These days, high-end smartphones can be extremely expensive and with brand new models being released almost yearly, it’s impossible to get a phone without parting with a great deal of your savings. Or is it?
Due to the sheer price of modern day smartphones, it’s not surprising that more and more people by the day are turning to second-hand, refurbished phones. However, for certain consumers, the term ‘refurbished phone’ always comes with some stigma. Usually because they don’t know exactly what the term means or what condition their phone will arrive in.
In this article, our expert technicians at Repair My Phone Screen have put together a guide to shed some light on the refurbished phone. They’re going to explain exactly what a refurbished phone is and bust some of the commonly associated myths. So, if you’re looking to save a significant amount of money on a refurbished phone, here’s all the information you will need.
What is a Refurbished Phone?
When talking about second hand phones, it’s important to highlight the fact that there are two types out there. The first is the sort of phone you would buy from an individual or small private dealer. Despite the savings you could make, the risks of buying this kind of phone far outweigh the reduced price. This phone could easily be stolen or could simply just stop working, leaving you with no device and nothing that you can do.
The other type of second-hand phone is the refurbished phone. A refurbished phone is one that has been purchased previously and then returned to the maker or retailer. In some cases, there may have been nothing wrong with the phone and the buyer simply changed their mind within the 30-day cooling-off period. Most of the time however, it has been returned because of a small hardware or software problem. In that case, the phone will be fixed and sold as a ‘refurbished item’.
Although a refurbished phone is not technically a new phone anymore, it should work just like one. Before being put on sale, all refurbished phones are thoroughly checked and tested by specialists to ensure that they’re in full working condition.
Myths about Refurbished Mobile Phones
Due to the lack of understanding about what a refurbished phone actually is, there is a lot of confusion out there that tends to put people off. Our technicians want to dispel some of those myths.
Myth 1: A refurbished phone is the same as a used phone
Reality: If a phone is described as ‘used’ then the condition of the phone can be hard to define; however, you should be very cautious. Used phones are commonly sold by private sellers on auction sites and the phone could have anything from a few scratches to being badly damaged. There’s also a risk the phone could be stolen.
If a phone is described as refurbished then it’ll be sold by an established network, retailer or trader and will have been tested, cleaned and wiped. Some sellers will even update the phone with the latest software. It should also be covered by a warranty to give the buyer complete peace of mind.
Myth 2: You never really know what you’re buying
Reality: Every refurbished phone goes through a stringent testing and cleaning process with any repairs made as necessary. However, all refurbished phones are also given a grade from A-D that reflects their condition to give buyers an excellent idea of what they’re getting.
Those grades break down like this:
- Grade A – Grade ‘A’ refurbished phones are as close to new as it gets. This could be a phone that has been returned during the 30-day cooling-off period or one that has only very minor signs of wear.
- Grade B – This grade of refurbished phone may have the odd scratch but nothing more.
- Grade C – Refurbished phones that are graded ‘C’ will have a number of blemishes and look like they’ve been used.
- Grade D – A grade ‘D’ refurbished phone is likely to be broken in some way and will be well used. Most retailers don’t sell grade ‘D’ phones although you may find them on eBay.
Some networks use their own grading system such as O2’s ‘Perfect’, ‘Almost Perfect‘ and ‘Perfectly Fine’. There will be guides explaining each grading system on the relevant site.
Myth 3: Refurbished phones are often fake
Reality: Smartphones are one of the easiest items to sell online. Scammers have caught onto this fact and often buy fake smartphones to sell on sites like eBay or Gumtree. If you want to be sure that a refurbished phone is not a fake then you should always buy from a reputable seller. Even phones that look genuine and come complete with the box, manual and accessories can still be fake. For that reason, buying from private individuals is not advised.
Myth 4: They’re not even that cheap
Reality: In an ideal world you’d probably want to get a brand new smartphone, but many people are not willing to spend up to £1,000 for the latest phone, while others prefer not to have a contract phone. Opting for a refurbished phone can reduce the cost by 20-40 percent. That is a significant saving when you consider the phone could be as good as new.
Myth 5: They usually have a poor battery life
Reality: In a recent comparison of new phones vs. refurbished phones, it was found that the batteries of the refurbished phones had just as much zip as the new phones. At Repair My Phone Screen, we offer an optional battery replacement, and rather than using cheaper, third-party batteries, we’ll always use the best parts.
What if I bought a used phone and it doesn’t work?
If you have bought a used phone from an individual or private seller and found that the phone doesn’t work or doesn’t function as expected. Don’t panic! Book a repair online and send your phone into us through our express mail service and we will fix your device and post it back to you on the same day!
If you have any questions about refurbished phones and wish for any further advice on the subject. Contact us today and we will ask one of our expert technicians to reply to you, giving you the best advice we can!
