With technology advancing rapidly in line with Moore’s law and giants like Samsung, Dell, Lenovo, and Apple churning out new types of gadgets at a frenzied pace, it comes as no surprise that people want the latest gizmo that hits the market as soon as it is advertised. But what do they do with the current cell phone or laptop that they own? They either pass it on to their kid brother or sister, they place an ad on one of the many online classified ad sites like Quikr, Sulekha , OLX, or Craigslist and hope to find a buyer who is willing to pay the right price, or they just leave the old cell phone or laptop in a drawer and forget about it.

Recommerce is all set to explode and have an enormous impact. It is environmentally friendly, and will allow access of technologically advanced devices to a wider section of the society. Recommerce refers to a practice in which those who have bought products can “sell back” obsolete or otherwise unwanted products in exchange for cash or a different product.

Benefits of Recommerce

There has been a positive trend in the Recommerce space in the last few years. If one looks at the automobile industry, the Recommerce of used automobiles is being done in an organized manner. However, such an organized setup is absent in the Recommerce of consumer electronic gadgets. 

Secondly, the performance of the primary commerce in consumer electronic devices is highly encouraging. The last five years have shown a huge growth in the sales of new devices, and the upward potential in the market is huge. Recommerce in any industry is even more possible if the primary commerce is strong. 

Hence, Recommerce in the consumer electronic devices space is bound to grow exponentially in the coming years. Roughly 52 million new gadgets were sold in India alone in 2013. This translates to a market value of US$ 17.3 billion or Rs.952.5 billion. Of this, three-quarter million used smart phones are were sold in 2013, translating to US$105 million. That is considered to be very significant recommerce activity.Finally, the changing consumer demographics are doing their part in driving Recommerce in personal devices. Increasing household incomes and brand awareness are prompting people to purchase the latest gadgets from reputed brands. Therefore more gadgets are increasingly reaching the Recommerce market. 

Valuable consumer trends will stay for the longer term and this current trend is here to stay, at least for the foreseeable future.There is immense potential for Recommerce globally. There is an unfulfilled need in the market which many new upstarts can fill simply by starting a website and providing simple shipping and redemption instructions. A large number of people have used gadgets. As technology penetration increases, this need will continue to explode. The option to sell these devices in a fast, simple, and convenient while still getting fair market value for them is limited. The user experience while using online classified ad sites is at least less than desirable, and often downright dangerous.The seller does not know after listing his device when it will sell, at what price, or if the buyer will even show up when they promised. The world is full of flakes, fakes, snakes, and bad breaks. Good people, therefore, require a convenient, fast and simple way to sell their used electronic devices in a safe and sanctioned fashion. Recommerce is the way of the future.

What is your opinion? How many old devices you have in the shelf?
What actually makes you not offer them for cheap sale or donate them?

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