Why does repairing a functional laptop sometimes cost more than replacing it? The growing price gap between genuine and compatible spare parts might be putting the economics of refurbishment under pressure.
Repair alone does not make refurbishment viable. When a genuine spare part costs more than a device’s resale value, refurbishers may have to seek cheaper alternatives or reject the device altogether.
At the 2026 ITAD, WEEE and Circular Electronics Global Leaders Meet, speakers identified spare-part costs, limited domestic component production and uncertainty around the requirements for running a refurbishment business as barriers to scaling India’s refurbished electronics market.
Nitin Goyal, co-founder and chief operating officer of Grest, said high prices for original equipment manufacturer (OEM) parts often make repairs uneconomical.
Sanjay Soni, an independent IT asset disposition (ITAD) consultant, illustrated the price gap with laptop displays. He cited a Dell display priced by the brand at more than ₹10,000, while a compatible, high-quality alternative could cost half as much or less. Such alternatives are replacement components that work with the Dell laptop but are not necessarily supplied by its original manufacturer.
Harsh Vardhan Shrivastava, vice president of public policy at Vivo India, said at least half of consumer electronic displays are imported. He suggested that greater domestic component manufacturing could help bring component costs down.
Although India’s E-Waste (Management) Rules, 2022 recognise refurbishers as separate from recyclers, implementation-related issues remain. As Goyal said, “There’s uncertainty over how the E-Waste Management Rules will be implemented for refurbishment businesses. There is also uncertainty around GST and guidance on what refurbishment businesses should do.”
Ultimately, it comes down to how much the component costs. To ensure refurbishers can make a profit from repairing, they need affordable components and clear information on what they need to do.
