smartphone as an alternative to a brand new smartphone.

Majority is open to refurbished smartphone
A clear majority of parents surveyed (72%) are considering buying a refurbished smartphone for their teenager. Moreover, 63% of parents surveyed think that their child would have no problem getting a refurbished smartphone as an alternative to the most recent device. Teenagers more than confirm that suspicion, as no less than 70% of teenagers surveyed say they are open to a refurbished smartphone as an alternative to a brand new one. An equal number of teenagers (72%) would also consider buying a refurbished smartphone themselves.

Battery life, brand and price are important, but environmental considerations lag behind
The survey shows that parents and teenagers attach importance to other factors when purchasing a new smartphone. For example, teenagers consider the battery life (70%) to be the most important, followed by the price and brand (both 62%). Parents who buy a smartphone for their child mainly look at the price (76%).
What is striking is that the sustainability aspect is less decisive among teenagers (18%). Among the parents of teenagers, almost one in three (30%) consider this aspect when purchasing a smartphone.
According to the survey, three in five teenagers have been using their smartphone for at least three years, while almost three-quarters of teenagers (43%) think it is important that they always have the most recent smartphone in their pocket. Only 14% indicate that they receive or purchase a new device every year.

Martine Hardeveld Kleuver, country manager of the Netherlands and Belgium at Swappie: “Although it is of course nice to have the latest smartphone, our survey shows that most teenagers use their device in practice for at least three years. The use of the smartphone during those three years affects the battery life, an aspect that weighs heavily for teenagers. The refurbished market is the perfect answer to this. It offers teenagers and their parents the opportunity to buy a more recent smartphone at an affordable price, including a new battery. Moreover, it is good for the environment, as it gives devices a second life. The fact that both parents and teenagers are considering buying a refurbished smartphone is a positive trend.”

Research
Research agency iVOX conducted an online survey on behalf of Swappie. The survey was conducted between February 26 and March 11, 2024 among 1,000 Dutch people, including 213 respondents with children between 10 and 17 years old, and 200 Dutch teenagers, representative on the basis of gender, age, language and diploma.