Industry News

Australia's certified refurbished smartphone market has crossed the $2.1 billion annual revenue mark for the first time, according to industry estimates compiled for the 2025–26 financial year. The growth — up approximately 34% from the prior year — is being driven primarily by cost-of-living pressures that are pushing mainstream consumers away from new flagship devices priced above $1,500.

Platforms with the largest review volumes are capturing the bulk of the growth. Reebelo AU, which now holds over 100,000 verified customer reviews across Trustpilot and ProductReview, reported a significant uptick in first-time refurbished buyers — customers who had never previously purchased a second-hand device. Industry observers attribute this to improved consumer confidence, driven in part by independent trust scoring platforms and mandatory warranty disclosures introduced under the Australian Consumer Law.

Smaller specialist retailers are also benefiting. Vendors offering transparent grading (like-new, good, fair) and clear battery-health disclosures are outperforming those with opaque condition descriptions, reflecting a broader consumer shift toward informed purchasing. The ACCC has flagged misleading "refurbished" claims as an enforcement priority for 2026, warning vendors that general condition descriptors without supporting evidence may constitute false or misleading conduct.

Source: Industry estimates, ACCC enforcement priorities, vendor review data. Information only — not investment advice.

OzMobiles, one of Australia's highest-rated certified refurbished smartphone retailers, has announced an expansion into MacBook and laptop refurbishment, targeting the business and education sector. The Sydney-based vendor — which currently holds an 18,000+ Trustpilot review base at 4.8★ — says the move responds to sustained demand from small businesses seeking cost-effective hardware refreshes.

The new laptop range will launch with a Grade A and Grade B tier, both carrying the vendor's existing 12-month warranty and 30-day change-of-mind returns policy. OzMobiles says it will disclose battery cycle counts and screen condition grades on all MacBook listings — a level of transparency that currently sets it apart from several major marketplace competitors.

For consumers: OzMobiles' entrance into the laptop category increases the number of vendors offering end-to-end certified refurbishment across both mobile and computing devices. Always verify the specific grade and battery health documentation before purchasing, regardless of vendor reputation.

Information only. Verify current stock and policies directly with the vendor.

Paris-headquartered refurbished marketplace Back Market has reported 40% year-on-year revenue growth across its Asia-Pacific operations, with Australia identified as the single fastest-growing market in the region. The company, which entered Australia in 2021, has grown its local seller base by over 60% in the past 12 months and now lists devices from more than 200 certified professional refurbishers.

The company's APAC growth story mirrors a broader regional trend. Singapore, Japan, and South Korea are all recording double-digit growth in certified refurbished device sales, as rising new device prices collide with improving consumer awareness of environmental impact. Apple's iPhone trade-in program and Samsung's certified pre-owned initiative have also helped legitimise the category in markets where second-hand electronics were previously viewed with scepticism.

Australian context: Back Market AU currently holds a 4.3★ Trustpilot score from 499 reviews — strong for the platform format, though its ProductReview.com.au rating (1.6★ from a small sample) reflects the challenge marketplace models face when individual seller quality varies. RefurbVerify tracks both platforms using Bayesian-adjusted scoring to account for sample size differences.

Source: Back Market press release, APAC market data. Information only.

Australia generates approximately 680,000 tonnes of electronic waste annually, making it one of the highest per-capita e-waste producers in the world, according to the latest figures from the Australian Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water. Less than 30% of that total is formally recycled — with the remainder ending up in landfill, often overseas.

The federal government's National Television and Computer Recycling Scheme (NTCRS) — while covering computers, TVs and printers — does not extend to mobile phones, leaving tens of millions of discarded handsets outside any formal collection framework each year. Industry groups have called for mandatory take-back obligations to be extended to mobile devices.

The refurbished market's role: Every certified refurbished device sold extends the useful life of that hardware by an average of 2–4 years, reducing the associated carbon footprint by an estimated 50–80kg of CO₂ equivalent compared to manufacturing a new device. Green Gadgets, one of Australia's smaller but highest-rated refurbishers, operates a carbon-offset shipping model and B-Corp certified sustainability practices — demonstrating that commercial viability and environmental responsibility are not mutually exclusive.

RefurbVerify encourages consumers to factor sustainability into their vendor selection. A well-graded certified refurbished device from a reputable vendor is both a financially and environmentally sound choice.

Source: DCCEEW data, industry estimates. Information only.

The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) has issued fresh guidance warning online retailers that using the term "refurbished" without meeting minimum standards for testing, inspection, and condition disclosure may constitute a breach of the Australian Consumer Law. The warning follows a rise in complaints about devices sold as "refurbished" that arrived with undisclosed faults, degraded batteries, or cosmetic damage not reflected in listing descriptions.

Under the ACL, consumers purchasing refurbished devices have the same rights as buyers of new products with respect to major failures — including the right to a refund, replacement, or repair. A vendor cannot contract out of these rights through a shorter warranty period or a "sold as-is" disclaimer.

Key rights for refurbished device buyers in Australia: You are entitled to goods that are of acceptable quality, match their description, and are fit for the purpose the seller claims. If a device fails within a reasonable time and the fault was pre-existing, you are entitled to a remedy — regardless of what the vendor's returns policy states.

RefurbVerify's transparency scoring (up to 20 points) specifically rewards vendors who publish clear condition grades, battery health data, and warranty terms. Vendors scoring below 12 on this component should be approached with additional caution.

Source: ACCC guidance. This is general information only — not legal advice. Consult a legal professional for advice specific to your situation.

Australia's right-to-repair movement gained significant momentum in early 2026, with a Senate committee inquiry recommending that the government introduce legislation requiring manufacturers to provide repair manuals, diagnostic tools, and spare parts to independent repairers and consumers for a minimum of five years after a product's last sale date. The recommendation, if adopted, would bring Australia broadly in line with recent EU right-to-repair directives.

The refurbished electronics industry stands to benefit substantially from stronger right-to-repair rules. Currently, some manufacturers use software locks, proprietary parts pairing, and warranty voidance clauses to discourage independent repair — making it harder for refurbishers to certify devices at competitive price points. A mandatory repair ecosystem would lower refurbishment costs and increase the supply of certified stock available to Australian consumers.

Industry reaction: Specialist refurbishers have broadly welcomed the inquiry's direction. Several vendors have already submitted to the inquiry arguing that access to OEM diagnostic tools would allow them to provide more accurate battery health assessments and reduce the cost of warranty servicing. Consumer groups have also supported the measures, noting that repairability directly impacts a device's useful life — and therefore both cost-of-ownership and environmental impact.

RefurbVerify will continue to monitor legislative developments and update vendor transparency scores as the market evolves.

Source: Senate committee inquiry findings, industry submissions. Information only — not legal advice.