If you’re anything like me, then you’ve probably browsed through Facebook Marketplace or other buy and sell websites with your home WiFi, looking for good deals on gadgets. You’ve probably noticed the use of words such as “used,” “pre-owned,” or “refurbished.” What do these terms actually mean, and are they being used correctly based on the condition of the product that is being sold?
Refurbished
Let’s start with the easiest of the bunch: refurbished. A refurbished item is probably the closest thing you’ll get to “brand-new.” Items in this category may have undergone some form of repair, testing, and inspection before it was sealed away again for reselling.
Refurbished goods typically come with a warranty, albeit shorter and less extensive compared to a new product. This coverage should give you confidence in the item’s durability, as well as peace of mind knowing that it can be sent for repair if it goes haywire within the warranty period.
From Apple Official Website
Obviously, these additional safety nets come at an added cost–but you’ll be hard pressed to find a refurb that is equal or cheaper than a product that is tagged as “used.”
Used
Used gadgets are often the most affordable options, as they provide the least amount of buyer’s confidence about their reliability and origins.
Questionable origins aside, these devices typically have minor defects or missing accessories. Sadly, some sellers omit deprecating information on the product listing on purpose to take advantage of unsuspecting buyers.
From Facebook Marketplace
Unless stated otherwise, used items are assumed to have not been repaired or even checked by a trained eye to guarantee that they will work as intended. In addition, a used device isn’t backed by any sort of warranty (apart from “personal warranty” which, in my experience, has not been honored). Extra caution is required if you do decide to go down this route.
Needless to say, opting for a used device is a “buy-at-your-own-risk” deal. You’re mostly relying on the seller’s words and your ability to test the device during the meetup to determine if the gadget is actually worth your hard-earned money.
Pre-Owned
If “used” and “refurbished” are two circles in a Venn diagram of terminologies often used in the secondhand market, then pre-owned is the section between them that overlap. The word itself is literally defined as “secondhand,” meaning it applies to both refurbished and used devices.
But before you discard it as just a better-sounding adjective to describe something “used,” let me share my personal experience in frequenting, and eventually buying, items from various buy and sell websites:
- Pre-owned items are usually sold with their original box.
- All the accessories and paperwork that came with the device are intact and comes with the device being sold.
- The person selling the pre-owned device is typically the first owner.
- With the exception of a few, but barely noticeable cosmetic defects, a pre-owned device looks and feels like a refurbished unit, or even a brand-new one.
- The device has no history or visible signs of repair.
- In some cases, pre-owned devices are still covered under its original manufacturer’s warranty.
The parameters listed above do not apply to all products and a device does not have to meet all of those things to be considered as pre-owned. These are just some of things that I check during meetups to distinguish a pre-owned from a used product.
Remember to always do your research, never hesitate to ask questions, and keep a close eye on potential deal-breakers to get the most out of your purchase. And to ensure that you’ll never miss out on a great deal online, get yourself a fiber-fast internet connection through PLDT Home Fiber Plus plans. Subscribe today to the Philippines’ undisputed fastest Internet for five straight years if you’re looking for good deals on your home WiFi connection!