Prices plummeting! Almost everyone has them, Zhoushan merchants: Act rationally!

(Source: Jingzhou News)

What’s going on?

Has the trend of second-hand phone recycling changed?

On social media

News of the “collapse” of old phone recycling

Has replaced the “sharp rise”

👇👇👇

Earlier in March, the second-hand phone market experienced a surge in prices, with many idle old devices fetching higher prices for recycling. However, recently, the market quickly shifted, and the consumer-grade memory module prices ended their months-long surge, showing a significant pullback. This fluctuation rapidly propagated to the downstream second-hand digital product market.

In the second-hand phone recycling market in Huaqiangbei, Shenzhen, many stores still have consumers asking for quotes, but merchants’ offers have noticeably loosened compared to before. Several merchants said that the decline in memory stock prices directly affected the phone recycling market, with some popular models seeing about a hundred yuan drop in their recycling prices within a week. “For example, this second-hand phone used to be worth 1,000 yuan last week, but now it might only be 900 yuan,” said a merchant. He added that a large number of old devices had been sold previously, leading to market saturation, so there is no longer a premium on old phones.

Image source: First Financial

What about Zhoushan?

Second-hand phone recycling prices have fallen! The price increase trend has faded

Reporters visited several second-hand phone shops in Xincheng and Putuo and found that the recent price surge caused by the AI chip shortage is quickly receding. Whether it’s mainstream models or older, outdated models, the market is returning to stability. Many netizens lament, “I sold too early and lost money; selling too late would be even worse.” Industry insiders remind everyone not to expect old phones to keep appreciating in value and to handle idle devices rationally.

Recently, Ms. Wang, a resident, was sorting through her unused electronic products at home and took four phones to a local second-hand phone shop for sale. All four devices were used between 2014 and 2018. They can all turn on normally, but due to age, they run slightly sluggish. Aside from that, basic functions are intact, and they have long been obsolete and idle at home.

After evaluation, these four old phones sold for a total of 300 yuan. Additionally, Ms. Wang also sold a laptop from the same period, which she used during college and had been idle after starting work. It finally sold for only 80 yuan.

“I saw news saying second-hand phone prices had risen, so I thought I could sell for a bit more. But just the night I asked the shop owner for a quote, the prices dropped. Since it was just sitting around taking up space, I decided to sell,” Ms. Wang said.

A longtime second-hand phone repair shop owner in Xincheng confirmed to the reporter that the prices for second-hand phones dropped just this past weekend. He also said that the recent short-term market price increase was temporary, and many of the exaggerated reports online about surging second-hand phone recycling prices are overstated. However, many ordinary citizens are misled by overwhelming marketing messages and come to ask for quotes. “Many online claims are not accurate; statements like ‘a few old phones can exchange for a new one’ mostly apply to a few high-end models. For most old or low-end models, the recycling value is limited. Even if there is a short-term price increase, it’s far from the exaggerated market rumors.”

The owner of a digital recycling shop in Donggang, Putuo, also admitted that second-hand phone prices are affected by market supply and demand, product condition, and usage years, so fluctuations are common. Old phones and idle digital products are consumables; their core value is the basic recycling price, and they do not have the potential for sustained appreciation. Citizens should not hold speculative expectations about their value.

Industry insiders remind that long-term storage of idle phones and laptops at home not only takes up space but can also lead to battery aging and parts damage, further reducing their recycling value. For unused digital products at home, there’s no need to overly expect a price rebound or hope for appreciation. It’s best to sell at a suitable time rationally. When selling, be sure to choose正规 stores, clear device data in advance, and protect personal privacy.

Is there a few “retired” phones or computers sitting in your drawer?

Have you ever experienced a device “breaking down” after storage?

Feel free to share in the comments!

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