Cashify flips Indian wedding tradition to promote smartphone resale

India – Smartphone reselling platform Cashify is challenging outdated attitudes to second-hand tech by reimagining a long-standing wedding ritual as a celebration of circularity.

In its latest campaign, wedding guests gift old smartphones in place of traditional shagun – typically monetary blessings given to the couple – leaving them with a trove of trade-in-ready devices. By positioning used phones as untapped resources, the brand aims to spark a cultural shift in how Indians perceive ownership, obsolescence and worth.

According to Cashify, over 300m smartphone users in India are eligible for upgrades each year, yet most old devices are stored away or forgotten. ‘India doesn’t have a resale problem. It has a mindset problem,’ says Nakul Kumar, co-founder and CMO. ‘Resale shouldn’t be reactive, it should be reflexive – a default part of the digital ownership journey.’

This behavioural reset is especially likely to resonate with Gen Z consumers. As explored in our Gen Z in India report, this generation is guided by values of sustainability, authenticity and relevance – making them more receptive to resale reframed not just as thrift, but as modern wisdom.