Table of contents
Inside the report
01
Synopsis
Preview02
Introduction
PreviewTrade-in
Smartphone trade-in
is recognised - not yet realised
Smartphone trade-in is widely recognised, but the gap between awareness, intent and action means you might still be leaving demand, customer value and revenue on the table.
29 pages18 min readPublished on By the Alchemy research team
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Three findings at a glance
60%
of consumers aged 18–44 intend to trade in their smartphone, compared with around 50% of older consumers
29%
of consumers don't trade in because they expect the offer to be too low
25%
of consumers have significant concerns about the security of personal data stored on their smartphones
Explore the data
What drives consumer trust in trade-in
Region
Values in USD
Good working condition (up to two years old)
7%
8%
17%
25%
25%
13%
6%
Some performance problems but works (two to three years old)
9%
12%
27%
29%
17%
5%
2%
Doesn't work or is broken
23%
21%
26%
17%
7%
4%
2%
$0 (would not trade-in)
Under $25
$25-$99
$100-$199
$200-$399
$400-$699
Over $700
Values in GBP
Good working condition (up to two years old)
4%
6%
13%
23%
26%
21%
7%
Some performance problems but works (two to three years old)
7%
11%
22%
29%
22%
8%
2%
Doesn't work or is broken
23%
25%
23%
17%
8%
3%
1%
GBP 0 (would not trade-in)
Under GBP 20
GBP 20-GBP 49
GBP 50-GBP 99
GBP 100-GBP 199
GBP 200-GBP 399
Over GBP 400
Source: Alchemy proprietary research, n=3,000
Executive summary
What's inside this report
While trade-in is an increasingly adopted model in smartphones, significant untapped value remains due to inconsistent customer awareness; this report explores that awareness gap and provides insight and recommendations to foster increased adoption.
You'll learn
- How smartphone trade-in can move from a recognised feature to a stronger commercial lever
- Why visibility, valuation transparency and a consistent customer experience are critical to increasing trade-in participation
- What you can do to reduce friction, build trust and convert more existing consumer interest into measurable commercial value
Against the backdrop of increased affordability pressures for consumers around the world, this research explores how brands can further stimulate demand, accelerate replacement, strengthen loyalty and unlock incremental revenue across the smartphone universe, whilst protecting the brand and limiting use of discounting, through the successful use of trade-in programs.
This report outlines the growth levers enabled by trade-in, the benefits it delivers across the customer lifecycle, and the key barriers that limit consumer adoption and how to overcome them. Drawing on various insights, it highlights trade-in strategies and sets out clear actions businesses can take to improve performance.
The research used in this report was commissioned by Alchemy and conducted by CCS Insight in Q4 2025. It combines qualitative interviews with industry leaders across various consumer electronics sectors, with detailed focus groups and a quantitative online survey of over 3,000 consumers in the US and UK.
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