{"id":6092,"date":"2015-07-20T08:00:09","date_gmt":"2015-07-20T12:00:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.gazelle.com\/thehorn\/?p=6092"},"modified":"2015-07-07T14:56:51","modified_gmt":"2015-07-07T18:56:51","slug":"3-questions-before-buying-used-electronics","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.gazelle.com\/thehorn\/2015\/07\/20\/3-questions-before-buying-used-electronics\/","title":{"rendered":"3 Questions to Ask Before Buying Used Electronics"},"content":{"rendered":"

My computer recently started giving me the \u201cblue screen of death<\/a>.\u201d I did everything within my power to fix it, but alas, I\u2019m now shopping for a replacement. My budget is tight, and I still need a machine with good storage and power.<\/p>\n

I turned to my brother-in-law, who knows far more about these things, and he pointed me to a website that met my price range and specifications. The problem? All their computers were refurbished. So I questioned: Was it worth spending money on a used item?<\/p>\n

After researching the vendor, I got over my concerns\u2014and saved a lot of money in the process. If you\u2019re looking to buy used electronics<\/a>,\u00a0answer these three questions to ensure you\u2019re getting good value.<\/p>\n

1. How Are the Reviews?<\/b><\/p>\n

It\u2019s easy to find reviews of a service through the company\u2019s website, Google search and the Better Business Bureau<\/a>. Don\u2019t just look at its overall star rating, though. Take the time to read the positive and negative reviews. The former may not make sense, while the latter may actually complain about something like UPS losing the package and not the product itself.<\/p>\n

Expand your search when looking too. Fake online reviews<\/a> certainly aren\u2019t unprecedented, so use additional research methods. Do a Google \u201cnews\u201d search to see if the coverage of the company indicates any problems. And be sure to message your connections on social media. A good or bad review from someone you know and trust is much more valuable than one from \u201ctechguy999\u201d (no matter how authoritative that screen name sounds like).<\/p>\n

2. What\u2019s the Return Policy? <\/b><\/p>\n

A big selling point for buying refurbished is saving money. However, if the product doesn\u2019t work, it could end up costing you money instead\u2014especially if the vendor offers a poor return policy. Find out if you\u2019re buying something \u201cas is,\u201d or if \u201call sales final.\u201d If so, you may want to stay away.<\/p>\n

Instead, look for a company that stands behind its product. Check out its return policy to see if they allow you to return the item if it doesn\u2019t work correctly (they better!) or even if you\u2019re just unhappy with the device. For instance, if you want to\u00a0buy a used iPad or used iPhone<\/a>, Gazelle offers full refunds if you return the item within 30 days of purchase.<\/p>\n

3. What Exactly Are They Selling?<\/b><\/p>\n

One common worry with refurbished items is that you\u2019re buying something that was previously broken. However, that\u2019s not always the case. \u201cRefurbished\u201d can mean many different things<\/a>, including demo units, open box items, and yes, products that were previously defective.<\/p>\n

If your item falls into that last group, look for information on how the vendor addresses it. Is the item \u201cfactory refurbished,\u201d which means it likely went back to the manufacturer and retains its original warranty? Or does the vendor certify their products through a rigorous inspection<\/a> to ensure you receive a quality product? Such measures can help you feel more comfortable with your purchase.<\/p>\n

Have you bought refurbished electronics before? How were your experiences?<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"When you\u2019re buying used electronics online, research the vendor thoroughly to ensure that pre-owned item actually is a bargain.","protected":false},"author":16554,"featured_media":6093,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"csco_display_header_overlay":false,"csco_singular_sidebar":"","csco_page_header_type":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[1,13],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-6092","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-testing","8":"category-how-to","9":"cs-entry"},"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n3 Questions to Ask Before Buying Used Electronics - Gazelle The Horn<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"When you\u2019re buying used electronics online, research the vendor thoroughly to ensure that pre-owned item actually is a bargain.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.gazelle.com\/thehorn\/2015\/07\/20\/3-questions-before-buying-used-electronics\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"3 Questions to Ask Before Buying Used Electronics - 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