A new lease of life

Austin Clark finds out more about the products VOW is offering via its exclusive Reviva brand – and how they can help dealers to effectively expand their product portfolio
According to the Android Authority website flagship smartphones have increased in price by approximately 25% in the last five years, depending on the range. Throw on top the fact that users are now demanding increasingly sophisticated handsets complete with more features, enhanced performance, greater build quality and – crucially from a cost perspective – more memory and mobiles are becoming an expensive must-have. They’re also an expensive outlay for any business that provides smartphones for their staff.
It’s no wonder, therefore, that pre-owned ‘phones are rising rapidly in popularity. O2 is just one example of a major retailer offering pre-owned devices via its ‘Like New’ programme – and now resellers can make the most of the opportunity too, thanks to Reviva.
Reviva – a VOW exclusive brand – specialises in providing certified pre-owned ‘phones that are thoroughly inspected, tested and remanufactured according to the original manufacturer specifications. All devices are Grade A products and come with a 12-month warranty from the date of purchase allowing end-users to have all the features of a new ‘phone without the high price – and with little to no difference in performance or appearance.
“Reviva is a great opportunity for resellers to move into a new area,” says Helen Wade, product marketing director atVOW. “It gives us and our resellers an OEM equivalent exclusive brand that’s highly competitive and provides plenty of margin. Businesses will always welcome the ability to save money, so it’s a compelling opportunity.”
As well as the cost-saving benefits, Helen also points to corporate social responsibility (CSR) as an important aspect of the Reviva range.
“Pre-owned ‘phones fit nicely with our toner recycling programme, making them a natural extension for resellers who already work hard to promote CSR and providing them with further reasons to open dialogue with customers. This is a big talking point in business at the moment, so we’re giving resellers relevant tools and products they can take to their customers to help them make a difference.”
In addition to the pre-owned ‘phone range – which includes a great selection of iPhones – the Reviva range includes a great selection of mobile ‘phone and tablet cases and covers, cables, chargers, powerbanks and headphones.
“Accessories are a natural brand extension and an obvious add-on sell, as well as being a useful product range in their own right,” explains Helen. “We will be looking to expand the product range over the coming weeks and months. For example, storage media will be launched shortly as we make Reviva our technology range.”
Help and support
To assist with the sale of Reviva products Helen says VOW will be preparing ‘How-to-sell’ guides for resellers alongside ‘How-to-buy’ guides for consumers – focusing primarily on the ‘phones.
“The accessories don’t need a lot of support – they sell themselves – but with the ‘phones it’s all about understanding what the end-user needs are. For example, if a user wants to use their ‘phone for numerous functions and run loads of apps, given the next iOS update will require 11GB of storage they’ll need to trade up to a ‘phone with more memory; the Reviva products allow end-users to do this without such a hefty price tag. We’ll be working hard to provide this sort of information to help get the message across and drive sales.
“For resellers, it’s all about asking businesses what features they need in order to drive their businesses forward and then highlighting the product solutions available. If they do that, and talk up the CSR element, we’re confident sales and profit will follow.”