Buying a new smartphone can be a big investment these days. With the $1,000 barrier having fallen years ago, there are now many options available that cost sometimes significantly more than that. The new iPhone 15 Pro Max costs up to $1,600 plus sales tax, for example, exceeding the average in the United States by almost 40 percent.
Considering these numbers, it’s clear that not everyone can afford a brand new phone, explaining why there’s a flourishing secondary market for used phones. According to findings from ÌÇÐÄÆƽâ°æ Consumer ÌÇÐÄÆƽâ°æ, the vast majority of U.S. smartphone users still buy their primary phone new at retail price though, with phones bundled with mobile subscriptions the second most popular option. Interestingly, only 5 percent of the roughly 9,500 smartphone users surveyed said that they bought their phone secondhand, while 6 percent had received theirs as a hand-me-down from friends or family.
