Top Tips For Spotting High-Quality Refurbished Tech
Have you recently been online needing to buy a smartphone or other mobile device, only to find that there is a new section on the websites that you currently use?.
There has been an increase in recent years of companies offering refurbished bits of technology, from smartphones to tablets, to laptops. Of course, you may have heard somewhere along the way of a friend or family member who has purchased a refurbished piece of technology, only to find later on that it didn’t work as well as a brand new piece.
This, however, should not be the case, and while there is a market for people to make quick money with refurbished tech, there are some things you can do to ensure that the people you buy from are genuine and that the technology is of high quality. So here are some top tips to help you.
Trustworthy Sellers
It can be hard to identify a trustworthy seller in an online marketplace or in real life, as many people will simply build up their credibility with fake reviews. So, if you are looking for a refurbished iPhone 13, or an Amazon Fire, you will need to look for sellers that have genuine positive reviews and also have established reputations. Genuine sellers should seek to offer you warranties or return policies for any goods that are purchased. This will help you to feel confident that any refurbished product you get from them has undertaken the correct testing/repairs and is up to standard.
You will also find that genuine sellers simply know what they are talking about. They can explain to you the specs of whatever they are selling, using terms in the leading IT glossary and definitions that actually make sense, and you will just generally get a feeling from them that they know what they’re saying. It’s always important to look out for such a person when you are buying any tech.
Product Descriptions
When you are buying a product online or in a store, be sure to carefully look at the product description that the seller has provided. There should be information about the refurbishment process, as well as the components that have been replaced and the device itself. If this information is not visible, be sure to ask. A reputable seller who sells high-quality refurbished tech will have no issue breaking this down for you.
The Warranty
As mentioned before, most refurbished products that come from a quality seller will come with a warranty and/or a guarantee. This is crucial, as it showcases the sellers’ confidence in the product that they have refurbished and also allows you a way to get in contact with them if there is an issue. Much like new pieces of kit, refurbished tech that is of higher quality will have a longer warranty.
Testing
As stated earlier, sellers who are genuine about what they do will conduct rigorous testing of any device that they are refurbishing.
This, however, can be harder to spot, so look on their sites or in their stores for information about the diagnostic tests that they have run, especially with computers, which will need extensive hardware and software assessments before going on sale.
If you come across a seller who doesn’t display this information and is seemingly eager to push a sale, move on. Chances are that they haven’t really refurbished the product and have done the minimum to get the device to appear as though it works. If you aren’t sure, ask to see the device in action.
