Back Market interview: Saving the planet and money during Black Friday 2022

RTIH talks Black Friday 2022 and providing the best deals and discounts on refurbished electronics for people to save money and reduce e-waste, with online marketplace Back Market.

RTIH: Tell us about Back Market and your mission to make buying refurbished products cool.

BM: Back Market is a company and brand focused on changing how people view and interact with their tech.

Our goal is to do that by building trust and desire for renewed and refurbished electronic products. When more people buy into used tech, they not only save themselves money, but they also help to save the planet and fight against electronic waste.

Our values are centered around this need to establish a more circular economy in order to bring about positive change in our environment. Challenging people to rethink their tech consumption is the best way to accomplish this.

Building confidence in people to purchase used electronics is key, so we had to create a marketplace of vendors that meet a very strict quality standard for refurbished products.

At the end of the day, even though we have a serious mission, we’re just a group of light-hearted activists that want to remind people to be a little more mindful about their purchasing habits.

RTIH: What can we expect from Back Market this Black Friday?

BM: On Black Friday, you can expect to see great deals and discounts on Back Market for all types of tech including smartphones, laptops, tablets, audio and gaming consoles; same as any other day of the year.

That’s the best part about Back Market deals - you don’t have to wait until November to score a 30 to 70% off discount compared to new.

Our sellers will have deals on smartphones, tablets, gaming consoles, laptops and more during Black Friday and the rest of the year for that matter. That includes deals on iPhones like the iPhone 13, gaming consoles like the PS4, and smartwatches like the Apple Watch Series 6.

Shoppers can also shop with us confidently this Black Friday as we take old devices and make them as good as new in order to promote a better circular economy and fight e-waste.

RTIH: Why should people shop with you over other retailers/brands during Black Friday?

BM: To be honest, you might be able to find a few deals here and there that might beat our discounts.

But, those tend to be few and far between and require a lot of time searching for the best deal just to save an extra 5%. On smartphones in particular, you likely won’t be able to get the best deal unless you’re trading in a newer phone model.

On Back Market, we have the highest discounts on average for tech products where you can typically find prices up to 70% off compared to new with free standard shipping.

Compared to other used electronic sites, we also put our vendors through a rigorous screening process to ensure the device is performing similar to new.

If that wasn’t enough, all our products come with a 30-day money back guarantee and at least a 12-year warranty. So, there’s really no reason to shop elsewhere during Black Friday, or any other day of the year for that matter. 

RTIH: How important is Black Friday to Back Market, given that you emphasise good deals for life, not just Black Friday?

BM: Black Friday is just another Friday to us. Yes, we typically do see an increase in orders and trade-ins, but what matters more is that we’re building confidence in consumers to buy used and refurbished tech.

So, while it is important for us to be seen as an option for people to shop on Black Friday, this holiday event is just another day to do what we do best - provide the best deals and discounts on electronics for people to save money and reduce e-waste.

RTIH: Traditionally many consumers have had prejudices about recycled and repaired gadgets? Is this still an issue and, if so, how do you tackle it, particularly during the holiday season?

BM: This is just the type of thinking that Back Market is here to change.

While there are still used electronic sites that sell lower quality products that ultimately lead to used tech prejudices, we’re working endlessly to make sure each of our customers are completely satisfied with their purchases.

That starts with our quality programme where we monitor the feedback for every one of our refurbisher’s quality scores. In fact, only one out of three sellers who want to join Back Market are approved because we hold our vendors to such a high standard.

In the case where a customer is unsatisfied with their purchase we offer a 30-day money back guarantee and a customer care team that works around the clock to tackle complaints and resolve disputes.

We hope with enough time and enough positive purchasing experiences on our site, we can start chipping away at consumer perceptions of renewed electronic performance.

RTIH: What are your predictions for the peak sales season as a whole, given the cost of living crisis, and where does Back Market sit within this?

BM: On a macro level, we recognise that demand may not meet the levels that we’ve seen in years past during the holidays.

However, we still expect to see a surge in transactions in the last six weeks of the year. It’s impossible to predict, but it wouldn’t be surprising if Back Market didn’t see as much of an impact from the cost-of-living crisis as other retailers during the holiday season.

Back Market isn’t impervious to the effects of lower buyer demand, but it’s reasonable to consider that consumers may be less willing to spend more for the price of new electronics and will seek an alternative.

They might in turn be more inclined to take a look at Back Market where they can finish their gift shopping and save money in the process.