Refurbished phones

It’s one thing to purchase a used phone, which typically can be two or three generations old, at a drastically low prices. However, should your brand new iPhone or Galaxy get lost, stolen, or otherwise meet an untimely demise, the chance of buying another that’s both less than two generations old AND in good-as-new condition at a discounted price is highly possible.

Refurbished phones are phones that have been return to the point-of-sale because of a defect. Unlike with used phones where any flaws go untreated, the phones are repaired, re-tested, cleaned and put back on the market. It would be disingenuous to sell them as new even at the highest quality, so they trade at slightly lower prices.

Refurbished phones mean big business, and third-party firms have popped up to facilitate sales. As the price of new Apple and Samsung devices rise with each passing year, refurbs (as they are colloquially known) are a more attractive option. For example, a consumer in Britain could spend $999 for a brand new iPhone X, or get an iPhone 7 Plus – only one generation removed – in operable condition for $549. Simply put: if you’re willing to forgive a scuff or a scratch on the casing of an otherwise internally rejuvenated device, you can have an up-to-date phone for a deep discount.

It may sound too good to be true, but such deals can be yours. However, caution must be taken. Elizabeth Harper of DealNews.