Refurbed Nationwide Survey of Irish Parents

As the cost of living crisis worsens and back to school season begins, financial pressures continue to increase for parents. Refurbed, Europe’s fastest growing and Ireland’s leading online marketplace for refurbished electrical devices, has released the results of its nationwide sentiment survey. The survey was conducted on over 500 parents across Ireland, looking at the pressure to purchase electronic devices this back to school season, the financial burden that goes along with this, as well as the likelihood of buying refurbished electronic devices. Highlighted below are some of the key insights.

Electronic devices are becoming a necessity in schools.

As the new generation of digital natives attend school and third level institutions, it is becoming increasingly clear that the digitisation of education centres is becoming more and more prevalent. A significant portion of parents, 75%, indicated that using electronic devices is necessary for their children in the context of education. On the other hand, only 25% expressed a contrary view. When asked about their feelings regarding owning electronic devices for education, 28% of respondents reported feeling a lot of pressure, while 33% experienced a little bit of pressure. 31% held a neutral stance, 5% felt less pressure, and 3% felt a lot less pressure. This is up 10% since 2021; a similar survey conducted by refurbed in 2021 found just 51% of parents were under pressure to provide electronics for their children, versus today’s 61%.

The financial burden of these purchases is high, particularly as the cost of living crisis persists.

The annual ritual of preparing for a new academic year brings with it a myriad of expenses, from textbooks and stationery to uniforms, and now evidently: electronic devices. A substantial 26% of parents disclosed that they seek financial aid in order to purchase electronic devices for education. Furthermore, 30% strongly agreed that purchasing such devices leads to financial stress or burden, with 45% somewhat agreeing and 16% having a neutral standpoint.

However, the survey revealed that budget allocations for electronic devices varied considerably. A breakdown of responses showed that 21% were willing to spend between €101 to €200, 29% between €201 to €300, 16% between €301 to €400, 18% between €401 to €500, and 15% were open to spending €501 or more. This is significantly higher when compared to a similar survey conducted by refurbed in 2021 where 65% of parents were spending between €100 and €300 on devices in the return to school.

With the spiralling cost of food and persistently high energy prices putting enormous strain on Irish families, this time is proving to be a formidable challenge as they grapple with striking a balance between their child’s educational needs and the broader realities of the cost of living crisis. From housing and utilities to groceries and transportation, families across the nation are confronted with a complex web of expenditures that influence their financial choices.

Sustainability and Purchase Intent:

When asked about their preferred condition of electronic devices for education, 63% of parents indicated a preference for new devices, while 27% considered refurbished devices, and 10% favoured secondhand options. However, once educated on the cost savings of refurbished technology, an encouraging 67% of respondents showed a likelihood to purchase refurbished electronic devices, with 34% being very likely and an equal percentage being likely. In contrast, only 14% expressed some level of hesitation, including 9% who stated being unlikely and 5% who deemed it very unlikely.

Respondents weighed-up the importance of various aspects when choosing where to purchase refurbished electronic devices. Customer service, a wide product range, warranty offerings, and online ratings were deemed most crucial. Conversely, aspects like express delivery, sustainability policies, and retailer location held less significance. These results shine a light on the importance of price and trust to parents, again highlighting the financial pressures they are under.

Pádraig Power, Senior Marketing Manager: Global Operations & Ireland at refurbed explained “This year, Ireland’s Overshoot Day took place on April 21st, meaning all natural resources allocated for this year had already been used up. In order to preserve resources, more environmentally conscious consumption and extended product life spans need to be prioritised.

“However, we understand that in a cost of living crisis sustainable consumption is not always a priority, and is not always feasible for consumers. Therefore, we are delighted to be able to offer parents a cheaper and more sustainable way to ensure that their children are equipped with the latest technology as they return to school, making more sustainable consumption accessible, and desirable to all Irish parents.”

Pádraig continued “We were encouraged to see that once the parents of Ireland understood they can save funds and help the environment by purchasing refurbished tech, 67% of them said they were likely to do so. This illustrates the willingness of the Irish population to consume more sustainably when the right choices are available to them.”

Refurbed provides Irish consumers with more sustainable, refurbished technology when compared to the mass waste produced by buying new devices. Refurbed devices undergo an up to 40-step refurbishment process where they are restored to functioning as new, cleansed of any data and returned to their factory settings. When the consumer receives the device from refurbed it is always like new and most importantly for Irish parents, refurbed devices are up to 40% cheaper than new, with at standard minimum twelve month warranty.

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