5 Essential Things to Know when Buying a Refurbished Phone

It’s only natural to want to have the latest gadget, one that’s fresh out of the box in all of its shiny, unused glory. However, sometimes buying a refurbished phone is not only a more sensible idea, but a more cost-effective one as well! After all, if the phone has been brought back up to the highest standards, why wouldn’t it offer the same experience as a completely new model?

Sure, you might not get the latest model on the market, but you could get the previous generation that’s just as good. You might even find the newest iteration if you find reputable resellers for a slightly lower price. With these benefits of refurbished phones in mind, the only thing left to do is to find the best deal on the market. Here are things you need to keep in mind.

Ask if the phone is unlocked

The previous owner might have been a fan of Verizon, but that doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t have the freedom to choose any operator you want. So the first thing you need to ask is whether or not the phone is tied, or rather coded, to a specific network provider. If not, great, you can move down your checklist.

If, however, the phone is locked, you have three choices. Firstly, you can skip the offer altogether. Secondly, you can make do with what you’ve got and join said operator, or thirdly, you can buy the phone and have it decoded privately. Only choose the last option if the deal is too good to pass up, and if you have a reliable programmer who can do the job without ruining the phone in the process.

Does it come with warranty?

Warranty is a big deal when it comes to smartphones, simply because they are rather delicate contraptions and they tend to break down pretty often. This can be especially true for phones that had previous owners, as you can never know how they were treated and whether or not the seller managed to refurbish the unit completely. In order to avoid the unpleasant situation in which you’re out a few hundred bucks with no working phone to justify the expense, you will need to get a manufacturer’s warranty with our purchase.

Fortunately for you, if you find a phone through a reliable company that sells refurbished phones, you are likely to get a few months’ worth of warranty with your purchase, depending on the state of the phone. This will come in handy if the phone starts acting up or if you need to replace a costly part.

Find a licensed reseller

Without a shred of doubt, the most important things to keep in mind when scouring the digital world for a refurbished phone is to always go through licensed, reputable resellers. These are companies that not only have specialized teams that handle the refurbishment process, thus offering a high level of quality, but are also accountable for everything they sell or state on their websites.

Having this type of security and peace of mind when buying premium brands such as apple refurbished phones will allow you to maximize your investment and ensure that the phone is in top condition, and most importantly, that it isn’t stolen. It’s a level of guarantee that individual, unauthorized resellers simply can’t provide, so always check their credentials before you decide, especially if the price seems too good to be true.

Inspect the ESN (Electronic Serial Number)

Another important thing to always inspect is the ESN of the device before you make a purchase. Online licensed vendors will allow you to inspect the number on their websites, giving you the ability to check the details of past ownership, how the phone was used and handled, and whether or not it has been used for illegal purposes.

If you’re talking to a private, unlicensed vendor, on the other hand, be sure to inspect the phone in person, and remove the battery to examine the phone’s electronic serial number. Contact the manufacturer to verify that this is, in fact, the phone in question and that the internal components match the external appearance of the refurbished unit.

Make sure you get the accessories as well

If the vendor is offering just the phone with none of the essential accessories you would normally get along with the new unit, move on to the next prospect on your list. The seller should sell you a phone with all of its basic accessories such as a charger and a cable. When buying rugged phones with rubber or plastic flaps that cover their ports, you should expect to receive a tool for easy opening and a small screwdriver if the phone has screws that need to be removed in order to insert the SD and SIM cards.

In conclusion

There are many benefits to buying a refurbished smartphone, the two biggest benefits being better value for money and conservation. By getting a refurbished phone, you will effectively recycle a phone and thus make a more eco-friendly decision than buying a new model. Keep these tips in mind when looking at refurbished phones in order to make the most cost-effective purchase.