Used or refurbished: What are the differences?

Buying smartphones, computers and other latest generation technological products at half price is everyone's dream, what is the secret to doing it? Knowing how to choose quality "refurbished" products.

Refurbished devices or, in English "refurbished" , are to all intents and purposes original products as per their non-refurbished models. Why then is their price on the market lower? Let's find out together.

Suppose you have recently purchased a smartphone, a household appliance, or another type of hi-tech device and, for any reason, you decide to return it to the seller with a return: from a scratch to a manufacturing defect or, simply, you made a mistake while you were ordering it. That product can no longer be sold by the retailer as "new", then it will become part of the "refurbished" devices.

The term refurbished leaves no interpretations in the original language: it is used as a synonym both to indicate a reconditioned product and a "regenerated" one, but in reality, if we want to be picky , there is a subtle difference between the two.

Remanufactured and reconditioned, are they synonymous?
We could use the two terms interchangeably, however a remanufactured product does not always have the same characteristics as a reconditioned one, there are some nuances that are worth reflecting on.

First of all, it is easier to talk about regeneration for all those products that are "consumables": i.e. toners, print cartridges , and the like.
When a printer runs out of colours, depending on the model, it is possible to refill its toner or cartridges by purchasing the appropriate ink kit to regenerate them .
If the printer has a malfunction, perhaps due to wear, and is repaired with components that are not necessarily original, it is also defined as "remanufactured".

The scenario is different for refurbished devices, i.e. semi-new products that are repaired with original parts and returned to their manufacturing state to then be resold. A very useful practice that encourages the circular economy .

As you may have guessed by now, a product that has been put back on the market with the refurbished label is an almost new device, therefore equipped with a guarantee, and which has passed tests that make it equal to other models belonging to its same category.
Even remanufactured ones go through intermediate tests before being sold, but they don't have the same advantages, they are more similar to second-hand ones.

A refurbished device can be classified based on its degree of wear . In fact, next to the product you will often find a letter of the alphabet that identifies the condition in which it is found at the time you place a purchase order. It is advisable to always choose those models that belong to the highest grade classes (A, A+, and similar).
Below you will find the existing degrees of wear or warranty levels , some subdivisions may vary depending on the nomenclature used by the individual supplier.

THE DEGREES OF WEAR OR GUARANTEES ON REFURBISHED MATERIALS

During your online purchases you will have read the term "guaranteed used" , what does this mean? As mentioned previously, refurbished items come with a guarantee and this refers to classes that have the aim of making the buyer understand: the physical conditions of the object to be purchased and the type of guarantee it will receive.

Below is the most common classification used online for the guarantee:

• Grade A+: Indicates that the product is in excellent condition , both at a hardware and software level. When purchased, it is likely to be accompanied by extras, such as cases or other original accessories .

• Grade A: Also in this case we are in the presence of a semi-new device, the only difference compared to the previous grade is that, on an aesthetic level, it could present some small imperfections , such as a scratch.

• Grade B: A refurbished product that is rated B will have some minor dings or surface scratches. These are always conditions which however do not affect its correct functioning.

• Grade C: This last grade groups together devices that have been widely used, without original packaging or accessories, and usually not covered by

These letters might make us think of energy classes (A, A+, B, etc.), especially when we are buying reconditioned or remanufactured appliances , but the functions of these letters are completely different here, let's not forget.

Let's talk about product warranties

The advantages of purchasing a reconditioned product are truly many, certainly what immediately catches the eye is the economic savings , not to mention that these products, based on their wear class, enjoy a certain guarantee .
Many users are still skeptical about purchasing refurbished products, the main fear is precisely that of not being sufficiently covered against possible malfunctions, which is why it is good to evaluate: whether the seller is certified , what type of assistance it offers and what the classes are of wear of the item we would like to purchase.

It is clear that if you purchase a smartphone that has some conformity defect , for example a scratch, we cannot enforce our guarantee on that problem, as we were already aware of it. Very different if the product ordered is different from what is shown in the online catalog at the time of purchase.
It is always necessary to examine the agreements between seller and customer, in fact, unless there are additional coverage policies, the warranty periods for refurbished products are less than the two years which by law apply to "new" products. After all, it couldn't go any other way.

In conclusion, purchasing refurbished items from certified retailers can be economically advantageous. In fact, this is the preferred solution for those who need to use "semi-new", high -end technological products at a discounted price or for those who like to change devices often to keep up with new trends .