Fixed for the Holidays

Buying refurbished could cut the environmental impact of gifting a new smartphone by up to 91%.

Why Shop Refurbished?

Buying used is a greener choice: Most of the environmental damage from our electronics comes from the manufacturing process. Buying refurbished reduces the environmental impact of gifting a new smartphone between 77% and 91%. It also prevents the extraction of 180 lbs. of resources and the emission of 50 lbs. of climate change pollutants. 

Black Friday prices without the Black Friday crowds: You can often find great deals on used electronics and get something that’s like-new, but for a sizable discount. The difference between a used and new item can be negligible—some were even returned without being opened. 

Getting started: what to know before you shop refurbished

1) Higher-quality devices tend to make better refurbished gifts. Unfortunately, not all electronics are made to last very long, and while you should always look for durable items to avoid waste, this is especially true when shopping refurbished. Things designed to last usually cost a little more upfront, but provide big savings over time.

2) Check if the manufacturer has a track record of durability and repairability. Consumer Reports tracks durability data for electronics and appliances, and members can look up information there. U.S. PIRG Education Fund also compiled a repairability scorecard for the top laptop and phone makers, while iFixit posts repairability scores for phones, laptops and tablets. The easier an item is to repair, the longer it will last.

3) Know what you want before you shop. When you’ve done a little homework and you know the make and model of the item you want, it takes a lot of the guesswork out of buying refurbished. 

4) Be wary of these items:

• Items that are using software which is no longer supported. Manufacturers will stop supporting software on older laptops, phones and tablets, making them more vulnerable to attacks and likely to lose features.
• Televisions and desktop computer monitors are more likely to have issues, given their bulk and fragility. 
• Printers. Typically, printers wear down as they use ink and toner, which builds up inside. Refurbishers rarely clean out all that ink.
• Items with impossible-to-replace batteries. For example, every generation of AirPods—including the new AirPods 4—have glued-in batteries, making replacing those batteries impossible.

Where to shop refurbished electronics

Because buying refurbished increases your risk of issues down the line, it’s even more important to trust who you’re buying from. 

Retailers that specialize in refurbished gifts

Over the last few years, the marketplace for refurbished electronics has grown to include more choices and better quality standards for consumers. Here are some of our favorite places to shop refurbished: 

• Back Market: Back Market and has high standards for its refurbished products. They carry phones, tablets, desktop and laptop computers, as well as televisions and audio equipment, which all come with a minimum 1-year warranty and a 30-day return policy. 
• Gazelle: Gazelle buys and resells refurbished electronics from users and from mobile carriers, and has a wide selection of phones, tablets and laptops. The site has an extensive and easy-to-use search function that allows you to find what you’re looking for in no time. They also offer free standard shipping and a 30-day return policy. 
• VIP Outlet: Much of VIP Outlet’s inventory of computers, tablets, cameras, phones and other devices come from returns, so the products are close to new and also come with a 90-day warranty. 
• Decluttr: Decluttr certifies their refurbished tech with a 12-month warranty and 14-day return policy. Students can get a 10% discount on CDs, DVDs, Blu-Rays, games, books and toys.

Other ways to shop refurbished 

• Original equipment manufacturers are a reliable source of refurbished products, though they are also the most expensive. Not all manufacturer refurbishment programs are created equal in terms of what they check and how long they warranty the product, so it’s important to look at our tips below. Some manufacturers actively block third-party technicians from access to parts and information required to properly service their products, and then charge you whatever they want for any future repairs.
  • Apple
  • Google
  • Samsung
• Amazon: Amazon allows a variety of suppliers to use their refurbished and certified pre-owned marketplace (except, that is, if those suppliers want to sell repaired Apple products). Amazon has the largest selection of products and offers a minimum 90-day supplier-backed warranty and a 30-day return policy.
• Best Buy: You can buy a range of used products through the Best Buy Outlet, and they come in different categories: Open-Box, Refurbished and Pre-Owned. Shopping through this tool can be somewhat complicated as the warranties and quality vary, but it has a large selection and carries Best Buy’s return and exchange promise.
• Walmart: Walmart has been expanding its Certified Refurbished Electronics program and offers a minimum 90-day warranty. While Walmart has a smaller selection than Amazon and Best Buy, it can have bigger discounts.
• Newegg: Newegg has a very wide selection of computer products and a refurbished marketplace for desktops, laptops and more. Newegg often carries a factory warranty on their computers, but this varies by product.
• Facebook Marketplace: You might not think to look for tech on Facebook Marketplace, but it’s just like buying anything else off the direct-to-consumer platform. You should verify that the device is working and in good condition — ideally with video demonstrations sent by the seller or a live demonstration when meeting in-person before buying.

