The market for refurbished, namely remodeled electronic devices – and especially mobile phones, is a significant demand. This trend is not only observed in Greece, but also worldwide: by 2034, the value of the market for refurbished “smart” mobile phones is placed in more than 220 billion euros of about 71 billion today.
The explosive growth rates of this activity are confirmed by Chrysanthis Valianatos, a country manager of Greece, the company, based in Bucharest, has been active in our country for two years.
“Our model is based on giving a second life to devices that have been replaced by new ones, while ensuring quality and reliability,” Ms Vallianatou said in an interview with newsit.gr. As he adds, the flip.gr It has an annual growth of over 650%, while in less than two years of operation, it records a turnover of € 7.5 million and has more than 21,000 unique customers.
But have consumers in Greece become familiar with the idea of refurbished mobile phone? The answer is affirmative, with Ms. Valianatou noting that, through the reuse of the devices, 1,500 tonnes of carbon dioxide have been saved.
“Someone who no longer needs his old device can sell it through our platform. We pick her up with courier, evaluate her condition, repair her (ed. At the company’s premises in Romania) and reinstall her on the market for sale.
The process is completely remote and the user quickly receives their money in their bank account. Similarly, if he ordered a device for purchase, he receives it within one to three business days, ”explains Flip’s country manager.
Which “smart” mobile models are more popular? “No1 in sales is iPhones because of their high initial value – up to 40% cheaper from us,” says Ms. Valianatou, adding that Android devices are gaining an increasing market share.
As for the average refurbished mobile disposal price, it is about 150 euros for the devices purchased by Flip from their owners, and at 400 euros for smartphones that have been rebuilt and available for sale.
Recently, the company added consoles to its product range. Refurbished devices sold or purchased via the platform include, in addition to smartphones and tablets, laptops and “smart” watches. All devices are accompanied by a two -year warranty, as well as a return of up to 100 days.
Flip was founded in 2019 by businessmen Alin Luca, Alex Burghelia and George Moroianu. It is currently active in Romania, Bulgaria and Hungary, and began its operation in Greece in the fall of 2023.