What CeX does

CeX is a UK-headquartered pre-owned electronics and entertainment retailer founded in 1992, originally as a single games and computer shop near Tottenham Court Road in London. The company operates 600+ physical retail stores across 11 countries, complemented by an e-commerce platform (webuy.com) and iOS/Android mobile applications with over 2 million registered users. Core product categories span pre-owned gaming (current-generation consoles and titles plus a deep retro catalog spanning Atari, Game Boy, Sega Mega Drive, Nintendo 64, NES, SNES, Dreamcast), mobile phones, computing equipment (laptops, tablets, PC components), consumer electronics (headphones, smartwatches, VR), and DVDs/Blu-rays; all products carry a 5-year warranty. The company also sells new accessories under the CeX basics sub-brand and has added an Apparel category.

The business operates a buy-sell-exchange model: consumers trade in used electronics for cash or vouchers (voucher values exceed cash offers), which creates both inventory intake and a soft customer lock-in loop. Revenue is generated primarily through margins between purchase and resale prices of second-hand goods, supplemented by new accessory sales. Distribution is fully direct-to-consumer through owned retail, e-commerce, and mobile channels with no third-party resellers; Click & Collect bridges online and offline. CeX is privately held as CeX Ltd., has no disclosed funding rounds, no parent company, and operates across the UK, Ireland, Spain, Portugal, the Canary Islands, Italy, Mexico, Malaysia, Australia, and India.

CeX serves two primary customer segments: general consumers seeking affordable alternatives to new electronics (the dominant use case), and gaming collectors seeking retro and classic consoles and software. Recent operational investments include a partnership with Adyen to localize payments across the Malaysian footprint (2025) and a partnership with Auror to roll out crime reporting across 390 UK stores (2026), reflecting investment in payment infrastructure and loss-prevention capability. The company has publicly stated it has diverted over 300 million tech products from landfill across its 30+ year history.

Name

CeX

Legal name

CeX Ltd.

Website

https://www.webuy.com/

Company type

Private

Founded year

1992

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1,001–5,000 employees

Short description

CeX is a seller of video games, computers, digital electronics, TVs and monitors.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Pre-owned consumer electronics and entertainment retail

NAICS

Electronics and Appliance Retailers (449210), Used Merchandise Retailers (4595), Hobby, Toy, and Game Retailers (45912)

SIC

Retail-Radio, Tv & Consumer Electronics Stores (5731), Retail-Computer & Computer Software Stores (5734), Retail-Hobby, Toy & Game Shops (5945)

akta.pro primary industry

Big-Box Electronics + Gaming & VR Retail (CRACAAAG)

akta.pro secondary industry

Electronics & Gadgets C2C Resale (CRAFAKAC)

Keywords

• Pre-owned electronics retail
• Second-hand gaming store
• Trade-in electronics service
• Refurbished mobile phones
• Retro games retailer

Headquarters

HQ city

London

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices11 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Product Sales (Buy-Sell Model): CeX purchases used electronics, games, phones, and media from consumers at negotiated prices, then resells these items at markup. The company also sells new accessories. Revenue comes from the margin between purchase and sale prices.
2. Trade-In Services: Customers can trade in their old devices for cash or CeX vouchers. The company acquires inventory through these exchanges and can upsell customers who use vouchers to purchase higher-value items.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

CeX buys, sells, and exchanges pre-owned video games, phones, computers, consumer electronics, DVDs, and Blu-rays through a network of 600+ retail stores across 11 countries plus an e-commerce site and mobile apps. The company also sells new tech accessories under its CeX basics sub-brand and offers supporting services including trade-in for cash or vouchers, Click & Collect, and a 5-year warranty on all products.

Product overview

CeX is the UK's largest pre-owned electronics and entertainment specialist operating a platform-plus-retail model across 600+ stores worldwide in 11 countries. The core offering centers on buying, selling, and exchanging pre-owned technology products including gaming (PS5, Xbox, Nintendo Switch, retro), phones (iPhones, Android), computing (laptops, tablets, PC components), electronics (headphones, smartwatches, VR), and media (DVDs, Blu-rays). Customers can also purchase new accessories under the CeX basics sub-brand. The business model combines physical retail stores with e-commerce, supported by a mobile app with over 2 million users. Key value-add services include a free 5-year warranty, trade-in for cash or vouchers, and Click & Collect. The company operates exclusively as a second-hand retailer with no own-manufactured hardware.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• CeX basics: A sub-brand for basic accessories including cables (USB, Mini-USB, Micro-USB) and other tech accessories sold at lower price points.

