How Back Market referrals work (UK)

Last updated: 24 March 2026

How the Back Market referral programme works

Back Market runs a two-sided referral scheme. As the referrer, you share a personal code with friends who have never used Back Market before. When a friend enters your code at checkout and completes an order of £100 or more, two things happen: they get £10 off that order, and you earn £20 in store credit 30 days later.

The 30-day delay exists because Back Market waits until the return window closes before issuing your credit. As a result, if your friend returns the device within 30 days, you will not receive the credit. This is standard practice across most Back Market referral UK programmes and prevents abuse of the system.

For the official terms, Back Market explains the programme in their UK Help Centre referral page.

How to find and share your referral code

Getting started takes under a minute. Here is how to find your personal code and share it:

1. Log in to your Back Market account.
2. Go to the "Refer a friend" tab in your account menu.
3. Your personal referral code will be displayed on screen.
4. Use the built-in share option to send it via email, text or social media.
5. Once your friend completes their order, your £20 credit appears after 30 days.

You need to have made at least one purchase on Back Market before you can join the referral programme. If you have not bought anything yet, place your first order and your code will become available afterwards.

How store credit works

Understanding how credit accumulates and converts is important, because it works differently from a simple cashback scheme.

Credit stacks up. Every successful referral adds £20 to your credit balance. If you refer three friends over a few months, you will have £60 sitting in your account. There is no stated cap on how much credit you can accumulate.

Converting credit to a promo code. When you are ready to spend your credit, you generate a promo code for the amount currently in your account. This code can then be applied at checkout on your next order. However, once you convert credit into a promo code, you cannot put the money back into your account as credit. It is a one-way conversion, so only do it when you are ready to buy.

Promo code expiry. Once generated, your promo code is valid for 1 year. If you do not use it within that window, the credit is lost.

Credit is not cash. Store credit cannot be withdrawn as money or transferred to another person. It can only be spent on Back Market.

Referral rules and limits

A few restrictions apply to the Back Market referral UK programme. Knowing these upfront saves frustration:

3 uses per month: your referral code can only be redeemed by 3 different friends per calendar month. It resets at the start of the following month.

New customers only: the code only works for people who have never placed a Back Market order before.

One code per order: your friend cannot stack your referral code with a student discount or another promo code. Only one code per transaction.

Minimum spend: your friend's order must be at least £100 before the discount for the referral to count.

Personal and non-transferable: your code and any store credit earned are tied to your account and cannot be transferred to someone else.

Tips for getting the most from your referrals

The programme is simple, but a few things can help you maximise your earnings:

Time it around big purchases. Friends are most likely to use a referral code when they are already planning to buy a phone, laptop or tablet. Share your code when someone mentions upgrading rather than sending it out of the blue.

Explain the grades. A lot of first-time buyers hesitate because they do not understand what "Good" or "Fair" means. Point them to our Back Market UK guide which breaks down the grading system clearly. Removing that uncertainty makes them more likely to follow through.

Stack your credit before converting. Since converting credit to a promo code is irreversible, it makes sense to let your balance build up until you are ready for a purchase. A £60 or £80 code is far more useful than three separate £20 codes.

Keep an eye on the monthly cap. If you have a large circle of friends interested in refurbished tech, remember the 3-per-month limit. Spread your sharing across months if needed.

What happens if a referred order is cancelled

If your friend's order is cancelled by the seller, Back Market can reactivate the referral discount for your friend via the Orders page. However, you will not receive the £20 credit for that referral since the order did not complete. If your friend reorders using the reactivated code and that order goes through, the referral should then count normally.

Back Market referral UK: FAQs

Do I need to have bought something before I can refer friends?

Yes. Back Market requires at least one completed purchase before your referral code becomes available in your account.

Is there a limit to how much credit I can earn?

There is no stated maximum balance. However, your code can only be used 3 times per month, so your earning rate is capped at £60 per month in practice.

Can I use my credit on anything?

Yes, once converted into a promo code it can be applied to any eligible order on Back Market. It does not include shipping fees or insurance add-ons.

What if my friend returns their device?

If your friend returns the device within the 30-day window, the referral does not count and you will not receive the £20 credit.

Can I combine store credit with a student discount?

No. Only one promo code can be applied per order, so you would need to choose whichever saves you more on that particular purchase.

How long does the £20 credit take to arrive?

30 days after your friend's order is completed. This delay allows for the return window to close first.

Disclaimer: Referral terms can change or be withdrawn by Back Market at any time. This page may include referral links which earn us a commission at no extra cost to you. Always check the latest terms on Back Market's website before relying on any offer.

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