This refurbished device post is presented by Australia-based reseller Phonebot.
Every year, millions of people around the world flock to stores and wait online for the biggest sales events of the year: end of financial year sales, Boxing Day deals and Black Friday. These beloved events have become synonymous with massive discounts. Retailers everywhere offer attractive sale prices on electronics, smartphones and a ton of other products.
For many retailers, the focus these days tends to be on electronics. So if you are in the market for a new smartphone, these sales events are an optimal time to get one. You can count on seeing some significant discounts on the latest refurbished Android and iPhone models in different storage options.
The case for buying refurbished
But if you’re not a power user and don’t see yourself using all the storage, then buy an unlocked iPhone 11 64GB from Phonebot. You’ll be saving more. For example, an unlocked iPhone 11 64GB in excellent condition with accessories will cost $879 AUD, compared to $1,079 AUD as listed on Apple’s website, accessories not included. You can expect even bigger savings on previous-gen phone models and the iPhone 11 Pro variants. If you’re less concerned about having a new-in-box phone and more focused on getting the best deal, then a refurbished phone is the way to go.
Generally, a refurbished phone is a previously owned device sent back to the manufacturer or a large network operator like Telstra or Optus (Australia) because of a fault, change of mind or via a device-in-trade program where the phone is repaired and resold. However, not all of them were faulty before.
Most stores have policies dictating that once an item purchased has been opened and returned, it can no longer be sold as new and must be sold as refurbished instead. That means the item will be sold at a lower price, since technically it isn’t new-in-box. Sadly, it’s not usually possible to know why precisely a device earned its refurbished status. However, such phones are usually vetted thoroughly before being resold to ensure they are working as they should.
Should you buy a refurbished iPhone 11?
As much as retailers offer great discounts during sales events, the price point for brand-new Apple products might still not favor most of us. This is especially so if you’re looking to upgrade to the latest Apple model. Take the iPhone 11 as an example. While it’s not the newest generation of iPhone, it is still a pretty solid buy for those looking for the thrill of a premium smartphone without the hefty price tag.
Currently, a new iPhone 12 starts from about $1,349 AUD for the basic 64GB model. Comparatively, you can get a refurbished iPhone 11 64GB with almost the same features for as low as $799 AUD. Prices can go even lower during the Click Frenzy, Eofy (end of fiscal year, June 30), Black Friday, Cyber Monday and Boxing Day sales events.
It’s a bargain at that price. It sports a 6.1-inch Liquid Retina IPS LCD display, is powered by the Apple A13 Bionic chipset and can handle anything you throw at it with ease. And the battery will still manage to last a whole day.
Indeed, not all of us get excited at the thought of purchasing a used iPhone. So let’s take another example for the Android fans. A refurbished Samsung Galaxy 20, which is fundamentally the iPhone 11’s biggest competitor, ranges between $790 AUD and $890 AUD. If you go for a brand-new one, you would have to cough up to $1,518.80 AUD, depending on your vendor. We can all agree that the refurbished option would save you a lot.
The environment matters
Aside from substantial savings, getting a refurbished phone is an environmentally responsible way of upgrading your gadget. People tend to go for brand-new devices, which is perfectly normal. Unfortunately, this trend also means that millions of consumer electronics like smartphones, computers and televisions end up in landfills. Ultimately, more than 140,000 tons of electronic waste is generated by Australians each year.
Even if you are not the most environmentally concerned person in the world, if there’s one thing we all learned in 2020, it’s that climate change is real, and we, therefore, need to take care of our environment. Since refurbished phones are to some extent recycled phones, you help protect the environment by keeping them away from landfills (at least for a while anyway). Still, this would go a long way in minimizing the environmental impact of our purchases.
Things to look out for
We have established that refurbished devices save you money and allow you to be environmentally friendly. But what exactly should you consider when buying them? Well, basically, you should consider everything that you value most from a phone. This means maybe looking at the camera quality, storage capacity, size, software features, battery life and resolution.
In addition to these factors, you should also consider their grading, which essentially reflects their condition. There’s no universal grading system for refurbished phones, so you should consult the vendor/retailer before purchasing the device. As a rule of thumb, the grades usually run from A to D, with grade A being nearly new and grade D looking dented and possibly broken in some way. The phone’s grade will dictate the price, so ensure that you are keen on this aspect.
Moreover, you should be sure to buy your refurbished phone from a certified retailer. Apple sells its certified refurbished devices on its website. Alternatively, you can purchase refurbished devices from highly rated vendors like Phonebot, which provides excellent quality products at a much cheaper price. You’ll also get a comprehensive warranty and accessories with the device. And if you don’t like it, you can return it with no questions asked.
Similarly for Android fans, you don’t need to do a lot of research on various retailers. Phonebot stocks a huge range of new and refurbished phones, watches and iPads.
Wrapping up
Whether you want the Samsung Galaxy S20 or the iPhone 11, the bottom line is that refurbished phones get a bad rep for nothing. They might not be brand-new, but they offer the same functionality and convenience at a much lower price.
The bonus gift cards, massive discounts and buy-one-get-one-free deals offered during Boxing Day and other events could let you save even more. All you have to do is find a reliable reseller offering the best deals on refurbished phones and then be quick. It helps to do a little browsing ahead of time, as these deals don’t last long and the stocks fly off the shelves pretty quickly.
