Refurbished smartphones: is the game worth the candle?

The practice of selling refurbished devices is actively established in Western markets and Chinese online stores. In our area, Refurbished smartphones are not only rare, but not often.

What it is?

The term Refurbished is used for vehicles that have been restored to factory condition. This includes goods that, for a number of reasons, returned to the manufacturer after the sale. In their native land, devices are carefully inspected, a possible marriage is eliminated in them, the slightest traces of use are eliminated, and smart phones “dressed up with a needle” are returned to store shelves.

What items turn into Refurbished?

There is an opinion that they are sent for restoration entirely "usatany" devices: drowned people, victims of falls and all sorts of adversities. Of course, there is a certain percentage of such gadgets, but in reality everything is much more prosaic. Goods are prepared for shipment to the manufacturer in such cases :

if a defect is found;
due to shipping damage;
if the smartphone was returned during the warranty period;
when the product was displayed as a display model in a shop window;
when recalling a batch to eliminate a mass defect or update.

By no means all smartphones that have received the Refurbished status are “broken”.

What can I say, the status of restored is assigned even to those devices that are not fully equipped or simply did not fit the user in color. The returned gadget (within 14 days after purchase) cannot be sold as new and becomes Refurbished.

Useful observation. Mobile phones for sale that have been out of production for a long time are almost guaranteed to be refurbished.

And here we come to the main item on the agenda - the question "Who was involved in the restoration of the apparatus?".

The most popular smartphones on the market

Recovery recovery strife

There are two main types of mobile phone recovery:

Manufacturing Refurbished - when the device is returned to the manufacturing company;
Seller Refurbished - smartphones restored by the seller.

Inspection of the "return" phone to identify breakdowns and defects.

Models of the first kind are comparable in reliability to completely new devices, in addition, they are fully tested to avoid the recurrence of a possible marriage. Such smartphones are packed in original boxes and equipped with "native" accessories. Moreover, they are covered by a warranty similar to new products. For factory refurbished devices, the designations Reconditioned, Factory-Serviced, and Certified Pre-owned are acceptable.

Interesting fact. When restoring smartphones, most electronics manufacturers replace the battery in them, even if there are no special problems with it. Therefore, when buying a Refurbished device, you can count on a fresh battery that will last faithfully for a long time.

In the case of sellers, one can only guess about the work done - a smartphone can be brought into proper shape both in a service center or a factory in the vastness of the Celestial Empire, and by craftsmen right on the radio market. Resources and opportunities for high-quality restoration of the manufacturer and the seller are enormously different, and not in favor of the latter. Actually, all the bad reviews about “refs” appear just because of unscrupulous sellers who put poorly restored devices or used equipment on store shelves under the guise of Refurbished.

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So is it worth trusting refurbished equipment?

Having found a tasty offer that is impossible to refuse, carefully weigh the pros and cons, and also study the ins and outs of a particular instance of the Refurbished genus. Together with a factory restored smartphone, the risk of being left with a nose is reduced significantly. True, its past will still remain dark - it is not known whether the previous owner of the model handed it over due to a scratch on the case, or whether the gadget was properly applied to the asphalt (hidden defects from falls may suddenly appear after many months of stable operation of the device).

Another interesting fact. A large share of the Refurbished smartphone market is occupied by “apple” products, because during the period of the official guarantee, the failed old “tube” is changed to a new iPhone without any questions. The defective device is sent to the factory, where it is equipped with a new case, battery and accessories, and then, in full dress, the model is returned to sale with a markdown.

There is no need to be afraid of Seller Refurbished smartphones either, especially if they are big sellers with good ratings and positive reviews on forums and various sites. Often they are conscientious about the restoration procedure and sell devices of good quality. But it is not recommended to get involved with small fry, otherwise the long-awaited smartphone in the blink of an eye can turn into a “pumpkin”, and the money spent on it will sink into oblivion. Remember the main thing - with a careful approach to choosing a seller, most possible troubles are minimized.

Poorly restored smartphones at one point can turn into a "brick".

Many domestic stores will find out who was responsible for restoring smartphones after receiving the Refurbished batch. Do not hesitate to find out this important nuance from the seller. There are no miracles - a reduced price always says something. Nevertheless, there is always a demand for such products - when choosing between used devices and refurbished equipment, the latter looks preferable.

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