Founded in Vienna in 2017, the Refurbed scaleup has already established itself in seven European markets, including Austria, Germany, Sweden and Italy, by reselling reconditioned second-hand technology, especially computers, tablets and smartphones. At the end of 2022, the marketplace also began offering reconditioned city bikes and e-bikes in Germany, followed by a cooperation with the Austrian children’s bike brand Woom in spring 2023. Now, the next step has been taken: since the beginning of this year, Refurbed has been cooperating with Blue Tomato, the Austria-based international action sports retailer that is part of US-based Zumiez.
New to the range are “completely renewed” snowboards, with which the two companies now want to pursue their common goals for more sustainability, quality and customer satisfaction. Blue Tomato has been offering its “Snow Services” since 2020. In addition to a snowboard rental service, this also includes the option to return used boards and skis to Blue Tomato (“Swap Your Ride”). From now on, the existing board and ski service will be expanded by offering boards from the rental service and the return service for exclusive online sale via Refurbed after they have been „refurbished.”
Refurbed is now also expanding its offering in Sweden. Starting this month, refurbished electric bikes, ski and training equipment, fitness watches, and yoga products will be added to the marketplace’s range. “The new sports launch shows that we are serious about our ambition to become an Amazon for sustainable products,” commented Therese Almqvist, Marketing Manager at Refurbed in Sweden, on Ehandel.se. “In the long term, the goal is that as many gadgets as possible can be reconditioned and given new life.” Refurbed will recondition all products, with the exception of yoga devices. All products will then be sold with at least a one-year warranty. The electric bikes are said to have a battery capacity of up to 80 percent.
New corporate identity
At the same time as the product expansion offensive, the online marketplace has introduced a new corporate identity and the new claim “Rethink New” from Jan. 23, 2024. Refurbed CMO Jonny Ng was responsible for the relaunch in collaboration with Studio Sonntag. The new Refurbed claim addresses the questioning process that is necessary for Refurbed in everyday consumer behavior and is based on the question: How do we – individually and as a society – define the term “new”? Is only a new product made from new raw materials, new? Or does “new” refer to a new way of thinking when it comes to our consumption and our satisfaction of needs?
“The rebranding was planned for a long time; we’ve been working on it since fall 2022,” explained Ng. “What couldn’t be planned, however, was how fantastically the timing would fit in with Refurbed’s overall development. The 1 billion in external sales achieved in 2023, the many new, well-known retail partners we were able to bring on board and the successful C-investment round prove that Refurbed has become a real alternative to buying new. That’s why we want to start the new year with a confident brand image,” the British native, whom the Austrian scale-up brought on board as CMO in 2022, said.
