When it comes to technology, most people associate price with quality and, for the most part, they’re right. A higher price indicates a better quality model, better features, longer life span and so on. That’s why people usually fork out large amounts of money to purchase the latest releases and models of tech gadgets. At times, we might even put ourselves into debt buying a new model of our favourite phone or laptop without even considering the option of purchasing used or second-hand stock, namely items that are refurbished or CPO.
We understand that the idea of purchasing a preowned item can be intimidating, which is why we’ve set out to give you all the must-knows on buying goods second hand, what CPO and refurbished mean and what the key differences are!
Why buy a used item when I can just buy a brand new one?
You may be thinking “why should I invest my money in something that’s second hand when I could just pay more and get a brand new model of what I want”?
There are two reasons why you should stop and consider purchasing pre-owned equipment: money and value for money.
As mentioned above, so many of us fork out thousands to get a brand new model of whatever we want, often putting ourselves into debt. Purchasing quality used equipment saves a lot of money and is almost as good as purchasing new for just a fraction of the cost, depending on the model.
A lot of us are also hesitant about the idea of buying something preowned. There’s a persistent belief that all second-hand goods are either outdated or damaged by previous owners. People worry that they may not be receiving the same value as a brand new model when they buy something used.
While you may definitely run into some shady deals offered online by private or third-party dealers, there are plenty of licensed stores selling high-quality second-hand items that are either refurbished or CPO, which both offer great value for money.
What is CPO?
CPO stands for certified pre-owned. It refers to any sort of asset (such as a phone or laptop) that has been brought in by its owner to be resold or traded in at a licensed dealer. The item then goes through rigorous testing and inspection for any potential hardware or software problems that may have developed since its manufacture. Any issues are repaired, and the item is meticulously cleaned and repackaged to be sold with a limited warranty.
Certified pre-owned items are in near-perfect condition and are resold for a reduced cost. The average person isn’t usually able to tell the difference between a CPO model and a brand new model. If the item is not deemed to be in near factory-level condition by technicians, it will not be marketed as certified pre-owned by the dealer.
Explore our range of high-quality certified pre-owned cell phones.
What is refurbished?
An item that has been refurbished was returned or brought in usually due to a manufacturing fault or defect. The item is then tested by technicians and repaired to good working condition and resold by a dealer. These items may or may not be backed by an extended or new warranty, and it’s important to confirm this before purchasing a refurbished item.
What’s the actual difference between the two?
It’s important to note that both the above terms indicate an item that has been previously used. If an item is certified pre-owned it should always come with a warranty and its quality will be backed by its supplier. A refurbished item’s working condition will vary and may not necessarily come with a warranty.
So which one should I go for?
That depends entirely on what you are looking for. Both options offer value for money, but a refurbished item will likely be cheaper than a CPO item. This may sound great at first but remember that not all refurbished items have the same quality, so be sure to ask questions and try to test-run the item before you commit to it.
A CPO item will be pricier but is in almost-new working condition, and comes with greater reassurance that you are buying good quality. At Mobitronics we believe in only giving our customers the highest quality pre-owned stock and, for this reason, we only sell certified pre-owned items on our website.
Whether you’re in the market for an iPhone, a MacBook or an Apple accessory, Mobitronics has what you’re looking for at an affordable price!
Shop online and check out our range of high-quality accessories, Macbooks and iPhones!
Have a question about what we offer? Contact us and we’ll see how we can help you.
