On this page
Price hikes push India buyers to refurbished phones and laptops as new shipments fall
Our read
Stand up or scale a certified refurbished programme now, since price hikes are steering Indian buyers into the secondary market while new shipments contract.
Watch
DRAM/NAND spot price movements and component-cost commentary from OEMs
The report,
Rising memory and component costs are lifting India's refurbished smartphone and laptop markets as new-device shipments decline. Refurbished phones seen growing 12% in 2026; Samsung expanded its certified refurbished programme to capture secondary-market demand.
Reported figures
From the report. Source details below
| laptop shipments -9.8% to 14.3M units | 2026 |
|---|---|
| new launches | 30-40% pricier |
Also in the report
- new smartphone shipments -11%
- smartphone ASP $302, +10.4% YoY
- 85% of models saw price hikes ~15%
Why it matters for the brand
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 track next
- 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
Likely next moves
Our read of what comes next — analysis, not reported by the source.
- 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
The counter-case
The case against this reading — not reported by the source.
The 'refurbished boom' narrative conflates a cyclical component-cost spike with a durable structural shift. Memory and component prices are mean-reverting; once the current supply squeeze eases, new-device pricing normalizes and the refurbished tailwind evaporates. A 12% YoY refurbished gain off a small base is far less impactful than an 11% drop in new shipments, which shrinks the overall pie and OEM margin pool. Samsung's certified refurb expansion may cannibalize new sales and compress ASPs rather than open net-new demand. The deck also mixes categories (phones +12% refurb, laptops -9.8% new) as if one trend, obscuring weak read-through.