As the nation gears up for Black Friday, some of us will be clamouring to get our hands on items at knock-down prices. But while a nice discount off the full retail price is always welcome, we believe in buying well, buying those items that can offer even better value for money if consumers are then able to sell them when they no longer need them – not to mention more sustainable! Especially at a time where we are tackling a ‘throwaway culture’, not just with ‘fast fashion’ but ‘fast homewares’ and ‘fast tech’ items too.
Just under a fifth of Brits said if they purchased a new tech item on Black Friday, they would be most likely to get rid of the item being replaced by giving it to a friend and in-store recycling (both 19%).
Research was conducted by Censuswide, among a sample of 2000 UK Consumers (Nationally Representative, aged 16+). The data was collected between 13.09.2024 and 17.09.2024.
We have investigated the cost of new items, and what they sell for second-hand on our platform, to reveal the common Black Friday purchases that hold their value the best.
Retain Most Value
Top of the list is Sonos audio equipment.
Known for sound bars and music speakers, they’re not cheap when purchased new, but can represent great value if people sell them when they no longer use them or plan to upgrade. Analysis of current-generation Sonos equipment on Gumtree reveals that on average, it sells for 71% of its ‘new’ price – meaning people can recoup most of their initial outlay if they find they are no longer using it, or upgrading. What’s more, Sonos equipment listed as ‘unused’ or ‘nearly new’ sells for on average 80% of it’s new price.
Apple
Analysis of Apple products released in the past three years on Gumtree shows that items on average hold 69% of their value. For example, the Apple iPhone 14 – released in 2023 – on average sells for £445 – compared to a new price of £599.
Baby items
Are also popular Black Friday purchases, with many savvy new parents or parents-to-be using the sales to make some serious savings. We found that strollers from high-end brand Bugaboo retain their value very well, on average selling for around 58% of their new price. This means parents who splash out on the fancy strollers – often costing up to £1000 – can at least recoup a lot of their investment when they are no longer used.
Retain Least Value
TVs
A popular Black Friday purchase doesn’t fare so well – particularly losing value quickly. Analysis of a sample of over 7,000 televisions for sale on our platform show that on average, TV’s retain just 23% of their value when sold secondhand.
