Table of contents
Inside the report
01
Synopsis
Preview02
Introduction
PreviewTrade-in
Smartphone trade-in is established.
Not maximised.
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.
28 pages18 min readPublished on By the Alchemy research team
FreeEmail required30 seconds
Download the full report.
We'll email you the attachment.
Three findings at a glance
60%
of consumers aged 18–44 intend to trade in their smartphone, compared with ~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
Factors that motivate people to trade-in their smartphone
Region
Trust in retailer or brand83%
Keeping my data until I confirm it is wiped82%
Lower price or instant discount on new device at checkout82%
Ability to upgrade to a better model80%
Helpful and responsive customer service79%
Certified data wiping with certificate or factory reset support76%
Assisted data transfer to new device73%
Trade-in availability at any time72%
Guaranteed immediate valuation / no regrading after handing in72%
Cash to bank or paypal68%
Trust in retailer or brand84%
Keeping my data until I confirm it is wiped80%
Lower price or instant discount on new device at checkout80%
Ability to upgrade to a better model77%
Helpful and responsive customer service78%
Certified data wiping with certificate or factory reset support77%
Assisted data transfer to new device68%
Trade-in availability at any time70%
Guaranteed immediate valuation / no regrading after handing in75%
Cash to bank or Paypal75%
Trust in retailer or brand82%
Keeping my data until I confirm it is wiped83%
Lower price or instant discount on new device at checkout83%
Ability to upgrade to a better model81%
Helpful and responsive customer service80%
Certified data wiping with certificate or factory reset support75%
Assisted data transfer to new device76%
Trade-in availability at any time73%
Guaranteed immediate valuation / no regrading after handing in71%
Cash to bank or paypal65%
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.
Ready to read?
Get the full report in your inbox
29 pages of proprietary research, consumer insights, and an operational playbook - free to download.