Used home appliances market: Cheap but not durable!

The race for quality and customer trust

Today's consumers are willing to choose used household appliances if the product is still good and has quality control, especially when the price is 30% to 50% lower than new products.

Ms. Pham Thi Bich (Hoan Kiem, Hanoi), after finding a satisfactory refrigerator for her family in a second-hand market in Dong Anh district, shared that with 15 million VND, she could buy both a used refrigerator and washing machine, instead of just a new product.

Van Phuc second-hand market (Ha Dong, Hanoi) sells many cheap products attracting many customers. Photo: Minh Tien

In Hanoi, the second-hand household goods market is increasingly vibrant with the presence of a series of new stores, alongside traditional markets such as Cho Troi (Hoan Kiem) and Van Phuc second-hand market (Ha Dong). However, not all businesses can survive in the competitive environment. In addition to reasonable prices, customers are increasingly concerned about product quality and warranty policies.

Mr. Nguyen Van Manh, Director of Thuong Thuong Used Goods Market shared with reporters of Cong Thuong Newspaper: " Selling used goods today is not just a matter of price. Customers need a product that ensures functionality, reasonable price and especially cares about warranty and maintenance policies" .

Those who invest in product testing and commit to long-term warranties are gaining an advantage, while stores that do not guarantee this easily lose customer trust.

"In addition, to improve product quality, many stores also promote online business to better reach customers. Livestream sales activities, posting product introductions on TikTok, Facebook, Zalo help increase transparency and strengthen consumer trust," Mr. Manh added.

Used TVs, refrigerators, washing machines - sought-after items at Hanoi's second-hand market. Photo: Minh Tien

Potential but challenging

Besides the economic benefits, buying used household appliances also helps reduce electronic waste - an alarming environmental problem in Vietnam.

According to the Institute of Environmental Science and Technology, Vietnam generates about 100,000 tons of electronic waste each year, mainly from household and office appliances. Without effective recycling measures, this number will continue to increase sharply.

To ensure the quality of goods and limit the circulation of poor quality goods, management agencies have issued a number of regulations to control the used goods market. According to Circular 12/2018/TT-BCT, some used goods are prohibited from being imported to reduce quality risks. At the same time, Decision 18/2019/QD-TTg also requires imported used electronic devices to meet standards on longevity and safety.

However, the implementation of these regulations still faces many difficulties. Some small retail stores do not guarantee the origin and warranty policy, which reduces customer confidence. To promote sustainable market development, there needs to be a stricter quality control mechanism, as well as granting prestigious certificates to second-hand goods businesses.

For the market of used household appliances to develop transparently and sustainably, it needs the cooperation of businesses, management agencies and consumers. When each link in this supply chain plays its role well, used household appliances are not only an economic choice but also an effective solution to protect the environment.

Minh Tien

Source: https://congthuong.vn/thi-truong-do-gia-dung-cu-re-tien-co-kem-ben-380579.html