'Turks renew their phones every two years'

The frequency of phone renewals in Türkiye has extended from 18 to 30 months in the past five years, with 75 percent of consumers opting for cash payments over exchanges, according to a telecom sector representative.

Consumers who cannot access brand new phones are turning to more affordable phones that have been repaired by expert technicians and most of the parts have been refurbished.

Mehmet Akif Özdemir, the co-founder of Easycep, a refurbished electronic product marketplace, said that the refurbished phone market in Türkiye has reached 300,000 units a year, "We refurbish 200,000 of these and our target is 340,000 in 2024. Especially in recent years, the effect of rapidly increasing prices on our market is very much felt. With the hikes in zero phones, people are turning to refurbished products. While 75 percent of those who bring their phones to us prefer to get their money, 25 percent prefer to exchange them."

The most sought-after refurbished phones are in the 10,000 to 20,000 lira range, with the iPhone 11 leading both purchases and sales. Despite fewer models, Apple products outshine the rest of the market, taking an average of 30 days to refurbish and resell.

With battery life typically lasting two years, users typically replace their phones when battery levels drop below 85 percent. While Android models offer plenty of choice, they lack durability and resale value compared to Apple products. As phone replacement times get longer due to rising prices, companies are opting for refurbished phones to cut costs.

"There are phone shops all over the country now and the economy is booming there. We have started to open stores in those areas. We have opened nearly 40 new stores," Özdemir concluded.