Worldwide, more than 50 million tons of electronic waste (e-waste) are produced annually.By reusing devices, fewer new ones need to be produced.In this way, bol is taking more and more concrete steps in its sustainability ambitions by offering refurbished electronics.In addition, the refurbished range is integrated into the entire range, so that bol always offers its customers a fully-fledged alternative in addition to new electronics in their search for electronics.

“At bol, we work on reducing CO2 emissions, water waste and electronic waste, among other things. Offering refurbished electronics is an indispensable part of this,” says Oscar Hundman, Chief E-commerce Officer at bol. “Every year, we reach more than 13.6 million consumers in the Netherlands and Belgium.We believe that we can make a real difference if we offer them an alternative to new. In the long term, we want to expand the product categories to, for example, game consoles, electronic kitchen appliances and household appliances.”

Refurbished Quality mark
To guarantee the quality of the refurbished devices, bol is entering into a partnership with four sales partners that meet the Refurbished Quality Mark of Techniek Nederland: Fixje, Forza, Leapp and Renewd. All devices offered are checked on more than 50 aspects and, where necessary, parts are replaced and repaired. This concerns parts such as the casing, software, battery, camera and screen.The devices are also cleaned and delivered with a new charging cable. Just like with a new item, the consumer receives a two-year warranty when purchasing a refurbished device.

Increased demand refurbished
With the new range, bol is responding to an increasing demand from consumers for refurbished devices. According to a recent report by Cross Border Commerce Europe, it is expected that 1 in 10 of all consumer electronics purchased online worldwide will be refurbished by 2025. By 2030, 1 in 6 smartphones would be refurbished.