Price hikes push buyers towards refurbished smartphones and laptops

India's market for refurbished smartphones and laptops is expected to significantly outperform sales of new devices this year as rising memory costs continue to push up prices, driving more consumers towards certified pre-owned products.

Citing Counterpoint Research, Times of India said that India's refurbished smartphone market is projected to grow around 12% year-on-year in 2026, even as shipments of new smartphones are expected to decline 11%. The refurbished laptop market is also expected to post double-digit growth this year, supported by rising prices of new PCs and growing consumer confidence in certified refurbished devices.

Separately, market research firm Omdia estimates laptop shipments in India will decline 9.8% to 14.3 million units in 2026, down from 15.8 million units in 2025, the report added.


The trend comes amid rising prices in the primary market. According to IDC, the average selling price (ASP) of smartphones in India rose 10.4% year-on-year to a record $302 during the January-March quarter, while shipments declined 4.1%.

Counterpoint estimates that more than 85% of smartphone models have already seen price hikes this year, with average increases of around 15%. Newly launched smartphones are also priced 30-40% higher than their predecessors due to higher component costs, TOI reported.

Major smartphone makers have begun responding to the shift in consumer demand. Samsung, for instance, expanded its official certified refurbished smartphone programme in India in May, signalling the growing importance of the secondary market.