Where to buy refurbished appliances

REFURBISHED APPLIANCES

First of all, there's the savings potential , between 30 and 60 percent. But also the possibility of creating, with innovative mini-production chains, a typical circular economy industry. This explains the phenomenon of the production and sales of refurbished appliances , which is growing at double-digit rates, while the consulting firm Deloitte estimates the market to be worth €17 billion annually.

HOW TO BUY REFURBISHED APPLIANCES

READ ALSO: How much waste do we create in our homes? How many useless things do we accumulate and then reduce to rubbish? This book explores the daily scandal of our waste.

DATA ON REFURBISHED APPLIANCES

Let's start with a fact: 44 percent of electrical and electronic appliances that have a simple problem—a part that needs replacing or fixing, and are therefore repairable— end up in the garbage . This is a huge waste of money and items that then contribute to pollution: 79 percent of electronic waste, in fact, comes from household use.

On the other hand, we're all familiar with the famous phrase uttered by the salesman or technician called to our home (with a call-out fee of 50-80 euros) when we try to request the replacement of a single part of our appliance: "You'd be better off buying a new one." This is true for a circuit board that enables a washing machine or dishwasher, and it's true for a simple cell phone. For example, replacing the screen of a three-year-old cell phone or smartphone costs 115 euros . To buy a new appliance, perhaps updating the model currently on the market, costs 151 euros . At that point, the consumer is encouraged to make a new purchase.

Assistance , repair , and maintenance are all words we've erased from our vocabulary. The important thing is to increase company revenues and revenue volumes, encouraging more purchases, even when they're unnecessary. And never mind if this then results in economic damage for consumers : both in the costs they face and for the community, given that replaced appliances then translate into new waste. In Italy, we produce approximately 20 kilograms of waste per capita per year, and on average, each family has eight unused appliances at home.

In 2000, Italy had over 6,000 shops and centers specializing in appliance repairs; now, that number has dropped to 4.500 . 150 of them close each year. This is a slap in the face for consumers who would prefer (77 percent of cases) to repair their appliances before buying a new one and would like (90 percent of cases) a label clearly stating how long each appliance lasts. This is also because, while technology and functionality have greatly increased, the average lifespan of electrical and electronic appliances has decreased in recent years . Why? It serves to induce, even through the deception of planned obsolescence, new, addictive consumption, and the technology that shortens the lifespan of these objects is paralleled by the closure of service centers, with the same goal of making repairs impossible.

FOR MORE INFORMATION: Everything can be fixed, even Italians are discovering the benefits of repairing

WHERE TO BUY REFURBISHED APPLIANCES

Fortunately, in this scenario, we have a few exceptions that clearly demonstrate the potential of developing the repair and regeneration industry and businesses. A factory specializing in this type of business has even opened in Milan , two Rigeneration stores are already open in Turin , and the first outlet for used and repaired appliances is located in Camerata Picena , in the Marche region.

In Milan, a stone's throw from the Polytechnic University, there is also a factory where 25 researchers, funded by the CNR and companies such as Candy and Magneti Marelli, automatically remanufacture (demanufacturing) old appliances that would otherwise become waste.

HOW REFURBISHED APPLIANCES ARE REPAIRED

The mechanism is very simple: the appliance's circuit board passes over a heated plate and a robotic arm regenerates it. If the appliance is beyond repair, it is dismantled and broken down into all its basic components, which are then recovered: copper, plastic, and even gold. If it is reusable, however, it is regenerated and ready to be sold as new. The advantages for companies are enormous. On the one hand, they do not produce waste (and therefore costs), but rather recycle precious raw materials that they then use for their business. On the other, they have new products at very low costs . Finally, not to mention the positive impact, in terms of marketing, of companies that can boast the label of true sustainability.

LEARN MORE: Used appliances: Turin's reconditioned shops. And they're sold at 50 percent off.

ADVANTAGES OF APPLIANCE REGENERATION

This new economy, already used by large multinationals around the world, such as Ford, Toshiba, Panasonic, and Apple, is finally arriving in Italy: ultimately, a company saves around 85 percent of its production costs through remanufacturing . "Home appliances used to be made primarily to last, but that's no longer the case," explains Tullio Tolio, head of the Milan laboratory. "But the approach is changing, and a used appliance can be made new again. And the consumer will be able to buy a new refrigerator, simply leaving the old one with the manufacturer, which will then be remanufactured. It's the model of a new circular economy..." Obviously, it will be up to the consumer to be careful to avoid scams. How? First of all, through two factors. The first: always look for reliable sellers. The second factor: the existence of a warranty, valid for at least one year.

A circular economy , inspired by the philosophy of "Do Not Waste ." An economy welcomed by consumers who are now changing their lifestyles. In 2008, only 60 percent of consumers considered repairing an appliance; now, due to the Great Recession and greater awareness, this percentage has risen to 85 percent.

DISADVANTAGES OF REFURBISHED APPLIANCES

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