Refurbished equipment: how to save money and not be disappointed in the purchase

What does "reconditioned equipment" mean?

Refurbished, or Refurbished, are goods that have been returned to the manufacturer after being sold. This status is obtained in several cases:

Refunds after purchase for any reason, including defects.
Return within the warranty period.
Using the device as a demo model in a store.
Refund after shipping damage.
Batch recall due to mass defect.
Recalling products for updating.

The manufacturer diagnoses the device, eliminates the shortcomings, if any, and sends the goods back to the market with a good discount - from 15 to 40%. However, not only manufacturers (Manufacturer Refurbishment), but also sellers (Seller Refurbishment) are engaged in the sale of refurbished equipment. They have different approaches to work, and this should be taken into account when buying.

The manufacturer has much more resources and opportunities to restore equipment. The device undergoes diagnostics, after which the specialists fix the malfunction and check the gadget again.

The reconditioned equipment is checked even better than the new one, because there was already a defect in it and a large manufacturer will definitely not want to repeat the mistake.

The seller, at best, contacts the service center, after which he puts the device up for sale again. Therefore, before buying, it is imperative to clarify who carried out the restoration procedure.

Where to buy

Refurbished devices are sold in most online stores, including Amazon, eBay, and AliExpress. But here there is a high probability of stumbling upon a recovery from the seller and a short warranty period. To be sure that the equipment was restored according to all the rules and thoroughly checked, buy it on the manufacturer's website, for example: Apple, Canon, Dell, Epson, Nikon, Nintendo.

Carefully study why the device was included in the list of refurbished and is being sold at a discount. For example, Dell appliances are divided into three parts:

new - canceled and returned orders;
certified refurbished - restored and tested by the technical control department at the factory;
scratch and dent - there are cosmetic defects.

The size of the discount depends on the status. You just have to decide if you are ready to put up with any cosmetic flaws or if you want a device that has been completely remanufactured, but costs a little more.

What you can take after the update, and what you shouldn't

Can be purchased after restoration:

smartphones,
tablets,
laptops.

If the equipment has been restored by the manufacturer and is covered by a long warranty, then the risk of getting a defective device is even lower than when buying a new gadget. If the seller carried out the restoration, then the chances are also great that a high-quality repair was carried out - for these devices it is not difficult to find components.

Buy with caution after recovery:

photographic equipment,
TVs,
gaming consoles,
printers, scanners and other office equipment.

If the restoration was carried out by a manufacturer who gives a guarantee for the device, then there should be no problems: the company has components and all the tools for a high-quality repair. With sellers, the situation is more complicated: for the same TVs, it is difficult to get parts due to the large number of different models and serious market control by manufacturers.

Some devices are cheaper to dispose of than to restore, such as routers. At the same time, most of the routers are returned due to user errors, and not breakdowns and factory defects. However, the cost of routers is such that it is much more convenient to buy a new device with all the guarantees from the manufacturer.