MYTH #1: Refurbished Products Aren't As Good As New Ones
Refurbished products tend to get a bad rap because a lot of people equate refurbished with "used," which is not the same thing. In fact, refurbished gadgets come from a variety of sources:
Refurbished products tend to get a bad rap because a lot of people equate refurbished with "used," which is not the same thing. In fact, refurbished gadgets come from a variety of sources:
- A product with damage to either the unit itself or the box that has been fixed.
- A demo unit from a retailer.
- An open box item that was returned by someone who decided not to keep it.
- A defective product that has been returned and fixed.....
- Once a product is returned, it's inspected and deemed ready for sale again, but it can't be sold as new, so it's sold as refurbished for a fraction of the cost. Subsequently, buying refurbished is one of the simplest ways to save money. A number of third-party retailers sell refurbished products, but you typically want to buy "Factory certified" because they're tested by the manufacturer itself. You also want to find refurbished products with a decent warranty (90 days) and return policy (30 days). These typically aren't as good as a new warranty, but companies like Apple and Dell both offer the same warranty on refurbished as if you purchase new. So search around and see which companies are better for refurbs.
In most cases, refurbished products are as good as new even though you don't get the fancy box you'll inevitably throw away, and you need to do a little extra research to ensure you're covered if you run into problems. Still, buying refurbished with a good warranty is the easiest way to save a ton of money on your tech purchases.
See Tomorrow for next Myth!!