Five tips to help you shop refurbished

1) Check to ensure the process of refurbishing is thorough. Terms such as “Like-New,” “Open-Box,” “Refurbished,” or “Certified Pre-Owned” can mean very different things at different places. Some vendors claim that an item is refurbished when all they do is make sure it turns on and wipe it clean with a cloth. You can read the vendors’ refurbishing practices, and you can also stick with the refurbishers we recommend above. 

2) Find out about accessories. Items that, when new, come with earphones, connecting cables and charging stations, don’t always come with those important accessories when bought used. You should always check to see what you are getting and whether you will need to purchase other accessories. The fewer accessories included in your purchase, the more of a discount you should expect.

3) How to know you are getting a good price.

• Make sure you know when the model came out. Prices for refurbished items are mostly set by the year the product debuted, not how long those specific items were in use. This matters less with devices that don’t require a lot of software updates, such as cameras; but with a device like a tablet, the older the device, the more issues it may have with running the latest software.
• Generally speaking, the cost for a reliable, certified pre-owned piece of equipment is usually about 15-20% less than buying new, plus 10% off per year since the original sale. So, a three-year-old tablet might be about half the price of the newest model of that same tablet.
• There are options to compare products on most of the retailers mentioned above. Don’t automatically choose the cheapest option if you find one merchant selling the same item at a much lower cost—there is probably more risk, so focus on vendor reliability and read the fine print.
• Once you find the product you want, check the price against other options. Just because it’s refurbished doesn’t automatically mean it’s a better deal. 

4) Get protection—warranty, returns or purchase insurance. First you should get a sense of the length and terms of the return policy. Most sellers will give you 30 days to return, but some give you just a couple of weeks, meaning you have to flag defective products very quickly. In addition to a good return policy, you want at least a 90-day warranty in case the item needs to be serviced. Paying with some credit cards will extend your warranty and give you additional purchase protection, which is a good way to enjoy the cost savings without the risk. Your credit card company can also help get your money back if the seller won’t accept a return.

5) Avoid products that aren’t designed to last. Tech with glued-in batteries, like Apple AirPods, have a limited lifespan, since all batteries eventually stop holding their charge and need to be replaced. When manufacturers design their products to be disposable, such as with glued-in batteries or short software support timelines—our environment and our wallets pay the price. Repair scores can help us pick products designed to last and push manufacturers to avoid bad practices.

Final tips for giving refurbished gifts:

1) Check the item before you gift it. The less time you leave between buying a product and testing it thoroughly, the better. It’s much easier to get your money back for a defective product if you flag problems right away, and it’s harder for the seller to claim it was your fault. If the device has a camera, check the lens for scratches and take a test picture. If the seller doesn’t cooperate when you flag issues, try contesting the charge with your credit card company, which can often get your money back.

2) Plan to rewrap. Sometimes when you buy refurbished, the original box is damaged or missing. If you are giving the item as a gift, you might want to plan for some extra time to make it look nice when you give it.) Don’t toss the old electronics! If you are upgrading your own electronics, your older devices could still be working. Consider giving them to a friend or donating them to a nonprofit. If they’re definitely at the end of their life, find a reliable electronics recycling center.

How to keep electronics out of the trash year-round

No one walks into the store and thinks, “I’m going to buy something unfixable and throw it out in two years!” But how do we know which products are designed to last?

Repair scores that list how fixable a device is before we make an expensive purchase can help. The 1 through 10 score tells us about availability of spare parts, ease of disassembly and longevity of software support. Manufacturers already have these scores because of laws in other countries, American consumers deserve to see them too.