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What are refurbished phones? Everything you need to know

 

Mobile phones are getting slicker and more impressive as time goes on, with new and upgraded features being added all the time. Unfortunately, this has led to a corresponding rise in prices for new models — there’s a reason most of us don’t buy our mobiles up front.
What if there was a way to get an all-singing, all-dancing new phone without the hefty price tag? Fortunately, there is: by buying a refurbished phone.
But what does having a ‘refurbished phone’ mean exactly? Here we break down everything you need to know about this type of mobile.

What is a refurbished phone?

A refurbished phone is a used mobile that has been inspected and repaired for resale. This should ensure that it’s in full working order and operates as if it were a brand new model. However, there are currently no industry-wide trading standards or regulations on refurbished phones, meaning the term can often mean anything a seller wants. You may well get a mobile that has been refurbished, but that doesn’t necessarily mean it will work as if it had just come out of the box for the first time. And sometimes, it doesn’t even mean that it’s actually been refurbished at all.

There are currently no industry-wide trading standards or regulations on refurbished phones, meaning the term can often mean anything a seller wants.

Here at Aznu, however, we always run comprehensive tests to ensure every single refurbished phone we sell is indeed good as new — hence our name: Aznu (get it?).

Among the tests we run are:

  • Verifying whether the battery charges properly
  • Checking that the button and cameras work
  • Making sure that the phone has good audio quality and screen responsiveness
  • Ensuring that it can connect to wifi and 3G/4G/5G

We may also update the phone’s operating system to a newer version. And, because of the Data Protection Act, it will always be wiped of any data.

One thing you might notice when searching for a refurbished phone is that suppliers often put them into quality-determined grades at the point of resale. So, for instance, Grade A phones are less likely to have any screen scratches or wear and tear compared to phones with Grade B or C status. But Aznu are not like most suppliers. We never grade our phones — why would we when every single one is refurbished to like-new quality, right? You can find out more on why we’ll never grade our phones here.

Where do refurbished phones come from?

Generally speaking, refurbished phones are phones that people have sent back to a network or traded with a company offering cash for mobiles. Sometimes, they’re in perfect (or near-perfect) condition, and the previous owner simply changed their mind about the phone or wanted a different model. These mobiles may only require a minor cosmetic refurbishment to reduce signs of wear and tear before being re-sold.

Here at Aznu though, all the phones we sell undergo extensive checks to ensure they’re in good-as-new condition, regardless of the state we receive them in.

Other times, however, a phone is refurbished after it was returned for being faulty — perhaps the headphone jack or USB port was broken, or the battery was damaged, for example. In these instances, the phone should undergo a more extensive refurbishment to bring it back up to standard. Yet, owing to the unregulated nature of the refurbished phone industry, this doesn’t always happen.

Here at Aznu though, all the phones we sell undergo extensive checks to ensure they’re in good-as-new condition, regardless of the state we receive them in. What’s more, you’ll also always get a 12-month warranty should any issues arise.

Are refurbished phones unlocked?

One of the best things about buying a refurbished phone from Aznu is that you’re not tied down to a certain network, as we always sell them as unlocked.

This means that they won’t have any network’s modified software loaded onto them, giving you the freedom to choose a new one. You can even decide not to enter into a contract at all if you prefer.

If you have any more queries about refurbished phones or would like to find out more about the mobiles we sell here at Aznu, please don’t hesitate to contact us at your nearest convenience.

Thanks for reading!