At Retech Days MENA Refurbly Qatar reveals new trade-in partnerships

Refurbly Qatar announced new partnerships with FNAC, Starlink, Virgin Megastore, Digital House Pro, Alif Store, and Ooredoo during Retech Day MENA. The collaborations are designed to make smartphone trade-ins more accessible and convenient for consumers across Qatar’s leading retail and telecom channels. By integrating trade-in programs with these partners, Refurbly enables customers to upgrade devices affordably while keeping functional technology in circulation.

Supporting circular economy in MENA

This initiative strengthens the circular economy in the region, extending device lifecycles and reducing e-waste. Refurbly’s model emphasizes sustainability, responsible device reuse, and consumer confidence in trading older smartphones.

Regional expansion plans revealed

Refurbly confirmed plans to expand into Oman, with additional countries to follow. The strategy aims to replicate Qatar’s integrated trade-in approach across the Middle East and North Africa, providing greater reach for refurbished devices.

Retech Day MENA highlights industry trends

The first edition of Retech Days MENA, hosted by Dataxis at Dtec, Dubai Silicon Oasis, convened refurbishers, telcos, retailers, marketplaces, insurers, and recyclers. Discussions focused on building a scalable, standardized secondary market in MENA, emphasizing repair readiness, refurbishment at scale, and efficient reverse logistics.

Importance of harmonized standards

Speakers highlighted the need for transparent warranties, secure data handling, and trusted certification frameworks to build consumer trust and attract investor interest. Panel discussions explored AI-driven grading, traceable reverse logistics, and unified data standards to increase refurbishment efficiency.

Telco and retail collaborations grow

Telcos and retailers increasingly align with refurbishers on operator-led trade-ins, in-store collection points, and e-commerce partnerships. Streamlined collaborations demonstrate how partnerships can enhance device accessibility while reducing environmental impact.

Refurbished tech is the future

Retech Days MENA reinforced that refurbished technology is no longer a niche alternative. Extending device lifecycles lowers total ownership costs, expands access to quality devices, and conserves embodied carbon and energy. Coordination between governments, operators, and refurbishers is now key to scaling trusted secondary markets in the region.