BAKU, Azerbaijan, November 27. ITOCHU Corporation has announced a strategic partnership with Google to launch Japan’s first certified refurbished Google device business, Trend reports via the company.
The initiative will be operated by Belong Inc., a fully owned subsidiary of ITOCHU that specializes in the online retail of pre-owned mobile devices.
Starting November 26, Belong’s online platform Nicosuma will begin sales of Google-certified refurbished devices. Each device has been refurbished by repairers certified by Google and subjected to rigorous quality inspections conducted by Belong. This ensures that customers receive high-quality, reliable devices with the assurance of Google’s certification.
Belong, established in 2019, has built a strong reputation in Japan’s used mobile device market through services such as Nicosuma Kaitori, which focuses on purchasing used personal mobile devices, and its online retail shop Nicosuma. The company processes and inspects millions of devices annually, utilizing internationally certified tools for data deletion and quality control.
“This partnership with Google allows us to provide customers with certified refurbished devices they can trust, further expanding the options available in Japan’s smartphone market,” a representative from ITOCHU stated.
The initiative aligns with ITOCHU’s management strategy, The Brand-new Deal – Profit Opportunities are Shifting Downstream," which emphasizes sustainable business practices and contributions to the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). By offering certified refurbished devices, ITOCHU aims to reduce electronic waste, promote resource efficiency, and minimize the environmental impact of electronic device consumption.
With the addition of certified refurbished products to the Japanese smartphone market, ITOCHU and Google aim to provide consumers with a more sustainable and environmentally conscious option, bridging the gap between new and used devices while addressing growing concerns over electronic waste.
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