December 2025 marked a strong close to the year for South and Eastern European refurbisher Flip, as trade-in activity accelerated across its core markets in Southeastern Europe. The company reported an approximately 9% increase in conversion rate in physical retail locations, while online conversion remained stable. This divergence underlined the impact of Flip’s sustained focus on operational refinement at store level, where friction reduction, faster device intake, and clearer pricing communication translated directly into higher completion rates. For a trade-in driven business model, these gains reflect meaningful progress rather than seasonal volatility, particularly in a month traditionally associated with promotional pressure and margin sensitivity.
In-store execution delivers results
Over the past year, Flip has deliberately prioritised in-store trade-in capabilities, investing in smoother operational workflows and more predictable logistics. This included closer integration with retail partners and the onboarding of additional physical locations into its partner network. The December results suggest that these efforts have reached operational maturity, with store staff better equipped to guide customers through the trade-in process and complete transactions efficiently. The 9% uplift in conversion rate indicates that a greater proportion of consumers entering stores with trade-in intent ultimately proceeded with device handover, a key lever for increasing supply in a constrained secondary device market.
Online stability amid market pressure
While in-store conversion rose, online trade-in performance remained steady throughout December. In the context of a maturing recommerce market, this stability is notable. Online trade-in platforms across Europe have faced rising competition, greater consumer price awareness, and fluctuating residual values tied to new device launches. Flip’s ability to maintain consistent online conversion suggests that its pricing algorithms and customer experience remain competitive, even as growth increasingly shifts toward hybrid online to offline trade-in journeys.
Expanded categories broaden intake
A major December milestone for Flip was the full operational launch of in-store trade-in for wearables and laptops. Working with key partners across OEM, telecom, and retail segments, Flip enabled customers to trade in a broad catalogue of used electronic devices beyond smartphones. This expansion reflects an industry-wide recognition that future growth in secondary electronics will depend on capturing value across multiple device categories. By extending its trade-in infrastructure to laptops and wearables, Flip positioned itself to aggregate higher value devices and smooth supply variability driven by smartphone replacement cycles.
Apple iPhone cycle impact
The launch of the Apple iPhone 17 had a clear influence on December trade-in volumes, particularly for Apple devices. Across all Flip markets, Apple smartphones dominated incoming trade-in flows, with Apple iPhone 14, Apple iPhone 15 Pro, Apple iPhone 15 Pro Max, and Apple iPhone 13 emerging as the most frequently traded models. This pattern reinforces the central role of Apple upgrade cycles in shaping secondary market supply. Higher specification Apple devices typically retain stronger residual values, supporting both consumer trade-in incentives and refurbisher margin stability.
Samsung anchors Android supply
On the Android side, Samsung devices accounted for the largest share of collected units. The Samsung Galaxy S24 series and Samsung Galaxy A54 performed strongest, reflecting Samsung’s broad installed base and continued demand for refurbished models at multiple price points. For Flip, balanced intake across premium and mid-range Android devices supports diversified resale channels and reduces dependency on a single OEM cycle, an increasingly important consideration as regulatory and sustainability pressures reshape device lifecycles.
Pricing resilience supports trust
Despite seasonal pressures often associated with year-end trade-in campaigns, Flip reported an average trade-in price of approximately € 240 per device during December. Importantly, this average held steady across all markets where Flip operates its own trade-in platform or partner integrations. Maintaining pricing levels through peak periods reinforces consumer trust and underlines the strength of Flip’s circular pricing model. In a market where short-term discounting can undermine long-term supply quality, pricing discipline remains a strategic differentiator.
Closed-loop refurbishment advantage
Flip’s ability to sustain pricing is closely linked to its vertically integrated, closed-loop business model. Devices acquired from end consumers are refurbished and repaired in-house before being resold under the Flip brand. Full ownership of diagnostics, repair, grading, and resale enables tighter cost control and more accurate residual value forecasting. This structure also supports consistent quality across smartphones, tablets, wearables, laptops, and game consoles, aligning operational efficiency with sustainability outcomes.
Regional scale with controlled growth
Founded in 2019, Flip has grown from a ten-person startup into a regional refurbishment leader employing 286 people, including 200 specialised technicians. As a member of the eMag group, the company has expanded into Bulgaria, Hungary, and Greece between 2022 and 2023. Rather than pursuing volume-led expansion, Flip has focused on controlled, intentional growth supported by in-house technical frameworks. This approach has reduced operational risk while enabling scalable replication of its trade-in and refurbishment model across borders.
Partner value and ESG relevance
For retail and operator partners, Flip’s traceable refurbishment process offers clear commercial and strategic benefits. Documented device journeys reduce return rates and commercial risk, while transparent data flows simplify ESG reporting. As regulators and investors place increasing emphasis on circular economy metrics, such capabilities are becoming integral to partnership selection. Flip’s December performance illustrates how disciplined execution, category expansion, and lifecycle control can convert sustainability commitments into measurable business outcomes.
Market
Trade-in
Repair
Refurbishing
