Samsung will allegedly begin selling refurbished versions of its premium smartphones in early 2017, according to a source with direct knowledge of the plans. The introduction of an official refurbished market will put them up to parity with the likes of Apple, which has its own refurbished devices store. An official refurbished store also gives customers ease of mind that the device they're getting works to the standards promised.
The source that spoke to Reuters regarding the upcoming plans declined to identify themselves as the news wasn't yet public. According to them, Samsung will refurbish high-end phones returned to the company by users who signed up for a one-year upgrade program in select markets including South Korea and the United States. Samsung then intends to re-sell the devices at a lower price.
The refurbishment programme could help bolster Samsung's profits in developing nations, Reuters says:
“Refurbished phones could help vendors such as Samsung boost their presence in emerging markets such as India, where high-end devices costing $800 or so are beyond most buyers...Selling used phones could help Samsung fend off lower-cost Chinese rivals that have been eating into its market share, and free up some capital to invest elsewhere or boost marketing expenditure.”
It's not clear yet whether the refurbished phones will be altered in any way before they're resold. In general, refurbished phones are fitted with new batteries or casing to give the devices a new lease on life.
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