Hungary’s Gen Z shoppers are showing that premium no longer has to mean brand new. A survey by Rejoy.hu and student platform Diverzum suggests that young consumers are increasingly choosing refurbished high-end smartphones over new base models.
The shift is not marginal. Rejoy estimates that students using Diverzum discounts saved nearly HUF 190 million over the past 12 months by buying refurbished devices instead of new ones.
Premium, but smarter
More than 80% of respondents said they would definitely or probably choose a refurbished device over a new one if it came with a warranty and a good price. For many students, the logic is simple: a two or three year old flagship offers better value than a new mid-range phone at the same price point.
That mindset appears deeply rooted rather than trend-driven. According to the survey, 73.3% of students identified strong price-to-value as the main reason for choosing refurbished devices.
iPhone Pro leads the way
The product mix is especially telling. Among student orders placed through Diverzum coupon codes on Rejoy, 63% were for iPhones, with the iPhone 15 Pro, iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro topping the list.
Gen Z is aiming for higher-spec devices with stronger long-term usability, while avoiding the most expensive Pro Max tier. On the Android side, the Samsung Galaxy S23 5G emerged as the most popular model, ahead of the Galaxy S24 and Ultra series.
The resale mindset
Young buyers are also thinking beyond the initial purchase. The survey points to a generation that increasingly considers future resale value at the moment of purchase, treating tech more like a managed asset than a disposable gadget.
Most students also do something with their old device rather than leaving it unused. About 27% sell it, 23% pass it on to a family member, and more than 24% keep it as a backup phone.
Seasonal buying patterns
The data also shows that students plan their purchases around the academic calendar. Rejoy sees demand jump at the end of summer ahead of the new school year, while many students sell old phones to fund an upgrade before September.
Another strong period comes in late autumn. Black Friday and the Christmas season push purchases higher in both November and December, showing how closely student electronics buying follows broader retail discount cycles.
Savings add up
Rejoy says the average refurbished purchase in the student segment generates savings of around HUF 81,700 per order when combining the lower refurbished price with student discounts.
