Russia’s largest mobile operator MTS has announced plans to sell used smartphones at a discounted price, a move that will help tackle the country’s biting inflation.
MTS plans to offer smartphones up to 50% cheaper than new devices in its Moscow stores and online. The smartphone brand offered includes Chinese brands such as Huawei, Honor, and Xiaomi, as well as South Korean manufacturer Samsung.
The discounted devices sold by MTS include models that have been returned within two weeks or have a packaging defect and have a 90-day warranty.
MTS also plans to expand the second-hand devices offered and locations where users can buy them.
“This is a good opportunity for our company to offer consumers an additional way to save on purchases of quality gadgets,” said Pavel Sukhovarov, head of retail network development at MTS, who said that consumers could now buy used gadgets at bargain prices.
European countries are fighting inflation, and Russia is no exception. Inflation is currently eating up more than 17% of Russians’ purchasing power. However, the Russian Central Bank said that the rise of the rouble and the recent fall in consumer demand will act as a brake.
The sources for this piece include an article in Reuters.
