April 27, 2024
Mobile & Internet
No. of used handsets sold in Korea hits 10m mark
[THE INVESTOR] The number of used handsets sold in Korea surpassed the 10 million mark in 2017, industry tracker said on March 27, amid rising demand for reasonably priced options in the market.
According to the data compiled by Good Mobile and UPM, the combined volume of used mobile phones came to 10.5 million units last year, with the value estimated at 1.6 trillion won. The figures translate to an average price of 159,000 won.
“The sales of used handsets increased amid rising demand from the market,” Good Mobile said. “If there are policies supporting the trade of used phones, including tax deductions, the domestic market for used handsets can be vitalized, leading to less telecom cost burden for households.”
Industry watchers also attributed the increase to the rising number of users selling their devices directly through online communities.
While the monthly average sales volume came to 880,000 units, the research showed the figure especially increased when Samsung Electronics and Apple released new flagship phones.
The monthly volume reached a whopping 1.15 million units in September last year, when Samsung’s Galaxy Note 8 went on sale.
By Song Seung-hyun and newswires (ssh@heraldcorp.com)
