So you’ve decided to buy a refurbished phone. Smart choice! You can find great refurbished phones, like some of our favorites, for a fraction of the cost of the newest models. It’s important to do your due diligence when buying a used or refurbished phone, and that includes getting answers to these top 3 questions from the seller, whether it be a private party or a certified reseller.
Here are three questions to ask when you are considering a refurbished phone.
When you are buying a refurbished phone, you’ll want to be able to activate and use it with whatever provider you choose. It’s important when buying a refurbished phone to check to see if it’s unlocked. If the refurbished phone is locked, you won’t be able to activate it with the service provider of your choice.
There’s always a chance when you buy a refurbished phone privately that the phone might be stolen. The good news is, you can check before purchasing to see if the phone is blacklisted. It’s an easy process, you’ll first need to locate your device’s IMEI (International Mobile Equipment Identity) number or ESN (Electronic Serial number) and then you can use a mobile diagnostic like Phonecheck. This also gives you a certification with other facts about the device. Read more about how to see if the phone is blacklisted here.
This is one of the most important questions to ask when considering a refurbished phone. If you are purchasing the phone from a private party, you most likely won’t have a warranty. If you are purchasing from Amazon or Apple, they do offer warranties for the refurbished phones they sell.
These are our top 3 questions to ask when considering a refurbished phone.
