ITscope survey shows: Refurbished products are already relevant for many resellers – clear information on condition, warranty and price advantages is key to further growth.
Karlsruhe, 25 August 2026 – Refurbished products are no longer a niche topic in the IT channel, but they are not yet an automatic choice either. This is shown by a recent ITscope survey of 197 platform users working in IT service providers and IT reselling.
Around 44% of respondents consider refurbished IT hardware relevant to their day-to-day business. 41% actively offer such products to their customers, while around 37% already receive specific customer enquiries about used alternatives.
Refurbished is relevant, but still requires explanation
Many resellers are already actively engaging with refurbished products or offering them as an option in customer discussions. However, the market remains challenging: the biggest barriers are not technical processes, but trust, assurance and commercial viability.
“Refurbished products have clear potential in the channel, but the market works differently from new hardware,” says Oliver Charles, Managing Director of ITscope. “Resellers need to be able to explain the condition of a device, what warranty applies and why the purchase makes sense. Without this transparency, refurbished products still require a great deal of explanation.”
Trust will determine the next stage of growth
The biggest barriers to selling refurbished IT hardware relate to trust and assurance. Respondents most frequently cite concerns about warranties and statutory warranty obligations, as well as doubts about product quality.
At the same time, the responses clearly show what could help drive the market forward: resellers want more detailed technical information, clear information on battery condition, certifications, transparent warranty terms and traceable quality checks.
Price advantage and availability have to add up
Price also plays a key role in determining how easily refurbished products can be incorporated into day-to-day business. For resellers, it is important that the financial advantage over new products is clearly visible and that suitable products are reliably available.
When price, condition and warranty are transparent and aligned, refurbished notebooks, PCs and smartphones become an attractive option for customers looking for cost-effective or more sustainable alternatives.
Resellers are actively driving adoption
The relationship between supply and demand is particularly interesting: while around 37% of respondents say that customers actively ask for refurbished products, 41% are already actively offering them.
“Many resellers are not simply waiting for demand – they are proactively positioning professionally refurbished devices as an alternative in customer discussions,” says Charles. “This is particularly relevant when new hardware is difficult to source or customers are looking for cost-efficient solutions. What matters is that resellers can clearly assess condition, warranty and availability – and that the price advantage leaves enough room for a commercially viable margin.”
Refurbished offers need to be easy to compare
For refurbished IT hardware to gain broader adoption in the channel, resellers need to be able to assess it quickly and compare it with new products. This requires transparent product data, clear information on price, availability and condition, as well as reliable supplier information.
One way to make these comparisons is through the Refurbished Portal integrated into the ITscope platform. It enables IT service providers to search specifically for professionally refurbished IT hardware, compare offers and view prices, availability, technical specifications and other product information.
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About the survey
In July and August 2026, ITscope surveyed a total of 197 platform users working in IT service providers and IT reselling about refurbished products. Respondents work with IT products in a B2B environment, including procurement, sales and consulting.
About ITscope
ITscope is a leading B2B platform for IT procurement and digital sales. More than 8,000 monthly active users – including IT service providers, resellers and IT buyers – use ITscope to compare and procure more than 7 million products, with pricing and stock information from over 300 distributors and manufacturers.
The cloud-based platform connects IT procurement and digital sales. In addition to its central marketplace, ITscope enables businesses to operate B2B shops and integrate seamlessly with ERP systems, online shops and e‑procurement solutions. This allows procurement and sales processes to be integrated into existing IT environments efficiently, transparently and with a high degree of automation.
Press contact
Sylvia Schreiber
ITscope GmbH
sylvia.schreiber@itscope.com
+49 721 6273760