Smartphones are becoming more of a necessity than a luxury. However, switching to a new smartphone is costly due to high prices, increased taxes, and rising USD prices. So, everyone can’t afford to upgrade or buy a new mid-range or high-end flagship smartphone. In this consideration,  the best deal is to save money by purchasing a refurbished phone, as it costs much less than the actual price.

Refurbished smartphones are devices that someone previously owned. These devices are returned to the manufacturer for various reasons, either due to customer fault or the product’s. These phones get repaired by trusted resellers, and they perform multiple tests and checks to ensure that the smartphone is in perfect working condition before reselling them. Refurbished phones are in good working condition and come with a warranty. Here is how to safely buy a refurbished phone.

Things to consider for safely buying a refurbished smartphone

Physical inspection

Firstly while buying a refurbished smartphone, it’s good to physically inspect it to ensure that you will get a fully working device. For this sake, check its

●    Battery Health

You Can check the battery health by going into your phone’s settings. Also, open the backside of the phone and physically inspect it; it should not be swollen and look in good condition.

●    Audio and Microphone

Check the phone’s audio capabilities by recording a voice memo using the phone’s built-in app, then play it out loud.

●    Cameras

To check the camera, take a picture of a white piece of paper or surface. By doing so, you can see “potential stains or dust on the lens.” Check all the rear cameras in this way.

●    Screen

Lastly, Inspect the screen and ensure it’s original to avoid any issues in the future. You can go to settings for the iPhone model and check whether the screen is genuine. You can play a video and ensure its genuineness.

Check for Warranty

One of the safe ways to buy refurbished smartphones is through the manufacturer, as they provide a limited-time warranty. Many refurbished smartphones come with a limited-time warranty, either provided directly by the manufacturer or the reseller platform by which it is sold. Many manufacturers resell the returned smartphones from the owner due to manufacturing defects or other issues. Many resellers buy these smartphones, renew them, perform quality checks, and sell them in their online or offline stores.

Read Documents and Check the Return Policy

While buying a refurbished phone, it is essential to go through all the details before making the final purchase. There might be hidden conditions like you can’t return the phone or receive any refund after returning the device. But, like in some situations where you aren’t satisfied with the device, you could return your smartphone. It is crucial as the phone is aged and could start showing issues after using it for several days. So, to safely buy a refurbished phone, always check the return policy and only buy a phone with a return policy.

Be aware of stolen and fake phones

The refurbished market includes fake devices and stolen phones. While buying refurbished phones, ensure you don’t buy stolen ones, as they put you in trouble. So at the time of purchase, ask for a

 

• A soft or hard copy of the invoice of purchase (original) with all complete information regarding the Name of the buyer
• Date and time of purchase
• Store name, and other warranty-related information.
• Check whether the box and accessories are original.
• If the box is unavailable, get an invoice with the IMEI number for the refurbished mobile.
• Lastly, check that the IMEI of the device, the invoice, and the box should be the same.

 

To check whether the phone is not fake, you need to compare the phone’s model number with the hardware information listed by the manufacturer. Then, you can check it by going into your phone’s settings.

Implement service code test

Nowadays, all smartphones feature service codes. You can unlock and access specific advanced menus upon dialing these service codes. Moreover, you can use these service codes to display information about Phone, Battery, and Usage statistics. This way, you can determine the hardware authenticity of the refurbished smartphone you intend to purchase.

Buy from trustworthy sources

As refurbished phones have been used for some time, buying them from trusted sources is preferred, as trusted sellers always check the quality before selling the device. You can buy good quality smartphones from them at almost half the price of the new device. Some of the places where you can safely buy refurbished phones are

Amazon

Amazon is the world’s largest online store that provides a separate section for buying refurbished devices. They purchase old phones from customers by offering them a discount on new devices. These phones are then tested and undergo necessary repairs making them look and work like new. The seller sells these phones in a separate section with a limited-period warranty.

Olx

Olx is another platform to buy used and refurbished smartphones. But while choosing this platform, you need to be extra careful. Keep a few things in mind

• Check whether the seller is authentic by searching on social media and checking the seller profile thoroughly.
• Contact the seller only by using the inbuilt chat feature.
• Finalize the purchase only if the seller has an original bill of purchase.
• Check the phone is in visible daylight and that the battery is in good condition.

eBay

eBay is another platform where you can safely buy refurbished phones. You can easily purchase flagship mobiles from eBay according to your requirements while saving money.