The global financial crisis caused by the new coronavirus pandemic has changed the habits of many people and has led to the growth of some markets. Among them, the used smartphone market. According to a survey conducted by Exchange, a company that operates in the recommerce sector (resale of used devices), the segment boomed during the crisis.
The startup, which works with the purchase and sale of smartphones and tablets in Brazil and other Latin American countries, has seen a 60% increase in smartphone sales since March 2020, when the pandemic began. Guille Freire, CEO of Trocafone, presented a very simple explanation for the phenomenon.
“With social isolation, working from home and online classes, people have ended up buying pre-owned devices to meet their needs at home. This type of equipment can cost on average 40% less than new ones. In addition to saving money, the resale of used smartphones also reduces electronic waste in the country.”
iPhone 7 and “S family” led the way
The data compiled by Trocafone also revealed which were the best-selling smartphones used during the pandemic. The public's favorite was the iPhone 7, launched in Brazil in September 2016, with prices ranging from R$3.499 (32 GB version) to R$4.299 (256 GB variant). Currently, a flagship of the Apple with just under five years of use it costs starting at $ 1.279 on the Trocafone website.
Hot on the heels of the iPhone 7, two smartphones from the same “family” round out the top 3 best-selling used smartphones during the pandemic: the Samsung Galaxy S8 and its “brother,” the Galaxy S9. Currently, it is possible find an S8 on the Trocafone website for R$989, while an S9 It costs R$1.229. At the time of their launch, however, Samsung's flagships were much more expensive in the country.
The S8, which arrived in April 2017, cost R$3.999, while the S9, which arrived here two years later, cost R$4.899. VC's report tried to contact the CEO of Trocafone to find out exactly how much each model in the top 3 sold during the pandemic, but received no response.
Global phenomenon
A survey carried out by the Market Research Institute International Data Corporation (IDC), indicated that the phenomenon of explosion in sales of used smartphones during the pandemic It was not Trocafone's privilege. According to the agency, the number of used devices sold in 2020 may have reached 225,4 million units worldwide.
The company also said it believes that the fact that the pandemic is not over yet could contribute to these numbers increasing even further in the coming years. The estimate is that shipments of used devices could reach 351,6 million units in 2024, resulting in a market value of around US$65 billion (R$365 billion), and an average growth of 11,2% per year between 2019 and 2024.
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