What is a Certified Refurbished iPhone?
Let’s get the obvious out of the way: an iPhone is expensive. It is not unreasonably costly, given that it is loaded with great features, but not particularly affordable to students or adults with bills to pay either. A certified refurbished iPhone offers the best middle ground—you get all the cool features of an iPhone at a fraction of the price, but not without a certain level of compromise, says Cellect Mobile, a seller of refurbished iPhones.
What is a certified refurbished iPhone? A certified refurbished iPhone is a “good as new” Apple smartphone that has been overhauled, tested, replaced with genuine brand parts, and carries the Apple warranty. It also comes with the requisite operating system, accessories, and cables.
As published on the Apple website, a certified refurbished iPhone can save you up to 33% while still offering the same promise that the brand’s loyal fanbase has come to love through the years of technological evolution and upgrades.
For example, a brand new 64GB iPhone X in Space Grey costs $899 on the website, but a “like new” version of the same model goes for only $599. Apple gives an even sweeter deal by throwing in free shipping and returns.
Certified Refurbished iPhone VS Used iPhone
Either term pertains to an iPhone that has been previously owned, comes with a lower than brand new price tag, and is being sold for a variety of reasons such as a defect or to upgrade to a newer model.
In most cases, the similarities end there. “Used” could mean different forms of usage but in the mobile phone buy-and-sell business, it often means sold in “as is condition”, often with signs of wear and tear. In contrast, “certified refurbished” means having been returned to its manufacturer for diagnostic testing and repairs.
Can You Trust a Certified Refurbished iPhone?
In one simple word: yes. What you need to bear in mind, however, is to purchase only from a trusted seller that has the capacity to issue a warranty. Whether purchasing a brand new or a certified refurbished iPhone, you would feel more secure buying from an Apple store than a non-descript alley store, wouldn’t you?
Aside from Apple, there are also other places that sell certified refurbished iPhones. Online shopping giants eBay and Amazon impose strict standards on certified refurbished iPhone sellers on their sites. While these iPhones do not have a manufacturer’s warranty, consumers can rest assured that they are backed up by either site’s guarantee program.
Both eBay and Amazon offer a 90-day warranty, free returns, and a money-back guarantee. Neither a brand-new iPhone nor a like-new iPhone offers 100% guarantee that it would be free from any defects when it gets to you, but this kind of warranty could be the next best thing.
Doesn’t a Certified Refurbished iPhone Sound Too Good to be True?
With all the sweet deals that are packed with a certified refurbished iPhone, especially one sold by Apple itself, it may, indeed, sound too good to be true. You might think there’s a catch with them throwing in a new battery, a new outer shell, all these accessories, and even a fresh new box, then sell it a discounted price.
Forbes Consumer Tech journalist, John Koetsier, explains in his article, “For whatever reason, there are always people who need to return a product. Allowing buyers to do so is good customer service and aids in client loyalty. But then having an outlet to re-sell returned product helps recoup some of the lost revenue.”
Essentially, offering these fantastic deals to make the sale more appealing is still the smarter business decision than just incurring losses from a returned iPhone.
Should You Buy a Certified Refurbished iPhone?
Before you decide whether or not to buy a certified refurbished iPhone, you have to ask yourself what your objectives are for buying a new phone. If you’re looking to buy a new iPhone to experience the latest in mobile technology, then your option is to go for brand new because it may take a while before you see the most recent release up for sale on any certified refurbished iPhone store.
On the other hand, if your goal is to snag a good discount on an iPhone that you can trust, then, sure, purchasing a certified refurbished iPhone is a good proposition to consider.
In conclusion, a certified refurbished iPhone is an excellent choice for anyone who wants to reap the benefits of a genuine Apple product without having to pay full price.
“Refurbished” may be a notch lower than “brand-new” but the savings, warranty, and all other superb offerings more than makeup for the merely “good as new” status. Never forget: buy your like new iPhones only from a trusted seller; better yet, purchase directly from the Apple website or a physical Apple store.
