Refurbished phones, an excellent opportunity to combine technology and savings

Technology evolves at a frightening speed, creating relentless innovations and large markets for refurbished phones and other equipment.

The turnover of large companies, continuous competition and continuous improvements in terms of hardware capacity and miniaturization lead to rapid and continuous improvements. The statement of Moore's law is also confirmed for smartphone telephony , creating evolution and great interest in refurbished telephony also in the field of device replacement.

Moore's law and the refurbished phone market

We are in 1965 and Gordon Moore , co-founder of Intel, utters a phrase that will remain in the history of computer evolution:

“The number of transistors in microprocessors will double approximately every 12 months.”

Not a lecturer's outburst, but a theory that would find foundation and confirmation in the seventies and eighties. Moore's law, still current today, although revisited over time as a doubling interval, still remains valid.

It is currently the yardstick of evolution for Intel and AMD , two of the leading companies in the microprocessor sector.

From microprocessors to smartphones

When the heart and brain of an electronic device evolves so rapidly, the final device cannot evolve any less quickly.

This is the first reason, the technical one, which sees the largest telephone and smartphone manufacturers continually producing new evolutions of their products.

Obviously, in addition to the technical reason, there are also one or more "economic" reasons.

Capitalism has in fact explained to us that to be healthy a company must earn money every year and increase its revenues.

Consequently, when the main business of a company is the sale of hardware, to move the turnover it is necessary to sell many, many IT devices or in the case of telephone companies, many iPhones , Galaxy and so on.

Refurbished phones and phones

So to recap, there are so many phones produced every day, but are there just as many customers?

Unlike ten, fifteen, twenty years ago, the telephony market is now saturated. Apart from twelve-year-olds and a few diehards, now everyone has a smartphone . This therefore reduces the "first entry" clientele. Therefore the target must necessarily shift to those who already have a smartphone .

But how to convince a person or company to replace their smartphone ?

Continuously producing new appliances. In various niches:

• Enhanced and modified versions;

• Versions that follow fashion or the needs of a specific niche (selfie lovers? sportsmen?);

• Models that change shape and size;

• Versions with new colors and finishes;

• Versions with special software “finishes” (privacy control?);

Or simply "showing" or "making it clear" that you are only cool and fashionable if you have the latest model. All this marketing activity mostly ends up in one of the refurbished phone categories, but there are four others! Read on to discover them all!

This is where refurbished phones come into play.

The market therefore pushes people (but above all companies) to change their smartphone more and more often. With each version or each year hundreds of thousands of smartphones are therefore "freed".

Even considering that a small part of this gigantic number is made up of obsolete or broken phones, this still remains a gigantic portion of mobile phones.

iPhone or Android devices which, if not passed on to some friend or relative, enter the refurbished phone market.

Telephony that has no technical reason to be discarded, but only prestige or the desire to have something new. In some cases, it is the very logic of corporate financing and investments that drives these "massive" changes.

Refurbished phones

A refurbished device is a device (in our case electronic) that has undergone cleaning (not just physical) and an update in order to return to conditions comparable to new. This is a device that is put back on sale after being used or after a technical intervention has repaired it. In order to be defined as such, a refurbished phone is never sold by a private individual , but always by a specialized company that has the technical skills to carry out the reconditioning or regeneration activity. Of course, a second-hand mobile phone can also be sold by a private individual, but in this case we are talking about used. Not only a difference in vocabulary, but also a difference in the quality of the product and its guarantee.

The refurbished sector

The theme of refurbished is not only the exclusive prerogative of "refurbished Apple" but is common in many sectors of consumer electronics. From smartphones to Smart TVs, through smart watches and advanced devices, everything that includes "non-economic" electronics has a market and an offer and demand for a refurbished version.

Refurbished telephone, the five possible types. The two from “new phone”.

There are five possibilities that lead to having a refurbished phone . Very common cases and with restoration and overhaul procedures similar to each other. If you're thinking of buying a refurbished iPhone, know that it will definitely come from one of these five options. Here they are:

• Product arrived not working: the customer receives the smartphone and decides, in a more or less thorough manner, that it does not work or is not for him. Then activate a return procedure using one of the thousand methods provided by large electronics e-shops. The device returns to the base and is sent for assistance. The service checks it and repairs it if necessary. The Apple in our example then becomes "refurbished" and put up for sale again by the operator at an obviously lower price.

• Product opened, tested and returned: the customer receives the phone. He puts it into operation and uses it, but then, not convinced that it will do the same for him, he proceeds to make a return before the end of the useful window. Even though it is a functioning and like new phone, it is no longer such, as it is no longer sealed. Also in this case the phone returns for assistance and is checked to verify its hardware, software and aesthetic functionality. In addition to the overhaul, our new refurbished phone undergoes formatting, in order to remove any data or settings left by the first owner.

Refurbished telephones: the three cases of "like new".

