Our accumulation of new electronic devices like the latest phones and laptops is expensive for our wallets and Earth’s resources.
According to a United Nations report, 62 million tonnes of e-waste was produced in 2022, up 82% from 2010. But most of the environmental impact of our electronic devices comes from manufacturing them, says the PennEnvironment Research & Policy Center. That’s why it released a holiday shopping guide for buying refurbished smartphones, laptops, tablets and game consoles: Fixed for the Holidays.
The Allegheny Front’s Kara Holsopple spoke with PennEnvironment’s Belle Sherwood about it.
LISTEN to the interview
[A longer version of this audio interview will be published on Friday.]
Kara Holsopple: What’s the environmental case for buying refurbished electronics?
Belle Sherwood: The biggest thing that I think a lot of consumers don’t realize is how much manufacturing is required to make the tiny thing in your pocket – a smartphone. From harvesting the materials from the earth, shipping them to all points of production, producing the materials themselves, working to build the chips, to build the case, to actually build a phone. The emissions required in the transport from the factory to get the brand new smartphone to the store – that adds up for each smartphone or tablet or laptop. So when you buy refurbished, you’re preventing an entirely new, unnecessary process from happening again.
Kara Holsopple: The guide says that the environmental impact is 77 to 91% less than buying a new smartphone. Is that right?
Belle Sherwood: I know it seems deceivingly high, but it is. And again, it’s because you’re cutting out a whole process that doesn’t need to happen. And really, I think that little percentage that isn’t covered by buying a refurbished phone is just the materials, transport, and cost necessary to fix it up like new for you.
Kara Holsopple: Which electronic items should you not bother buying refurbished?
Belle Sherwood: Items that we typically don’t see on third-party sites or refurbished tech marketplaces are devices that aren’t designed to last. Products with glued-in batteries that can’t be taken out or replaced. These are things like accessories, especially Apple AirPods and earbuds, where they were meant to have a set lifetime and then be thrown away. Those kinds of devices can’t be repaired.
Kara Holsopple: Where do you recommend people find quality refurbished items?
Belle Sherwood: A great option, if you’re not sure where to start, is to check out the websites we have on our guide. Just to namedrop a couple: Gazelle, VIP Outlet, Decluttr and Back Market. There’s a whole system behind them where they accept used devices and are able to certify and refurbish them to make them like new.
There are also some brick-and-mortar places, depending on the city or place you’re in, that might sell refurbished items.
But the way I see it, thrifting is very much back in style. We can just expand it to electronics.
Kara Holsopple: Well, is there a standard for the word “refurbished” or previously owned?
Belle Sherwood: The short answer is no. So “refurbished,” “like new,” and “open box” are terms you’ll see used in this refurbishing space. They can mean very different things. So we always encourage people, as outlined in the guide, to just check the item. As soon as you get it, make sure that it works, that the screen turns on, that you have sound and visual and everything you would expect from whatever device you’re buying – especially before you gift wrap it to send it to someone else.
Most people who buy refurbished do have a great experience, but if you find an issue or something just isn’t right, flag it early, and usually, you can get a replacement quickly and easily from a lot of the sites we highlight in our guide. You also want to check the return policy, of course. You can get anywhere between a couple of weeks to maybe a full month to check out the item and make sure it works before that return window is up.
Kara Holsopple: What about warranties?
Belle Sherwood: For all products, whether it’s refurbished or not, it’s really important to get protection such as a warranty or return or purchase insurance. A lot of refurbishers will actually have a standard one-year warranty. Of course, it’s dependent on the site you go to, but this is actually sometimes longer than the warranties you’ll get on a brand-new item.
Kara Holsopple: What are some of the common issues that come up with refurbished items? Like what should you look out for?
Belle Sherwood: Number one is with accessories. Do you have the right cords, whether the headphones or Bluetooth devices especially are actually able to connect to whatever device you’re trying to connect them to?
Something else to think about in terms of accessories are the Apple pencils or the pseudo pens that go with a lot of tablets. Because again, these things have been returned, sometimes used. So you just want to make sure that everything connects the way it was originally supposed to.
The second thing to look out for and potentially a common issue is the software updates or software timeline. There are instances where software developers create products that just can’t take on the most up-to-date software or have an end date for when they’ll stop updating. You’ll want to check to make sure that whatever you’re buying can service your needs and lasts for as long as you need it to. Or maybe consider buying slightly more up-to-date refurbished tech that includes the most recent software updates.
Kara Holsopple: How much less should you expect to spend on refurbished electronics? How do you know if you’re getting a good deal? Is there a formula for that?
Belle Sherwood: That’s one of the biggest pros of buying refurbished tech. That 99% of the time it is going to be cheaper than the original manufacturer’s price. Typically, we’ve found you can expect to get refurbished tech for about 15 to 20% cheaper than you would buy a brand-new item. Of course, this will vary depending on the make and model.
We’ve also found that typically, there’s about a 10% decrease in price for every year since its original launch date or original production. So, for example, if you’re looking to buy a certified pre-owned electronic device, it’s usually about 15 to 20% less than buying the newest addition.
And if, let’s say it’s three years old, that’s 10% off for those three years. You could potentially get that new device for half off. And it’s really only three years old. We also wanted to put the guide together just to give a couple of tips.
So if you are out there looking for a refurbished product, you know some of the guidelines to follow. So if you find something that’s 90% off but seems to be a product that came out last year, that’s probably a red flag.
Kara Holsopple: Do you think that there’s a stigma around giving gifts that are refurbished or used?
Belle Sherwood: Absolutely. Our society, and I don’t think it’s out of pocket to say this, is very consumer-driven and we want a lot of things. We’re always about giving things and getting things more and more and more.
But when you have something that works, that can be repaired to make it work better, or to buy something used – it just won’t have whatever the minute latest update is – you’re still getting everything you need, but at a better price for yourself and less of a cost to the earth.
That’s perhaps why it’s called “refurbished” and not “used” because a lot of people don’t want to buy used items. But the way I see it, thrifting is very much back in style. We can just expand it to electronics.
Belle Sherwood is a clean energy associate at PennEnvironment.
