Secondhand laptop market goes 'mainstream' amid memory crunch

Sales of refurbished PCs are on the up amid shortages of key components, including memory chips, that are making brand new devices more expensive.

Stats compiled by market watcher Context show sales of refurbished PCs via distribution climbed 7 percent in calendar Q4 across five of the biggest European markets – Italy, the UK, Germany, Spain, and France.

Affordability is the primary driver in the secondhand segment, the analyst says, with around 40 percent of sales driven by budget-conscious users shopping in the €200 to €300 price band for laptops.

The €300 to €400 tier is also expanding – representing 23 percent of the refurbished market, up from 15 percent a year earlier – indicating some buyers are prepared to spend a bit more for improved specifications.

"Our latest analysis shows second-life computing moving decisively into the mainstream, with the UK emerging as the fastest-growing market in Europe," said Context's environmental, social ...