• Phone with damaged packaging. The phone is intact, but its packaging a little less. Non-optimal transport, storage and conservation can leave obvious traces on the packaging. At that point the item is no longer salable as new. And here the cycle of testing at the assistance and putting it on sale as a refurbished phone or refurbished Apple is repeated again.

• Smartphone with tiny defects. Happy as a child at Christmas you receive your new smartphone . You open it, admire it, turn it over and over in your hands, but then, Horror! You discover that there is a very small scratch on a corner or on the body, nothing major, but you rightly bought it NEW and claim it as such. Then start the return procedure and voilà another refurbished phone is ready to enter the market.

• Ex-business smartphone. For tax reasons and for what is indicated above regarding technological advancement, many companies and public administrations are encouraged to replace their smartphones . This leads to bulk replacements that sometimes involve even very little or never used devices. Also in this case, other material for the refurbished telephone sector.

Refurbished Apple or Samsung, Huawei, etc.

Have you decided to buy a refurbished device , but would like to know more about what this overhaul entails? Here you are satisfied, these are the four phases of the process of reconditioning and overhauling a refurbished device:

• Restoration and correction of original functionality. Review of the hardware and software side. Possible formatting of the device.

• Aesthetic check. Accurate inspection of every area of ​​the phone from an aesthetic point of view. Checking the display, the bodies and each connector. Check of each accessory and any repair, restoration or replacement of the same.

• Total reset. Second total reset to bring the smartphone back to its initial "factory" conditions.

• Deep sanitization. Sanitization and disinfection of the smartphone and each of its parts.

Refurbished phone warranties.

A point on which one can have doubts and which is often "ridden" by those who aim to sell the new one for obvious "economic" reasons is that of the guarantee. In this field, if you are interested in a refurbished iPhone or in general a refurbished phone , the law is on your side.

In fact, the phone has a complete warranty for a period of time that is guaranteed by the distributor. The only difference compared to the new phone is in fact the institution that issues the guarantee. For a new phone it is the manufacturer, for a refurbished smartphone it is the distributor, retailer or refurbisher.

Advantages of opting for refurbished phones.

There is not just an economic reason that leads to choosing refurbished phones instead of new ones. The reasons for choosing a refurbished phone are in fact various and often very personal. In first place there is obviously the question of saving. A refurbished phone typically costs 30% less than a new one, allowing you to have the latest innovations in technology and design available at a "humane" price. However, there is not only the economic aspect, but also that of environmental sustainability, which is helped every time you choose to give a second life to an appliance instead of buying a new one.

Did either reason convince you to opt for a refurbished phone?

Excellent, then let's see together the points you will have to pay attention to during your choice!

7 things to check before buying your next refurbished phone.

Whether you're aiming for a refurbished Apple or a refurbished Android phone, pay attention to these seven things before purchasing:

• Status of the refurbished product. Before proceeding with the purchase, check the condition of the phone. Read the sales description carefully and don't hesitate to ask for clarifications. Before buying, you need to know what you are buying!

• Savings achieved. We said that a refurbished phone can cost up to 30% less than the new equivalent. But the price of the new one varies greatly based on the platform that offers it and any periodic promotions (such as Black Friday). Do a complete comparative survey to see exactly the savings you will get. Another excellent indicator is to check the "refurbished" section of the manufacturer (Apple, but not only) in order to get an idea of ​​the possible cost from the manufacturer's point of view.

• Refurbished phone warranty. You will need to check that at least the minimum legal guarantee is present. Check all the conditions of the same, what it entails and what it covers. It is also important to check who pays for any shipments and the technical times for verifying what has been sent back.

• Made. Also in this case it is essential that at least the legal indications are respected. In fact, you normally have up to 14 days to return what you purchased, without having to justify the return.

• Drums. Integrated batteries have streamlined and increased the autonomy of our phones, but have made replacement complicated if not impossible. This is why we will have to carefully check, before purchase or in the first 14 days, the maximum battery charge and its duration.

• Aesthetic appearance and components. In the first case it must be perfect or at least exactly corresponding to what is indicated in the description and pre-purchase photos. In the second, it is important to check that all the standard components are present or at least those indicated in the sales description.

Not phone related, but equally important:

• Seriousness of the seller: the internet allows you to unmask any dishonest seller thanks to reviews. This is why before making a purchase it is always good to pay attention to the reviews of the product and any comments on previous reviews.

Refurbished phone, opportunity to be evaluated.

A refurbished phone can be an interesting purchasing opportunity for anyone who wants a "latest model" smartphone without breaking the bank. Like all purchases, even in this case it is essential to carefully check the conditions of sale and the condition of the smartphone. By making a thoughtful purchase and not just driven by the desire to have a new phone, we will be able to find a latest generation smartphone at a reasonable price.

The market for refurbished phones is constantly expanding , a sign of the value of the proposal and the appreciation from customers. Why don't you consider the refurbished smartphone option before proceeding with your new purchase?