Second-hand products are not Refurbished. We explain the differences on this page. In principle, there are three types of product condition when it comes to electricals.
| New | Refurbished | Second-hand | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Warranty | Yes | Yes | No |
| Accessories | Yes, new | Yes, new | Sometimes, used |
| Parts | New | Checked | Used |
| Life expectancy | 5+ years | 3+ years | Unknown |
| New | |
|---|---|
| Warranty | Yes |
| Accessories | Yes, new |
| Parts | New |
| Life expectancy | 5+ years |
| Refurbished | |
|---|---|
| Warranty | Yes |
| Accessories | Yes, new |
| Parts | Checked |
| Life expectancy | 3+ years |
| Second-hand | |
|---|---|
| Warranty | No |
| Accessories | Sometimes, used |
| Parts | Used |
| Life expectancy | Unknown |
As good as new
You could say that Refurbished and Second-hand are the same; they have both been used and not bought new. Refurbished, however, differs from second-hand because Refurbished goods are checked and overhauled. Refurbished goods are thoroughly tested for quality and function and, if necessary, parts are replaced or repaired. Then the device is cleaned and the data is deleted. The software is updated to the latest version.
Often, new accessories are provided too but the most important difference is the guarantee. Second-hand products are usually offered with no or a limited guarantee because they have not been checked and the vendor cannot risk offering a long guarantee. Second-hand electronics also tend to be sold by the end-users on sites such as ebay. Refurbished products are often sold with at least a 3 month guarantee; at refurbished.store, products are supplied with up to a 3 year guarantee.
So Refurbished offers a sense of security. A second-hand product is often sold by the user themselves, without a guarantee or any other form of security.
If you're looking for a used phone, for example, you don't need to trawl through ebay or social media or take any risks because you can buy a refurbished phone from us online, with a guarantee.
