Refurbished phones

Frequently asked questions about refurbished phones

What is a refurbished phone?

A 'refurbished phone' (also known as a 'reconditioned phones', 'refreshed phones' or 'clearance phones') is effectively a pre-owned handset which has been opened and returned in most common cases within the available returns period of a 7 day money back guarantee.

Other times it could be that the phone developed a small fault which was repairable upon return to the manufacturer. The handset is then tested and inspected thoroughly to make sure there are no further issues, cleaned and repackaged like new to be resold.

How are refurbished phones different from new phones?

There are no differences between a refurbished phone and a brand new phone in terms of features and operation but may have some very minor cosmetic markings as the phone may have been handled before it was returned. This will not affect the performance of the phone it will operate exactly like a new version of the phone would.

You may receive a different box to the original box that the handset was sold with but will still include everything you need such as the battery, charger and manual like you would expect of all new phones.

All refurbished phones come with a 12 month manufacturer's guarantee for absolute peace of mind. You still have your 7 day legal returns period that you receive with any online purchase due to UK distance selling regulations, which is more than you receive from buying in-store.

Why are refurbished phones popular?

There are some very attractive discounts available on refurbished phone deals from our partners that you simply could not get on a new phone. Considering that refurbished phones have usually been returned unused it is a great option to save some money on your mobile phone.

How rigorous are refurbished phones tested?

Due to the data protection act all phones are completely wiped and reset to factory defaults to remove any information that may have been left behind by a previous user. All major hardware is inspected such as the display, keypad if one exists, charger, reception and any other areas reported as faulty if it was a return due to a handset problem.

Refurbished phone warranty and returns

When you purchase any phone online you are covered by the UK distance selling regulations which legally gives you 7 days to return the item. You are also covered beyond that with a minimum 12 month manufacturers warranty in case anything should go wrong with the handset for peace of mind in case any issues do occur. Beyond the warranty you can always extend your cover if you take out mobile phone insurance.

What if a refurbished phone goes out of stock?

Unfortunately due to the limited numbers of stock available and the demand being generally high for such great value mobile deals guarantee of stock cannot be made. Once it is sold out it is gone so you have to act fast or wait to see if they become available again.

Refurbished phones vs brand new phones

If you are looking for a great value deal, certainly buying a refurbished phone makes great sense to save some money. The very latest handsets that have been released will likely not be available refurbished for the first few months. If they do become available they will be in very small quantities so you will have to act fast if the demand for the phone is high, before they are sold out.