New industry standards and tech advances make pre-owned electronics a viable holiday gift option

By: Suvrat Dhanorkar, Georgia Institute of Technology, The Conversation

Outlets: The Conversation

Published: December 10, 2025

Words: 694

Last Updated: 1 month ago

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By Suvrat Dhanorkar, Georgia Institute of Technology

Electronic gifts are very popular, and in recent years, retailers have been offering significant discounts on smartphones, e-readers and other electronics labeled as “pre-owned.” Research I have co-led finds that these pre-owned options are becoming increasingly viable, thanks in part to laws and policies that encourage recycling and reuse of devices that might previously have been thrown away.

Amazon, Walmart and Best Buy have dedicated pages on their …

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