Back Market opens its first ever physical store in major city

Opened on October 1, the store will run until December 21 and is located at 449 Broadway. 

Back Market said it has been designed to be “warm, colourful and bustling” – a contrast to what many associate tech retail with.

The store will offer a hands-on experience with new vs refurbished interactive tech to challenge visitors to spot the difference, along with live dynamic price tags and grading to explain device costs, and a “services first” approach which includes device diagnostics, screen repairs, device cleanings, repair advocacy, and trade-in options.

Programming and events will also take place to include panels and workshops that engage conversations about tech, sustainability, and smarter consumption.

Back Market chief executive and co-founder Thibaud Hug de Larauze said: “The Back Market Soho store is about showing what’s possible.

“When people experience refurbished tech in person, they see the quality, the savings, and the potential to live smarter. We believe this pilot can spark real trust and momentum for a more sustainable way forward.”

Back Market USA general manager Lauren Benton added: “Only 5% of Americans buy refurbished smartphones today, however, the growth we’ve seen proves that’s about to change.”

“In Europe, refurbished tech is already a $50bn market, and the same shift is underway in the U.S. We see younger consumers leading the charge, with 60% of Gen Z trying refurbished for the first time, and with our Soho store, we’re making refurbished real, visible, and impossible to ignore.”