SAN FRANCISCO, July 27 — With only a few weeks left to run until the new school year begins, many parents are considering buying smartphones or computers for their children who may be entering junior or senior high school.
One of the most economical options for purchases of this kind is to buy from the booming refurbished market, which is now an excellent source of recent high-quality equipment at very low prices. Here are a few good reasons for choosing refurbished.
1 Products that are virtually new
With regard to technical specifications, refurbished devices are on a par with new products. In some cases, they are new products that have been returned by dissatisfied customers. In others, they initially left the factory with a small flaw that has since been fixed or they may have been models that were used for display purposes in retail outlets.
In all cases, they are tested and, if necessary, some parts have been changed. Last but not least, refurbished devices are sold under warranty, generally from six to 24 months, and certified as compliant.
2 Bargain prices
Buying a refurbished product is similar to buying a new device, but at a significantly lower cost. Depending on the brand and the age of the product, you can expect to save between 20 per cent and 50 per cent when compared to the standard retail price.
For example, on the specialist website backmarket.com you can find a Motorola Moto G (8 GB) for just US$35 (RM149), an iPhone 8 (64 GB) for US$250 and a MacBook Air 11 (Early 2015) for just US$400.
3 A comprehensive selection
There has never been such a wide selection of refurbished devices on offer from specialist websites like Back Market. At the same time, major retailers like Amazon, as well as Fnac and Cdiscount in France, are offering refurbished goods. Apple even has its own store for certified refurbished products by the famous brand.
4 Benefits for the environment
Opting for refurbished also helps to preserve the environment, by extending the useful life of a product instead of buying a new one. It is important to bear in mind that a smartphone can be composed of up to 70 different materials.
According to WWF France, buying a refurbished mobile saves about 35 kg of primary raw materials (copper, aluminium, rare metals, etc.) and avoids emissions of the equivalent of 25 kg of CO2. — AFP-Relaxnews
