Indian Reselling Industry Transforms High-End Product Access

An Apple iPhone 12 Pro, a relatively old but still in-demand model, can be found for anywhere between Rs 80,000 and over Rs 1 lakh, according to a fast online search.

What if, however, we informed you that one was available for only Rs 52,000?And you should be aware that Apple has a full-fledged segment where reconditioned phones are offered for less before you make the overused “Kurla mein Aslam bhai ki dukaan” joke.

Welcome to the world of Indian reselling, where buy ing and selling of used and refurbished products has gone from being a niche activity to a full-fledged industry in India. What began as “thrifting”— selling off your used clothes in thrift sales or garage sales—has now become a trend that is seen in furniture, crockery, cutlery and electronic gadgets.

In the smartphone space alone, India witnessed a 19 per cent growth in the refurbished smartphone market, with Apple being the most bought brand followed by Samsung. The trend was noted in a report compiled by Counterpoint Technology Market Research, which focused on nine countries around the world and named India as the world leader in this regard.