Refurbished smartphones are a smart way of saving money and helping the environment. However, due to the fact that they have had a previous owner it is vital that you know what to look for. Before we delve into that, giffgaff have a marketplace for pre-owned phones.
1) How to tell if the refurbished phone is real
Smartphones are among the quickest items to sell. Scammers have caught on to this and regularly buy fake smartphones and sell them on eBay or Gumtree.
I was about to enter a store recently when a friendly looking man approached me with an iPhone 7 Plus in mint condition. I had a friend with me who was keen on purchasing the smartphone. I realised something was off when the man was willing to sell it for £250. Moreover, he was very reluctant to let us check the smartphone before paying for it. After pretending that I was genuinely interested, he finally let us play with the phone. At first I was struck by how light the phone was. Initially I thought that Apple have pulled off some engineering voodoo to get the phone that light. After unlocking the phone I noticed that the resolution seemed really low. My fears were confirmed when I tapped on the App store icon and it sent me to the Android store. We thanked the man, returned the phone and called the police from inside a store.
The fake iPhone 7 Plus appeared to be very genuine. The box, manual, accessories and everything else were on point. If we hadn’t phoned the police I am sure he would have found a buyer shortly after. Do you have any experience of seeing a fake smartphone or mistakenly buying one? Let the community know in the comments section below.
If you are buying a refurbished phone from an individual, make sure that you sample the real thing first. This will give you an idea as to the weight, materials etc. Secondly, pay close attention to how the smartphone is put together. Fake smartphones tend to have gaps where the glue is joined together- plus they tend to be a bit jittery.
One of the biggest issues with fake smartphones is that they tend to come with viruses which send data back to the maker. There have been cases whereby hackers have used this to take credit card information, email access details, etc. Taking all this into account, it is worth buying phone from a reputable company such as giffgaff. Plus, you can easily return the smartphone if you don’t like it.
2) Check for a warranty and phone history
Following on for the need to check for a warranty, it is worth checking the history of the smartphone. This will let you know whether it has been stolen or blocked. This is because in the case of an investigation, you might be implicated. Checkmend have a service which gives you a full history of any smartphone at a reasonable price. Some call it an MOT for mobile devices.
3) Check the condition
A refurbished smartphone isn’t just another term for a used phone. It should be difficult for you to distinguish a brand new phone from a refurbished one. This means that the screen, casing and internals should be in great condition. Some people try to fool unsuspecting buyers by stating that a phone is refurbished.
One thing you should watch out for is water damage An easy way to check for this is to aim the metal ring of the headphone charge or charging port at any white light source. Move it around gently. If you spot rainbow colours, it was previously water damaged. Even after fixing, water can corrode the materials inside a smartphone. As a result, it will have a decreased lifespan.
If someone tries to sell you a phone as “refurbished” ask them which checks they have made, who they use to make the checks and whether they are willing to provide a warranty.
4) Refurbished smartphones save money
Ideally, one would want to get a brand new smartphone. Understandably, the money isn’t always there and some just don’t want to get a contract phone. Opting for a refurbished smartphone could save you between 10- 40%. The range of savings is due to the fact that not all refurbished smartphones are created equal. A lack of accessories, presence of scratches etc can save you money.
In fact, refurbished smartphones graded as excellent on giffgaff’s marketplace are indistinguishable from brand new versions.
5) Refurbished phones save the planet
It takes time, energy and money to strip down smartphones which are thrown away. This produces greenhouse gases which places a strain on the earth’s ozone layer and also affects our health. Therefore, by buying refurbished smartphones you are doing your bit to save the planet. If more smartphones were “fixed up” and then put back into the system it would contribute to preserving a planet. Moreover, smartphone companies would be pushed into creating much better smartphones.
Conclusion
In conclusion I hope that you have found this post on refurbished smartphones useful. The giffgaff marketplace has a range of refurbished smartphones which are tested, have a returns police and come with 6 months warranty as standard.
What are your thoughts on refurbished smartphones or anything discussed in this post? Let the community know in the comments section below.