Many, but not all, companies thoroughly clean refurbished products before reselling them. I think it’s natural to have that reaction, considering how intimately you would use a product like that. Some staffers at The Verge make a sour face at the idea of using refurbished headphones, especially in-ear headphones. Photo by Becca Farsace / The Verge Is there anything that I shouldn’t buy refurbished? Some people might feel iffy about buying refurbished earphones or other tech products you use in or on your ears. Generally, it’s safe to assume that an open-box product will in good condition, though it never hurts to ask for clarification or seek the info somewhere on the webpage. In other words, it didn’t need to be refurbished because the assumption is that it either wasn’t used at all or was only used once and then repackaged. Sometimes products will be listed as “open-box.” This term can mean something different depending on the retailer, but most use it to mean that the product was opened by a customer who bought it, then it was returned to the store in its original box with all of its accessories. You’ll just have to decide what you’re willing to settle for. In fact, you can often use this info to your advantage to save some money, as resellers may sometimes lower the cost if the product isn’t in perfect condition. That’s alright, so long as you know in advance of buying it. Sometimes, the product might be visibly damaged, come in a different box, or only have a six-month warranty. The answers to those questions aren’t necessarily obvious.
But there are also many companies that exist solely to refurbish products, and they can do a good job, too. The manufacturer is likely to have higher standards for refreshing and repackaging the product, and - crucially - should have access to authentic materials and components. In general, if you purchase a refurbished product from its original manufacturer, it’s far less of a gamble than buying from a third-party retailer. Photo by James Bareham / The Verge What to look for when you want to buy refurbished None of this is fail-proof, but it will make the process a lot safer - and you can end up with some great devices at lower prices. Below, we’ve laid out some tips that you can follow when buying refurbished tech as well as links to trustworthy retailers. However, it’s possible to both save money and not get swindled when buying refurbished products. It’s easy to see why a lot of people might prefer to just pay more for something new. Did the original manufacturer refurbish the product, or was it done by a third-party company? Was the product restored to a like-new state, or will it look visibly used when you receive it? Was it professionally cleaned and sanitized, and does it come with new accessories? Does it have a warranty, and who will be accountable if it breaks? Still, buying refurbished brings up a lot of questions. In 2019, New York City filed a lawsuit against T-Mobile alleging that it had deceived buyers by selling used phones to customers who had paid for new ones. The definition of what makes for a refurbished product varies depending on the seller, though something that may ease some worry is that there are US laws that prevent once-used tech from being sold as new. It could also mean that whoever bought it simply decided they didn’t want it and returned it to the store. If it has been refurbished, that likely means the product was either broken or roughed up enough to warrant a repair. If you’re buying a refurbished product, it helps to have criteria
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