A survey of 8,000 respondents by Cashify shows that 74 per cent are concerned about potential misuse of personal data after selling their smartphone
Highlighting data security as a critical trust issue in India’s growing resale market, a survey reveals that such concerns are stopping around 69 per cent of users from choosing to sell their phones.
The survey of 8,000 respondents by recommerce platform Cashify shows that 74 per cent are concerned about potential misuse of personal data after selling their smartphone. 45.3 per cent of respondents rank data privacy and security as the most important factor when choosing where to sell their smartphone, compared to 29.5 per cent who prioritise price, signalling a shift from price-led resale to trust-led resale.
Despite high concern levels, data handling practices remain inconsistent. 83.3 per cent perform a factory reset before resale, yet 41.1 per cent acknowledge that a factory reset may not permanently delete all data. 31.0 per cent report having successfully retrieved deleted data from a phone, reinforcing how residual information can remain accessible when devices are not properly wiped.
“Participation is rising, awareness is rising, and concern is rising, but the responsibility for data safety is still falling disproportionately on the user. Devices today carry years of personal, financial and identity data. As resale volumes scale, data safety cannot remain an individual burden,” states said Nakul Kumar, Co-founder, Cashify.
The survey shows that concern rises, respondents show a clear preference for structured, verifiable approaches to data protection. 68.6 per cent say they would trust a resale platform more if it offered certified secure data deletion, while 83.3 per cent say a data deletion certificate is very important when selling their smartphone. In addition, 50.8 per cent note that they are willing to pay a small fee for guaranteed secure data deletion.
87.2 per cent believe India needs stricter laws on data deletion before smartphones are resold. The survey also highlights the importance of improving transparency as organised resale platforms gain market share. While 15.6 per cent of respondents say they were unaware that safer resale options existed, only 6.3 per rcent report feeling pressured by buyers during the resale process.
