The Ultimate Guide to Buying a Refurbished Phone

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June 08,2022

The Ultimate Guide to Buying a Refurbished Phone

by Ishaan Seth June 08, 2022
Smartphones are gaining more and more ground with each passing day. Millions of people around the world cannot go about their everyday lives without their smartphones which makes this once luxury gadget an absolute necessity.
With each different smartphone, the user gets a different set of special features and capability limitations as to what the phone can do. Also, with each smartphone release, there is a new price increase. This creates a new limitation for the user pertaining to the price and budget issues.

Luckily, the refurbished phone online market is here to solve that issue. This part of the smartphone market also solves a huge environmental problem as it presents like-new handsets that reduced the amount of E-waste and didn’t cause much environmental damage like the new phone manufacturing process does to the planet.
In this post, we’re providing the ultimate guide to buying a refurbished smartphone including how to choose the handset, how to choose the seller, and how to choose the perfect refurbished deal for your budget!

All You Need to Know About Refurbished Phones

There are two main types of refurbished handsets that you can find online. Those categories are manufacturer refurbished mobile phones and phones that are refurbished by specialized refurbishment centers.
  • Manufacturers refurbished smartphones are essentially not used and only unboxed phones that a customer has already purchased and returned after only unboxing or slightly using the device. The manufacturer then tests the phone and repairs it if it needs any repairs before listing it again for sale as refurbished or renewed.
  • Third-party refurbished phones are devices that the refurbishment center buys from the previous owner and then renews the phone with brand-new parts to return it to its pristine condition.
The difference between these two categories is going to mostly be in the price area as the manufacturer's refurbished phones are more expensive. Since the idea behind buying a refurbished phone online is to cut cost and get the device for less, buying the device from a specialized refurbishment center makes more sense!

The Ultimate Guide to Buying a Refurbished Phone

How To Choose a Refurbished Mobile Phone Seller?

When you choose a retailer to buy a refurbished phone from, you’re deciding how your entire experience with the phone as the vendor controls not only the quality and condition of the handset itself but also the warranty and technical support quality.
So, there are 4 main aspects that you can judge a second-hand phone seller on which are the phones, condition, the phone’s accessories, the return policy, and technical support being offered. So, what should you look for in a refurbished phone online seller?

Pick the Right Second-Hand Mobile Condition

Once you go online to shop for refurbished phones, you will be overwhelmed, not only by the choices, but by the different conditions that you can find as well. If you don’t have previous knowledge of used phones conditions, this step can be confusing. So, read this section carefully.

Grade-A / Pristine Refurbished phones

These are phones that are renewed to perfection. See, grade-A used smartphones are barely used, just previously unboxed phones, or used phones that a professional refurbishment center has replaced all used and worn parts with brand-new ones. So, you can expect pristine refurbished phones to both look and function as good as new phones.
You can find these phones also listed under “Excellent Condition” on some websites.

Grade-B Used Phones

These phones are what you may find online as a “Good Condition” used second Hand phones. These phones look used and have mild marks of being used such as scratches on the back and a less than perfect battery life. In other words, when you look at this phone, you’ll know that it’s used. You’ll also notice that the phone is used as the battery power drains much faster than pristine and new phones.
If you’re limited by a tight budget, grade-B used phones can come in handy. However, it’s always better to buy a pristine phone as it also comes with a better warranty policy and technical support capabilities.

Can You Get Free Accessories with a Used Phone Purchase?

Most second-hand phone buyers don’t consider the possibility of getting phone accessories when they buy the handset. The reason for this is that most people think that accessories are also going to be used which represents a health hazard especially when it comes to earphones.
In reality, most second-hand phone retailers don’t offer many accessories. In most cases, you will get no accessories or only a USB charging cable with a used smartphone. However, a few retailers, like QwikFone, offer a full set of brand-new accessories with each smartphone deal. The accessories are all free and don’t cost extra.

Return Policy: Read the Fine Print!

With a used electronics purchase, comes a high risk of paying money, no matter how much, and getting a defective or a broken device. This is why a return policy is of utmost importance when you choose the used mobile deal and retailer.
You want to thoroughly read the seller’s return policy before you place an order. What you’re looking for are 2 main points: a lengthy return period and a full refund guarantee. This way, you can guarantee a 100% safe and risk-free purchase online.
At QwikFone, we offer a 30-day return policy with a full refund guaranteed!

Warranty & Technical Support

The final criteria is probably the most important considering that you are buying a refurbished phone whether it is an Android second hand Samsung phone or a refurbished iPhone. Even with brand-new and pristine phones, technical support has to cover any issues that may come up in the phone’s functionality while you’re using it.
A good warranty policy should last for at least 6 months or, even better, 1 year. The seller should have a good and reliable repair center that can help you with any problem from software issues to the larger problems that require the replacement of a certain part of the phone. The warranty should cover free repairs for all of these problems including the spare parts if your phone requires one or more.

Can You Get Free Accessories with a Used Phone Purchase?

Most second-hand phone buyers don’t consider the possibility of getting phone accessories when they buy the handset. The reason for this is that most people think that accessories are also going to be used which represents a health hazard especially when it comes to earphones.
In reality, most second-hand phone retailers don’t offer many accessories. In most cases, you will get no accessories or only a USB charging cable with a used smartphone. However, a few retailers, like QwikFone, offer a full set of brand-new accessories with each smartphone deal. The accessories are all free and don’t cost extra.

How to Research a Refurbished Phone Seller?

Back to the retailer or the shop from which you will buy the refurbished phone online, you must ensure that this retailer is trustworthy and that the promises that the seller makes are going to be met. The best way to ensure that is by checking previous customers of that retailer and seeing what they think, which should be voiced in their reviews of the product and the seller’s services after the purchase alike.
These reviews can be found on the retailer’s own website or general review platforms such as Trustpilot which contain customers’ reviews of many different vendors. This will also allow you the chance to compare different sellers and find out what customers think of them all at the same place.

Conclusion

Refurbished iPhones and second-hand Android phones are a perfect option that allows you to get flagship phones at the price of a mid-range device. With this guide, you’re going to be able to find the right place to buy a refurbished handset, choose the perfect deal, and benefit from the most value!