What Are Refurbished Phones? Is It Safe To Buy These?

When you open your Amazon or Flipkart page, you might find a smartphone listed with a Refurbished tag in its name. If you are wondering what a refurbished phone means, this article will help you understand it better. Refurbished phones are cheaper options for old smartphones that might have some minor physical damage, or maybe the box is opened. When buying them, you may find terms like “renewed,” “pre-owned,” or “reconditioned,” on the buying page. The words are interchangeable and might mean the same most of the time. 

All these terms actually represent that you are not the original phone owner, and it had previous owners. The owner might have returned it to the store or the network carrier. The phone might not be broken as many buyers return the phone after just unboxing it because they didn’t like the phone. In other cases, the situation can be like where there is some manufacturing defect in the phone, and later it is fixed. Later the phone is then tagged as “refurbished” and sold again for a lower price tag.

Also read: Smartphone reviews

There is also a category with the name “manufacturer refurbished,” which is different from repairs that local repair shops make. This means that the manufacturer repairs the phone with original components and certifies the functioning of the device and renews the device in “like new” conditions, which the original equipment manufacturers do. This is what most people look out for and these refurbished smartphones are preferred by the buyers.

Here are some of the pricing examples of refurbished smartphones from Cashify:

Why should you go for refurbished smartphones?

Buying a refurbished smartphone also makes the environment better. Let’s see how.

When a smartphone is dismissed once it has some damage it is then thrown into landfills. But instead, if it is refurbished and sold then it has been given a chance to survive. When any smartphone with just a few scratches or dents is being dumped, it has severe adverse effects on the environment. Many smartphones do include plastic parts, and those lithium-ion batteries we all know how hard it is to destroy. So instead it’s better to sell these as refurbished phones, that can be sold in perfectly good condition at a discounted price.

Also Read: How You Can Help The Environment By Selling Your Old Phone On Cashify

What to keep in mind when buying refurbished phones?

Here are some points that you can keep in mind while buying the phones

1. Check for warranty

Many of the refurbished smartphones carry a warranty with them for a limited time. The warranty is either provided directly from the manufacturer or the reseller platform via which it is being sold. Most of the trusted resellers perform multiple tests and checks to ensure that the smartphone is in perfect working condition.

Many manufacturers resell the smartphones after being returned from the owners because of some manufacturing defects or other reasons such as logistics issues, damaged boxes, etc. The reseller then fixes the defects and puts them up for sale again. Many resellers buy these smartphones, perform a quality check on them, renew these and sell these on their online/offline stores. This is the best way to buy refurbished phones as manufacturers sell their phones and provide a limited-time warranty. 

Also Read: What To Look Out For Before Buying A Refurbished Phone

2. Always read documents

When we buy expensive gadgets, we usually go through all the details before making the final purchase; similarly, this is also important when you’re buying a refurbished phone. So reading the fine print might actually reveal hidden conditions like you can’t return the phone or you won’t receive any refund after returning the device. But that’s not the case if you buy a refurbished smartphone from Cashify. There is a six-month warranty and you can even return your smartphone in case you are not satisfied with the device.

Also Read: The Best Ways To Sell Your Old iPhone In 2020!

Best places to buy Refurbished Smartphones

Here are some of the best places to buy a refurbished smartphone from:

1. Cashify

Cashify is a top-rated platform for refurbished smartphones. The smartphones go through a thorough process of inspections and later are graded as per their condition. Cashify has 32 different checkpoints that phones have to pass through and later are given a grade from 3 different quality grades. Here are the grades:

PhonePro certified: This is the grading for phones with ‘like new” conditions. It contains phones with open-boxes and original accessories. Comparatively, they are just new phones with the box opened. 

PhonePro Refurbished Superb: These contain phones with minimal scratches. The phones are minimally used and restored by Cashify. The phones include not original but compatible accessories in the box. 

PhonePro Refurbished Good: Phones with this grade contain scratches on the body and even a few dents, but they are absolute value for money. The phones include compatible accessories. 

So, what are you waiting for? Go buy your refurbished phone at PhonePro

2. Amazon Renewed

The world’s largest online store Amazon provides a separate section to buy refurbished devices. Amazon purchases old smartphones from customers by providing them with a discount on the new device they buy. The company tests them and makes necessary repairs, so they look and work like new. And then these smartphones are sold in the renewed section. They even come with a limited period warranty by the seller or manufacturer. 

3. OLX

In case you are feeling lucky and are willing to take the risk then OLX is also a great place to buy used and refurbished smartphones. But if you choose this platform then it is advisable to be extra careful. Here are a few points to keep in mind:

• Contact the seller through the in-built chat feature only.
• Check the seller profile thoroughly and you can even search the social media to know whether the person selling is authentic or not.
• Buy smartphones if the seller has an authentic bill of purchase.
• Inspect the phone in visible daylight for damages and ensure the battery is in good condition.

Also Read: Dummy’s Guide To Buy A Refurbished Phone – All You Wanted To Know

Click here if you’re looking to sell phone online, or want to recycle old phone, and Cashify will help you get the process completed right at your doorstep.