TOP 10 THINGS TO LOOK FOR WHEN BUYING A REFURBISHED PHONE

Author: Simone M   Date Posted:20 January 2019 

 

The past year saw lots of amazing phones getting released, with that a significant upward shift in the starting prices of the devices. No wonder why people are comforting and soothing their wallets after seeing prices of the iPhone XS Max almost hitting the 2,500 dollar mark (RRP AUD$2,369).

Deloitte reported that 10 to 14 percent of Australian consumers are choosing to either sell or trade in their used phones; to subsidise the purchase of a new phone. When it comes time for you to upgrade your phone and the most popular phones are selling for nearly 2 thousand dollars many people are looking to refurbished devices.

Like the car industry, those that still want to drive a luxury car would be happy to wait a year or two to buy the older model. The same goes for mobile devices. Here at Certified Tech Direct, we have come up with some points you should think about when buying a refurbished device.

 

NB: All the information below applies to all mobile device manufacturers including Apple, Samsung, HTC, Sony, LG, Google, Huawei, Nokia, Oppo, ZTE including others.

 

PRICE OF A REFURBISHED PHONE (COMPARED TO A NEW ONE)

The price of a refurbished phone is reflective of the level of usage. What they all have in common is that they have all been used in some way. The best deals for refurbished phones are models that were launched 1-5 years ago. The market value of the phones drops in that time due to newer models on the market.

Most recent models don’t usually have a great discount in price. The price advantage really takes in effect when you go for the slightly older models, in this case, the phone is recently refurbished and tested and heavily discounted.

 

REPAIR, REPLACEMENT WARRANTY

Be sure to take the time to have a look at the device repair/replacement warranty. Unfortunately, there are stores out there that don’t include any warranties, make sure you know how well you are covered before you buy your device.

 

RETURN POLICY

Read and understand the return policy, there are many reasons why the devices have been given a new life, it may have been used as an in-store demo model, the device owner has decided that they don’t want it after opening and returning it within the free returns window.

Ensure you choose a supplier that sources high quality devices undergoing a rigorous inspection process. All devices that are certified refurbished must undergo an inspection process, the thoroughness of the inspection process varies from supplier to supplier.

At Certified Tech Direct all devices undergo our industry leading 72 step inspection process and are supported by a 30 Day Customer Satisfaction Guarantee should you be unhappy with the device you received.

 

SATISFACTION GUARANTEE

It is peace of mind, knowing the device you buy is covered with a satisfaction guarantee. Often it is one of the things you don’t really think about until you need it. The range of satisfaction guarantee periods are quite extensive – a nil or short period, 30-days or even 90-days. Having a customer satisfaction guarantee such as 30 days for refurbished devices gives assurance should anything happen during that time.

Having reservations about purchasing a refurbished device is very common, if anything is defective with the device or if the device simply didn’t meet your expectations, a 30-day satisfaction guarantee gives you a reasonable time frame to ensure you are completely happy with your purchase.

 

BUY FROM A REPUTABLE STORE

There are many stores out there that can provide a refurbished device, do your research on the company, ensure that they are reputable, give precedence to companies that have a higher feedback rating on customer feedback forums.

 

TYPES OF PRE-OWNED CONDITIONS

All devices undergo testing and grading according to their usage and condition and are graded according to their cosmetic quality. Depending on the scratches and abrasions, the device grading will determine your willingness to tolerate the level of usage.

It is definitely worth noting, the lower levels of grading is correlated with the lower price of the device, majority of consumers cover their device with a case, indicating you might not even notice the cosmetic flaw/s with every day use. If you are after a premium device and high quality your best option is excellent/pristine grade, alternatively you can go for the best value options and cover the device with a case.

Remember: both premium grade and lower grade go through the same inspection process, and function exactly the same (unless specified).

 

REFURBISHMENT PROCESS

All devices that are sold as refurbished must go through a formal refurbishment process. Varying tests are done on the device to see if anything is underperforming. Once the hardware and software have been completely wiped of any previous data; then extensively inspected for quality assurance; the device is installed with an updated operating system; you are given a phone that operates in exactly the same standard of a new device with the original factory settings.

 

THE CERTIFIED TECH DIRECT TESTING PROCESS:

72 step testing process

 

LOCKED VS UNLOCKED

Some phones are sold as locked which means that they are compatible with only one mobile network provider (e.g. a phone that was used with a Telstra network can only be used with a Telstra SIM card).

Unlocked devices can be used on any mobile GSM network, so there are no limitations on what network carrier is used (a Telstra network phone is unlocked and can be used on a Vodafone network). It is better to buy an unlocked phone, it gives you the flexibility to go with any carrier network.

 

FAKE PHONES – YES THEY ARE OUT THERE!

Devices that are simply replicas of their original models can be quite hard to depict to the untrained eye. But you can outsmart the fake makers. Look at the IMEI numbers and model numbers having not resemblance to the actual numbers are red flags. Check the settings menu to find out the numbers match on the sticker behind the back of the phone and the battery.

 

HOUSEKEEPING

If you buy a locked or unlocked phone make sure you get a great deal on your Sim only plan.

When the time comes for you to buy a device - new or refurbished, you will get to know the refurbished market and identify key things that will help you to decide what to look out for rather than going with what you feel is right.

 

View our amazing range of products at Certified Tech Direct to get a device that meets all of the points discussed in this post.

 

 


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