Guide to purchasing a refurbished iPhone

Buying a refurbished iPhone should be a positive experience. But before purchasing you should read this guide. Refurbished iPhone’s have been previously used and you need to make sure that you are not purchasing a refurbished iPhone that is going to be a problem. You also want to make sure that in the event that there is an issue with your refurbished iPhone, your supplier is going to be there to assist you with their warranty process. All that being said, buying a refurbished iPhone has a lot of benefits:

- You get one of the best smartphones on the market at a massively reduced price (i.e. New iPhone is €800+, Refurb from €179)
- You are not tied into a contract with a service provider
- Get an unlocked (sim free) phone
- Some suppliers offer 24 month warranty. This is more than you get with a new model.
- Refurbished products are recycled products. Every year a large number of electronics products are wasted which greatly influence our environment. By buying these refurbished products, you can help to keep your planet clean.

What to look out for

Reviews – ALWAYS, I repeat, ALWAYS, read the customer reviews before buying. This is the most important step in purchasing a refurbished iPhone online. Look for a star rating with a minimum of 4 stars. If a company has a star rating of under 4 stars then the chances are they have a lot of unhappy customers. While the price tag might be attractive the after sale experience may not be so pretty.
Warranty – Usually refurbished phones don’t offer any warranty but it depends upon the company from where you’re going to buy your refurbished iPhone. Buying a refurbished iPhone from a trusted company ensures you one year warranty and an easy return policy.
Battery – Even though iPhones come with an impressive battery life that can handle more than 7 hours talk time when they are new, continued use weakens the battery. Find out how many hours of use the phone has gone through and consider whether the battery has been replaced. A refurbished phone whose battery has been replaced is a much better choice because it will easily meet your needs.
Grading – To save time and avoid possible problems or disappointment , make sure you understand the grading system of the company you plan to buy from. Here are some guidelines. *this is the grading system used by Creative IT. We do not assume responsibility for the grading system of any other supplier.
- Grade A – iPhone will be in excellent condition & have very little signs of use. It may have very minor wear on parts such as the corner. The screen will be in immaculate condition.Overall there will be no majorly visible markings.
- Grade B – iPhone will be in good overall condition. It will have minor wear to the corners and screen. It may also have minor scratches/marks around the surface. The screen may have negligible markings or blemishes markings or blemishes. There will be no physical damage to the iPhone.
- Grade C – iPhone will show clear signs of use. It will have dents in the casing, cracks in the casing, major scratches, clearly visible screen blemishes. It will however be in full working condition
Model – If possible try to get one of the later models. It is a well known fact that older iPhone’s slow down when updated to the latest release of the iOS software. At the time of writing this article we recommend the iPhone 6 and above.