REFURBISHED VS. PRE-OWNED PHONE – Which is better in 2020

Refurbished vs. pre-owned phone, whether you are looking to buy iPhone or an Android, which can be the best bet. The latest iPhone 12 Pro can cost around £999, and it is without including taxes, fees, and protection plans, while the latest Android phone like the Samsung and Sony can cost around £699. It is no wonder many of us look for low-cost alternatives.

Smartphones have been ingrained into our daily lives. We use them for work and entertainment. They are not phones anymore; they are cameras, computers, gaming devices, calendars, and portable televisions.

Every year, new technology is released to top it off, and we are in the market to upgrade our devices. However, the cost of upgrading is high, especially when one needs to buy multiple phones for the family.

However, many of you might not be aware of the difference between Refurbished vs. Pre-owned phone

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Difference between Refurbished Vs. Pre-Owned Phone

When you spend time online searching for affordable alternatives, you will stumble upon two kinds of used phones, that is, refurbished and pre-owned phones 

Refurbished Phones

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Image by caroline king from Pixabay

Refurbished phones are returned phones by the user. Most of them have damages, faults, or defects. The manufacturer inspects and repairs them to new. Repaired damage could be replacing a broken screen or saving the phone from severe water damage.

The refurbished phones undergo a thorough inspection and diagnosis, ensuring they are fully functional and clean of malware, defects, or remaining data from the previous user and repacked for sale. Additionally, a warranty is included as well. The warranty is not a comprehensive one for the new phone, but it gives peace of mind should anything go wrong. However, it is essential to check the terms of the warranty as it might differ between retailers.

Some retailers take advantage of the term refurbished, as it gives the feeling there is a manufacturer’s seal of approval. That creates a belief that the manufacturer has authorized them to say it is new or works better.

Each retailer has its standards regarding the quality and scope of work. When looking to buy a refurbished phone, please read the fine print to understand their definition.

Pre-Owned Phones

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Image by fancycrave1 from Pixabay

Pre-owned phones are not factory repaired; most likely, they were never broken or faulty. The main difference between refurbished vs. pre-owned phone is that the pre-owned phones have all the original parts intact. However, it is vital to keep in mind that these phones may have some wear and tear. Another difference between the two is that pre-owned phones carry more discounts. 

However, when looking to buy a pre-owned phone, it is advised to look at the source. It is risky to buy a pre-owned phone from peer-to-peer marketplaces. You are buying from an individual where the phones are without guarantee. They do not undergo functionality testing. It would help if you also were careful as the phone may look right but could have software modifications that void the manufacturer warranty.

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Photo by cottonbro from Pexels

When buying on a peer-to-peer marketplace, it is best to confirm that the owner has paid off the phone in full and not stolen. If they provide you with an IMEI number, it is excellent as many sites let you check if a phone is on a blacklist.

An alternative to peer-to-peer marketplaces is direct used phone sellers. Many websites sell phones sourced from manufacturers and retailers who sell phones their customers’ trade-in when they upgrade. These phones can also be ones that customers purchased, opened the box, and returned to their carrier or retailer as they did not like it.

These phones go through complete diagnostic tests to ensure they are fully functional and undergo extensive quality inspections, and they are positioned to consumers as fair, good, and excellent. These phones are termed as certified pre-owned.

Purchasing a pre-owned phone can save you the most money, as long as you know what to look for. So, you must buy from a trusted source.

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Factors to Consider When Buying Refurbished Vs. Pre-Owned Phone

As mentioned above, the only aspect that refurbished and pre-owned phones have in common is that they have both been used. Here are remarkable factors that you should keep in mind when looking to buy one.

The Warranty

One of the crucial factors to verify before you buy either a refurbished or a pre-owned phone is to look for the warranty offered by the retailer.

It is essential to check the warranty’s length and terms as it will differ from retailer to retailer.

Your Budget

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Photo by Karolina Grabowska from Pexels

When you determine that you need to buy refurbished mobile phones, you’re not doing this just because you want to. You are doing this because new phones are expensive and most of us cannot afford to buy a new one every year. 

Nevertheless, no matter how much you want to buy your refurbished or pre-owned phone, you need to consider the price. Buying a refurbished phone tends to be more expensive than buying a pre-owned phone, and the main reason is that a refurbished phone undergoes a comprehensive check and restores to factory standards. In contrast, no diagnostic tests are run on the pre-owned phone to confirm they are fully functional.

We conclude that buying a refurbished phone is a better choice with the factors mentioned above since it is tested for functionality and comes with a warranty.

Also Read: Things to Consider and Check Before Buying a Used iPhone in 2020

Featured image by Dariusz Sankowski from Pixabay

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