The electronics are expensive, which is why refurbished models can be very good deals. But these devices have a bad reputation because sometimes the products labeled "refurbished" ... have not been. A true refurbishment has been inspected and repaired so that it can function as a new unit even though it may show wear and tear of use. There should be no functional difference between a refurbished model and a new model - other than price and cosmetics.
Continue reading Dealnews detailed guide on buying refurbished electronics, smart shopping tips at the amounts you can save on smartphones, tablets and computers. .
Get an agreement on refurbished electronics
If you're shopping for renovations, you'll need to take some precautions to get those savings. That means buying from the manufacturer or a reputable retailer, so you know you're getting an item that has been refurbished.
A reasonable return policy and a guarantee are also important. If your refurb turns out to be a failure, you want to be able to return it or replace it. The longer the return policy and warranty, the better. Manufacturers often offer a full year warranty on their refurbished models - just as they do with new items.
But even with a good return policy and a guarantee, take care of yourself, it's inspecting your items as soon as you take them home. If you notice any damage or missing parts, you must take them back before the end of the return period.
Manufacturers often offer a one-year warranty on their refurbished models, as they do with new items.
Also, be aware that you will not have a choice as wide as if you were buying a new one. Refurbished models are usually a bit older, and they may not be available in the size or color you want. These are certainly disadvantages, but the savings can be worth it. You will often notice that electronic products are reduced from 10% to 50% - some gadgets even have bigger discounts.
How to buy refurbished smartphones
While budget models are out there, it's far too easy to spend nearly $ 1,000 on a new smartphone. However, refurbished smartphones are flooding the market every time a new model is released. This is a great way to take a new phone up to 50% of the original sale price.
We recommend that you only look at phones that are one year old or two years old and less than three years old. Legacy models will be cheaper, but older phones may not be able to use the latest versions of Android or iOS. At a certain point, each phone becomes too old to receive security updates.
Aging phones can also have battery problems because their lithium-ion batteries naturally wear out over time. Sometimes refurbished phones will be replaced before being sold, but some will not - Apple is the only retailer to have secured a new battery in every refurbished phone.
Although you can expect that a refurbished model will show wear, you should inspect it to make sure that scratches and scuffs are just cosmetic damage . A frequent complaint with refurbished phones - especially those refurbished by a third party - is scratches on the lens of the camera. Be sure to check before the end of the return period.
You can find discounts ranging from 20% to 50% off, which is worth buying a refurbished smartphone. Here are some recent examples of how much you can save on Apple and Samsung smartphones:
How to buy remanufactured tablets
Tablets do not always have the same predictable release schedule as smartphones, and users typically do not update them as often. This means that there is no good time to buy a refurbished tablet - be patient and keep your eyes open for agreement (or create an email alert).
Like smartphones, old tablets can reduce battery life, but larger tablets are less disturbing. And because we usually do not use our tablets without stopping the same way as our smartphones, you may not even notice if the battery is a bit degraded. However, as with any refurbished product, check the upgrade to make sure it is working properly when you receive it.
But there is one more thing to consider when shopping on tablets. While most tablets are numbered, you can easily distinguish old models from new models, but not all.
For example, Apple has called five different generations of the iPad simply "iPad", and it's easy to get confused when navigating refurbs. Some will even be labeled "new model" while they are not. Be sure to look for the original release date (or, if you do not find a date, model number) to see if you are getting a fairly new or rather old model.
The discounts on tablets are generally lower than those of smartphones, but you are also more likely to find newer models. You can expect to save between 15% and 30% on old models and new models, as long as you are ready to wait a while. Here is what you could save on the tablets of Apple and Microsoft, at the time of writing:
How to buy refurbished computers
Whether you're looking for a laptop or desktop, you'll find lots of offers on refurbished computers.
However, it can be difficult to get exactly what you want because of the number of models and configurations available. And because computers do not follow an easy-to-understand naming scheme, you may need to do some research to understand how a new (or old) product is.
All of this complicates the price comparison of refurbished models and new models. Although retailers can list the original release dates or note the generation of a product, you need to pay more attention to system specifications such as memory, hard drive and especially the processor.
The purchase of refurbished computers directly from manufacturers can save you up to 50% off the list price.
If you have no idea of the age of the computer you are looking at, a quick web search for the CPU model - which should be listed with the product information - will give you the output date of the processor. This will not tell you exactly how old is the computer, but it will give you a rough idea.
So how much can you save? Even by buying directly from manufacturers, you can save up to 50% off the list price. Since direct purchase will generally provide you with better warranty and refurbishment, it is difficult to justify a purchase elsewhere. For example, the Apple MacBook standard starts from $ 1,299, or pays $ 1,099 for a refurbished unit (15% off) from Apple.
Of course, you can also buy refurbished computers from retailers like Amazon and Best Buy. However, because of the multitude of models, we find third-party sites more difficult to navigate than manufacturers' sites.
But your mileage may vary! Check out the Best Buy Outlet and Amazon renewed to see all your options.
When not to buy refurbished electronics
We think it's always worth looking into refurbished products, but you have to do a price comparison. While refurbished models are generally cheaper than new models, the difference is sometimes negligible. Different retailers can also offer significantly different refurbishment prices, so shopping is a must.
And sometimes the refurbished products are not of high quality, depending on who refurbished them. TVs are a great example here. While some refurbished TVs are perfectly fine, many buyers report having received renovations with damage to stands or screens - and these older models may not spare you much on new sets.
By buying from a retailer with good reviews and a good return policy you will avoid receiving the renovation that does not work. But getting a broken object you need to return is a hassle that may not be worth the economy.
Elizabeth Harper is an assistant editor at dealnews. Reissued with permission.
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