Gadgets28.09.2020

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

Secondhand tech headline

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.

Item Cash Crusaders New price Saving
Smartphones
Apple iPhone 8 (64GB) R5,799 R7,199 R1,400
Apple iPhone XR (64GB) R9,200 R15,999 R6,799
Apple iPhone 11 (128GB) R12,999 R17,499 R4,500
Samsung Galaxy A50 (128GB) R3,499 R6,299 R2,800
Samsung Galaxy S10 (128GB) R7,199 R13,950 R6,751
Samsung Galaxy S10+ (128GB) R7,999 R18,995 R10,996
Huawei Y7P (64GB) R2,499 R3,699 R1,200
Huawei P20 (128GB) R2,999 R5,795 R2,796
Huawei P30 Pro (128GB) R5,499 R11,999 R6,500
Gaming consoles 
PlayStation 4 (500GB) R3,499 R6,499 R3,000
PlayStation 4 Slim (1TB) R4,199 R6,935 R2,736
PlayStation 4 Pro (1TB) R6,999 R9,999 R3,000
Xbox One S R3,199 R6,999 R3,800
Xbox One X R6,799 R10,499 R3,700
TVs
Hisense 40-inch FHD TV R2,799 R3,999 R1,200
Hisense 49-inch Smart FHD TV R3,999 R4,999 R1,000
Samsung 40-inch FHD TV R2,999 R3,999 R1,000
Sansui 39-inch HD Ready TV R2,499 R3,399 R900
Sansui 48-inch FHD TV R3,799 R1,999 -R1,800
Sansui 55-inch UHD TV R1,999 R5,499 R3,500
Samsung 43-inch UHD Smart TV R4,499 R5,799 R1,300
LG 43-inch UHD HDR TV R4,299 R6,399 R2,100
Smart wearables
Apple Watch Series 3 (GPS only) R2,499 R4,999 R2,500
Samsung Galaxy Fit E R389 R699 R310
Bluetooth Speakers
JBL Go 2 Blue R249 R607 R358
JBL Flip 3 R399 R2,495 R2,096
JBL Charge 3 R1,799 R4,595 R2,796
Volkano Bazooka R199 R598 R399
Tablets
Huawei MediaPad T3 10-inches R1,299 R3,999 R2,700
Samsung Galaxy Tab A 8-inches R1,799 R3,499 R1,700

Now read: The South African tech and gadget store with 1-day delivery – Tested

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