Second Life Empire: asgoodasnew Quietly Built a Circular Commerce Giant

In 2008, Dirk Mühlbach launched what looked like a niche refurbishing business from Frankfurt (Oder), Germany. The idea? Simple: take used electronics, restore them to pristine condition, and resell them—“as good as new.” But what started as a clever play on words became the foundation of one of Europe’s largest circular economy champions.

Early on, asgoodasnew tackled a massive pain point in consumer tech: depreciation. Most smartphones lose 20–30% of value the moment they're unboxed. Mühlbach saw gold in the gap between “used” and “trustworthy.” His insight was to treat refurbishment like industrial-scale surgery—controlled, certified, and obsessively quality-driven.

The company built proprietary logistics and repair systems, a branded e-commerce site, and a network of marketplaces like Amazon and eBay. It differentiated by offering a 30-month warranty—turning skeptical consumers into loyalists. As Apple and Samsung phones became ever more expensive, asgoodasnew's pitch grew stronger: get a top-tier phone for 30% less, risk-free.

By the late 2010s, private equity firm Afinum backed the company, betting big on Europe's shift to sustainable consumption. Growth accelerated. Today, asgoodasnew isn’t just reselling phones—it’s part of the broader movement redefining ownership, sustainability, and tech affordability.

The kicker? In a market dominated by platform giants and fast obsolescence, asgoodasnew turned trust and circularity into its moat. Not flashy, not loud—but profitable, defensible, and growing.