How much money you can save by buying second-hand tech in South Africa

The local prices of 2020’s next-generation gaming consoles have highlighted that South Africans get a hard deal when it comes to tech prices.

Both the Xbox Series X and PlayStation 5 are priced at a hefty R11,999, despite carrying a $499 (R8,300) price tag in the US.

This is almost double the 2014 launch prices of the Xbox One and PlayStation 4, which initially retailed for R6,299.

Even when adjusted for inflation, those consoles would have sold for around R8,200 in 2020.

The weakening Rand has also played its part in these increases. Where it traded around R10-R11 to the dollar in 2014, it has more recently hovered around the R17-mark.

With tech prices skyrocketing and the economy in dire straits, those looking to buy the latest gadgets and electronics may be looking for a way to save money when buying new products.

One option is to buy products second-hand from one of several online platforms in the country, including popular market places like Bidorbuy or OLX, or even the Carbonite forums.

A number of online tech stores – such as GeeWiz – also offer refurbished gadgets at big discounts.

Cash Crusaders goes online

Cash Crusaders recently launched its own online store, which allows users to order pre-owned items and collect them at one of its branches.

The retailer offers a range of tech products in its portfolio – including smartphones, tablets, gaming consoles, TVs, smartwatches, and laptops.

Its second-hand products come with a six-month warranty, which provides added peace of mind for those who fear they may be buying a dud.

Comparing prices

We compared the prices of several pre-owned tech products available from Cash Crusaders with their new prices.

Our assessment showed that there were significant savings to be made, particularly on smartphones.

For example, one second-hand Galaxy S10+ 128GB model was priced at R7,199 on Cash Crusaders, as opposed to the R18,995 price you would pay for a new model from Takealot.

Second-hand gaming consoles were also substantially cheaper, with an Xbox One S available for R3,199, as opposed to its current retail price of R6,999.

Discounts were less significant when it came to TVs, and potential buyers should also take note that certain models may even be more expensive than when brought brand new.

This was the case with the Sansui 48-inch FHD TV, which was R1,800 cheaper at Hi-Fi Corp than on Cash Crusaders.

Overall, however, our comparison showed that users stand to save a significant sum of money when buying second-hand tech.

The table below shows the best prices for each device on the Cash Crusaders store, and the cheapest new price we were able to find for the same item.