Refurbished notebook
CHF449.–
Auctionline.ch HP EliteBook x360 1040 G7
16 GB, 14", 512 GB, CH, A / Like new
Galaxus customers saving up to 60 per cent with used electronics
4.2.2026
Translation: Katherine Martin
Galaxus customers are increasingly opting to buy their smartphones, tablets and notebooks secondhand. The reason? A combination of price savviness, sustainability concerns and rising trust in the quality of used products.
Gone are the days when secondhand gadgets were the exclusive preserve of tech tinkerers and penny-pinchers. Customers looking to snap up a smartphone, tablet or PC these days are increasingly going for the refurbished option. These used devices, which are professionally checked and refurbished by third-party companies, have gone from being niche to mass-market products. What’s more, they’re sometimes significantly cheaper than new devices.
Galaxus is seeing a clear uptick in sales of refurbished devices – a sharp increase driven by money consciousness as well as greater environmental awareness. «Life’s getting more expensive, so customers are making a conscious choice to buy cheaper, used products that’ll still stay technically up to date for a long time,» explains Tim Nepomuck, Portfolio Development Team Leader for IT & Electronics at Galaxus and Digitec.
Smartphones refurbished
CHF820.–
verkaufen.ch iPhone 16 Pro
256 GB, Desert Titanium, 6.30", 48 Mpx, SIM + eSIM, A / Like new
Sales of refurbished smartphones rose by 23 per cent between 2024 and 2025. Within the same time period, brand-new devices saw sales growth of 12 per cent. That means three per cent of smartphones sold on Galaxus today are devices that have been refurbished by third-party providers. Secondhand shopping is gaining ground in other tech categories too, with refurbished PCs recording growth of 112 per cent, and tablets 39 per cent. The enormous 193-per-cent sales growth observed in the notebook category is mostly down to a major product range expansion.
Apple rules the roost
Three out of four refurbished gadgets sold on Galaxus are smartphones, with Apple devices dominating the resale sector. The brand clearly tops the sales rankings for refurbished phones. On a technical level, these devices boast more than sufficient performance – though it depends on the individual user’s needs. Even so, they cost just a fraction of the price of a brand-new product.
A similar brand breakdown emerges when you look at sales of refurbished tablets. In terms of notebooks and PCs, however, business devices from Lenovo (ThinkPad), HP and Dell are in particularly high demand.
Buying a refurbished device could save you up to 60 per cent
If you consider the average sales prices of refurbished products, it’s easy to see why they’re so appealing. The average price of a used iPhone is 366 francs (397 Euro), while a new model would set you back 755 francs (819 Euro) on average. Buyers of Samsung devices enjoy a less significant price advantage of around 15 per cent. Refurbs from the brand cost 335 francs (385 Euro), while brand-new models cost 396 francs (430 Euro) on average.
The biggest savings are apparent in the Apple notebook category. While ,new models are priced at 1,272 francs (1,380 Euro), a refurbished MacBook goes for an average of 509 francs (552 Euro). That works out at a 60-per-cent saving. The average price of an HP notebook is 382 francs (58 per cent cheaper than a new device at 909 francs). Meanwhile, a Lenovo refurb costs 431 francs on average (50 per cent cheaper than a new device at 859 francs).
Transparency builds trust
According to Tim Nepomuk, the success of refurbished products is heavily dependent on transparency. Galaxus uses clearly defined quality categories. A-products are equivalent to a nearly new device, while B-products show minimal signs of use. «Thanks to our clearly defined quality categories, customers know exactly what they’re buying. They can rely on the condition and quality of the refurbishment,» says Tim. Galaxus works with specialist partners responsible for refurbishing devices, who guarantee tested quality standards.
How do you feel about secondhand gadgets? Do you only ever buy new electronic devices? Or are you willing to give used tech a second chance?
Manuel Wenk
Communications Manager
Manuel.Wenk@digitecgalaxus.chAs a Multimedia Producer, preparing multimedia content and knowing about cutting-edge technology is my business. My main focus at digitec is producing videos. I can’t wait to try out new products such as cameras, drones or smartphones as soon as they’re launched. This is where being at the source comes in rather handy. When I’m not working, I’m probably skiing, biking or hiking – the mountains are my place to be.
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