Refurbished IT is no longer sold primarily on price alone. Today, companies are paying closer attention to the performance they get for their budget and are increasingly choosing sustainable devices with up-to-date specifications. Current market developments across Europe clearly reflect this shift.
Customers are investing more strategically in high-performance devices
According to industry magazine ChannelObserver, citing figures from market research firm Context, the European market for refurbished PCs remained largely stable in terms of unit sales during the first quarter of 2026. At the same time, revenue increased by ten percent year over year. The reason is a shift toward more powerful and therefore higher-priced devices. Customers are increasingly choosing refurbished notebooks with modern specifications. Systems with at least 16 GB of RAM now account for nearly 70 percent of sales.
Why transparency is becoming increasingly important in the refurbished market
Especially in the day-to-day business of system integrators, refurbished devices need to be assessed transparently and compared reliably. That is why ITscope relies on clear criteria for listed suppliers in the Refurbished Portal — including standardized grading, meaning a consistent description of each device’s condition. Product listings across the platform also follow a uniform structure. Prices, availability, product information, and datasheets can all be compared directly.
At the same time, the selection available in the ITscope Refurbished Portal continues to grow through additional suppliers. Alongside established refurbishing specialists, new providers are constantly joining the platform, including companies such as circulee.
Sustainability is driving demand — but the market remains cautious
Sustainability now plays a larger role in IT procurement for many companies. Longer product life cycles, less electronic waste, and a more conscious use of resources are increasingly influencing purchasing decisions. Even so, many providers believe the German IT channel is still not fully leveraging the market’s potential. “In Scandinavia, refurbished IT is much more established in the B2B environment. System integrators actively bring up the topic with their customers,” says Thomas Nielsen of Foxway A/S. “In Germany, we are seeing strong interest from customers, but the channel itself is still approaching the topic rather cautiously.”
One reason for this is that many system integrators work closely with manufacturers and primarily sell new hardware. At the same time, end customers are showing growing interest in more sustainable procurement and longer product life cycles. This is exactly where refurbished IT can help resellers offer economical and more sustainable alternatives — especially when quality, transparency, and availability are right.