Industry News

JB Hi-Fi — long synonymous with brand-new tech — now runs dedicated renewed iPhone and refurbished Samsung ranges, while Big W Refurbished, Woolworths MarketPlus sellers, Target Plus and even Temu push second-hand electronics to the mainstream. Behind the pivot: a $1,999 iPhone 17 Pro, Surface price hikes, cost-of-living pressure, Vinted's Australian arrival and a Gen Z cohort that treats pre-owned as the default. But industry insiders warn the newcomers are entering a category where cosmetic grading hides what's really inside a device — risk the specialists have spent years learning to manage.

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Millions of Australians are turning to refurbished smartphones and laptops as a smarter, greener alternative to buying new. But what exactly happens between a device being returned or traded in and it arriving at your door in a padded satchel? Understanding the refurbishment process — and where it can go wrong — will make you a far more informed buyer.

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Australians are being squeezed. Mortgage repayments, rent, groceries, energy bills — the cost of living crisis is real, persistent, and hitting household budgets hard. And yet, every two to three years, most of us feel the pull to upgrade our phone. A flagship iPhone or Samsung Galaxy now routinely costs $1,500 to $2,000 or more at retail. For a lot of families, that's simply not a responsible purchase right now.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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