Buying goods has become even more convenient ever since the rise of e-commerce platforms. Alongwith the prime products sold in the market, e-commerce platforms such as Amazon also brought refurbished goods to the fold and other companies like eBay jumped on the wagon and started offering used and pre-owned items.

But even if you’re on a tight budget and wish to get a product for less, it’s important to understand what refurbished, used and pre-owned products mean and what you’re going to get. Here we discuss the difference between the three and which one is worth your money.

Refurbished Goods

Refurbished goods, also known as reconditioned or re-manufactured, is a product that the manufacturer (or sometimes a third party) has restored to new or almost-new condition. A refurbished product will have undergone diagnostic testing; it has replaced any faulty parts, everything will have received a thorough cleaning, and it will be repacked.

Most of the time, the company selling the product will add a warranty for the customers, but the terms and conditions will differ from the new devices.

Before buying a refurbished device, check for the seller of the device. Check the ratings and reviews of the seller, and most importantly how good is the aftersales service. Read about the refurbishment process to make sure the device is redone and checked for quality.

Amazon and Apple, among other big brands, offer refurbished smartphones and gadgets at a lower price than the new device and offer a warranty on them.

Also read: Product Quality: Fact or Fiction? The fallacy of fake reviews

Used Devices

Devices that are used by a person over time and is now being sold by him are termed as used goods. These devices can have some amount of wear and tear but probably function properly and haven’t been repaired.

Websites like Craigslist lists plenty of used devices, but there are no restrictions or regulations on the device being sold. It sometimes becomes a challenge for the consumer to find a well-used device that doesn’t compromise on the standards of the device.

If on a budget and can handle the risk of a used device, it can be a good option to upgrade your old devices.

Certified Pre-Owned Devices

This term is used to define a vehicle that has been inspected by the automaker or dealer and returned to the original specifications. If any damage is found, they repair it. Certified Pre-owned devices are very similar to a certified refurbished item. The warranty entirely depends on the original warranty or on the parts replaced. The warranty and terms and conditions can differ from depending on dealers and companies.

While this term is used for automobiles that have been checked and returned to the original state, it can be used for devices as well.

Which device should you buy?

Whenever you want to go for devices that are second-hand, go for refurbished ones. They come with warranty and are certified that they are restored to the original state. However, if you can find a well-used device at a good discounted price and it has no issues, go for the used device.

Also read: Psychology of online advertising: How companies persuade you to shop