Should i buy a pre owned phone

The refurbished phones sold by Apple— online and in its stores—are restored with the same replacement parts used in new models, the company says. They come with a new battery, a new outer shell, new cables and accessories, and even a fresh white box. Samsung uses similar standards for the refurbished phones sold on its website. Only 52 percent of our survey respondents said the model they purchased came with one.

Most 89 percent said the phone came with a charging cord, but far fewer arrived with the earphones originally made by the manufacturer. All earned favorable marks for overall satisfaction in our refurbished phone retailer survey. Avoid refurbished products that come without a warranty. Apple and Samsung guarantee their refurbished phones for a full year.

At Amazon and Best Buy, the warranty is good for only 90 days. Many credit card companies will extend coverage on refurbished goods as long as they come with a warranty. Carriers will then resell them at a discount. May the buyer beware! Some carriers and retailers will sell these returned phones at full retail price since they are virtually new. In , Apple was sued for allegedly selling pre-owned phones as though they were new and unopened, BGR reports.

If it is possible to end up with such a device after paying full price, then it makes buying cheaper pre-owned phones, from trusted outlets, even more appealing.

Buying recycled or used electronics cuts down significantly on tech waste. As mentioned above, new phones are produced at an alarming rate. How do other people feel about their used phones? Quality savings and protection from Verizon. Popular Articles Quad what and octa who? A quick guide to processor lingo. Android Lollipop: Our favorite features. Top 10 battery tips for your smartphone or tablet.

This content is provided for information purposes only. All information included herein is subject to change without notice. Verizon is not responsible for any direct or indirect damages, arising from or related to use or reliance of the above content. Top Device Brands. It's not guaranteed whether you'll receive other accessories that were originally bundled with the phone, such as headphones.

Refurbished phones tend to come in plain boxes or network-branded packaging. But if you manage to save money on the deal, that might not bother you. Lots of networks and specialist phone retailers sell refurbished phones, including O2, Vodafone and Mobilephonesdirect.

You can also pick up a refurbished phone from auction sites, high-street retailers and specialist re-sale-and-recycle sites such as Envirophone.

That depends. So you may as well buy brand new. Discontinued models, such as the iPhone 5s, can he had very cheaply on refurbished phone contracts. And same goes for Vodafone and Carphone Warehouse subsidiary Mobiles. So you've got peace of mind in every way. All refurbished phones are given a grade that reflects their condition.

Grade A. This is as nearly new as nearly new gets. At best, it'll be a phone returned within the day cooling-off period, so is to all intents and purposes still a brand new phone. At worst, it'll show negligible signs of wear. Grade C. Grade D. A grade D refurbished phone will be broken in some way, will look second-hand and will have been well used.

Most networks will only sell grades A-C. To complicate things further, some networks use their own grading system. But where networks do use their own system, you can usually find a key explaining grades on their site. You can compare SIM only contracts at our dedicated comparison page. SIM only deals. From how to write product descriptions to tips for cleaning up your phone so it looks its best, head to our guide to help you get the best price when you sell your phone.

And environmental charity Hubbub is helping reconnect households with their loved ones and essential online services by refurbishing and redistributing used smart phones.

To donate your old phone, visit Hubbub's website. Just bought a refurbished phone? You'll want insurance to protect your new purchase from accidents, damage and loss. Check out this useful mobile insurance comparison tool and find the best insurance plan for your shiny new phone.

Rather go with a new phone? See all our latest mobile phone deals here. Mobile phone deals. We use cookies and similar technologies.