New Delhi, Sept. 2 -- India's refurbished smartphone market is showing signs of moving beyond its traditional budget positioning, with buyers increasingly opting for more expensive devices and newer-generation smartphones entering the resale ecosystem sooner.

Cashify's Great Indian Upgrade 2026 report says demand for refurbished devices on its platform increased 30.8%, while the share of refurbished smartphones priced above Rs.45,000 climbed from 10.9% in 2024 to 17.4% in 2025. At the other end of the market, the sub-Rs.10,000 segment declined from 10.7% to 8.4%.

The numbers suggest an important change in how consumers are using the secondary smartphone market: refurbished devices are increasingly becoming a route to premium and flagshi...