Tariff-proof tech? Back Market’s refurbished devices keep prices down

President Donald Trump and his administration’s indecision over implementing tariffs has caused stock market turmoil, panic buying, and price increases across the tech market. While some companies appear to have caught a break from the White House for tariffs on consumer electronics, this situation won’t last forever. Could secondhand tech be a solution to exorbitant prices?

Last week, refurbished electronics marketplace Back Market announced a partnership with device repair provider iFixit “to address the culture of fast tech and overconsumption,” the companies said in a press release. iFixit DIY maintenance kits and tutorials will be available on Back Market, which will, in turn, promote its refurbished tech within iFixit communities. 

Also: Samsung now sells refurbished Galaxy S24 Ultra, S24+, and S24 at discounted prices

I spoke with CEO and co-founder Thibaud Hug de Larauze during the partnership launch event at Back Market’s offices in New York. He noted that while the initiative isn’t tied to the economics of the moment — Back Market has been in operation for 10 years, eight in the US — the company has seen a recent uptick in demand for refurbished tech amidst the tariff turmoil.

“What we’ve seen over the past 10 days is a hike in demand — we saw growth multiply by three,” he said.

With fears like the possibility of a $2,300 iPhone circulating, discounted, repaired tech looks all the more appealing. Moreover, US customers buying from Back Market receive products already in the country, repaired by US-based refurbishers — meaning the entire process is domestic. There’s no risk of running into unpredictable international trade conditions.

What to know about refurbished tech

Devices on Back Market, which range from laptops and smartphones to vacuums and gaming consoles, are verified refurbished, meaning they are inspected by “industry professionals,” according to Back Market’s quality breakdown page. The reseller guarantees that its smartphones, for example, will have “minimum 80% battery health with 100% charge capacity.”

CNET: Survey finds 31% of US adults hold onto unused devices – why you shouldn’t

Refurbished devices also come with a one-year warranty and can be up to 70% cheaper than new ones. An iPhone 15 Plus, normally $799, goes for $571 at the time of writing, a price you can reduce further if you’re trading in an old device.

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Back Market and iFixIt also want to encourage consumers to extend the lifecycle of their devices, which goes hand in hand with replacing them less often (and therefore saving money). As part of the partnership, users can now access diagnostic tools in a new Care section on the Back Market app to check their devices’ health and stay ahead of maintenance needs with tests for everything from touchscreen viability to their phone’s accelerometer.

“You don’t need to go to the Genius Bar anymore,” Ray Ho, Back Market VP of product, said at the launch.

Unsure about refurbished tech — or how its battery life will really perform? Back Market is trying to put a friendlier face on it than forums of yesteryear. “Craigslist, all the C2C peer-to-peer platforms — they’re not solving for the trust issue,” Hug de Larauze says. “We’re testing batteries all the time.”

He adds that Back Market has invested in the supply stream of top-quality batteries, ensuring refurbishers have optimal materials to “make repair the new normal” — but that the next frontier in sustainability is software longevity.

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