Products and services

• CeX Retail (Gaming) Pre-owned and new video games for all major platforms (PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, Nintendo Switch) plus retro gaming consoles and software spanning Atari, Game Boy, Sega Mega Drive, Nintendo 64, NES, SNES, Dreamcast, and Neo Geo, sold to retail consumers with a 5-year warranty.
• CeX Retail (Phones) Pre-owned mobile phones including iPhones, Samsung Galaxy, and other Android devices, all network unlocked and backed by a 5-year warranty for retail consumers.
• CeX Retail (Computing) Pre-owned laptops, tablets, iPads, desktop computers, graphics cards, RAM modules, handheld gaming PCs, hard drives, and computer peripherals sold to retail consumers under a 5-year warranty.
• CeX Retail (Electronics) Pre-owned consumer electronics including headphones, smart speakers, smart watches, Apple Watches, VR headsets, digital cameras, and SD cards sold to retail consumers with a 5-year warranty.
• CeX Retail (Film & TV) Pre-owned DVDs and Blu-ray movies spanning classic and contemporary titles sold to retail consumers with a 5-year warranty.
• CeX basics (New Accessories) Own-brand sub-brand for new tech accessories including USB cables, charging cables, and other low-price-point accessories sold to retail consumers.
• Trade-In Service Service allowing retail customers to sell their unwanted electronics (phones, games, consoles, laptops, tablets, computers, DVDs, Blu-rays, gadgets) to CeX for cash or CeX voucher credit, with same-day cash available for laptops, desktops, and computer parts.
• CeX Mobile App Standalone iOS and Android mobile application with 2M+ users that enables browse, purchase, trade-in, and location-based in-store services for retail consumers.
• 5-Year Warranty Service Free 5-year warranty covering all CeX products purchased in-store and online, available to retail consumers.

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration1 record

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• AurorcoreTechnology or Integration · 24 July 2026CeX partnered with Auror to roll out the firm's crime reporting platform across its 390 UK stores. The platform enables colleagues to record crime instances, identify repeat offenders, and collaborate with police on serious cases. This addresses risks specific to the secondhand retail sector including device snatches, robberies, and threats to staff. The partnership followed an incident where a prolific cross-country offender linked to £48,000 of stolen products was arrested following a theft attempt at a CeX store in Edmonton.
• AdyencoreTechnology or Integration · 1 July 2025FinTech company Adyen partnered with CeX to power payments across its Malaysian operations. Since July 2025, CeX Malaysia has been rolling out Adyen's Unified Commerce solution across its e-commerce website and 11 physical stores nationwide. The partnership enables CeX to reconcile and settle transactions across multiple payment methods including DuitNow, GrabPay, Mastercard, Visa, and JCB in a standardized format.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• MusicMagpie: UK-based second-hand electronics, media, and phone reseller operating a similar buy-sell-trade-in model with both retail and online channels. Highly comparable to CeX in product mix, geography, and target customer.
• Back Market: Global online marketplace for refurbished consumer electronics (phones, laptops, tablets, gaming consoles). Direct recommerce competitor with overlapping categories and target buyers, though pure-play online versus CeX's hybrid physical/digital model.
• GameStop: Largest gaming specialty retailer globally with a strong pre-owned games and consoles business. Directly comparable to CeX's gaming retail vertical and trade-in model for games and consoles.
• GAME: UK's leading video game retailer with a meaningful pre-owned games and consoles business and trade-in program. Direct UK peer to CeX's gaming retail operations.
• decluttr: US-headquartered (with UK operations) resale platform for tech, media (CDs, DVDs, games), and electronics. Directly comparable to CeX in product mix and trade-in/resale model.
• reBuy: Leading European recommerce platform for refurbished electronics, media, and books operating across multiple EU markets. Comparable to CeX's European operations and product categories.
• Cash Converters: UK and international second-hand retailer (pawnbroking/buy-sell) including consumer electronics, gaming, and media. Comparable to CeX's second-hand retail model though with a broader product range.
• Gazelle: US-based trade-in and resale specialist for used smartphones, tablets, and laptops. Directly comparable to CeX's trade-in and pre-owned electronics offering, though US-focused.
• Cash Generator: UK second-hand retailer buying and selling electronics, gaming, and media products through high-street stores. Comparable to CeX's second-hand retail footprint and product mix.

Broad incumbents

• Currys: UK's largest dedicated electronics and appliance retailer with a growing trade-in program. Overlaps with CeX on consumer electronics and trade-in, though Currys focuses primarily on new product sales.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/Cex

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about CeX