Why Buy Reconditioned Products On-line?

An age-old question when it comes to purchasing items on-line. Many of us are afraid to buy something that is refurbished and is not "new" (never been touched) and believe that these products are inferior or they will not work just because they are not labeled NEW. Well, let's discuss the issue in a little more detail.

One of the first things to discuss is what does "reconditioned" mean? (In many cases, the term refurbished is also used.)

An item that has been reconditioned, means an item has been restored to the original specifications established by the manufacturer when the product was made for sale to the consumer. An item may be reconditioned as a result of a return to the manufacturer due to the following:
1. The item was used in a showcase display or demonstration.
2. A return by a customer after the package was opened (the item may never have even been used).
3. The item was returned because of a defective part.
4. The customer discovered an imperfection or blemish on the product's surface.
5. A return for whatever reason the customer claims to a retail store during the return period, usually 30 days.
6. A return due to shipping problems when the item was damaged - sometimes even when only the carton was damaged!
In all cases above, the returned item will be inspected, fixed, tested and repackaged meeting all original product specifications. Just think of this process as one that makes the product as good as new, regardless of the problem causing the original return, since the manufacturer must re-test the item in its entirety prior to releasing it for resale. As a result, many products are warranted for 90 days unless specified otherwise.

So why would you want to purchase a reconditioned item?

For one thing, reconditioned items are a lot less expensive than new items. This works to your advantage since you can purchase an identical item to a new one at significantly less cost than an item that is brand new. Additionally, there is a lower return rate on reconditioned items as a result of the re-testing the reconditioning center does before releasing the item for sale. Return rates have been reported as low as 2% versus a normal return rate of 10%. If an item requires any kind of hard disk cleaning, the manufacturer (or professional outside company) will sanitize (clean) the disk and re-install software as necessary. When you receive you item, the only difference you may see is a very small label indicating the item was reconditioned. Depending upon the manufacturer, the item may arrive in a plain box. In this age of making your money go the farthest, it makes sense to purchase reconditioned items. If you have problems with the item you bought within the warranty period, return instructions should be followed as you would with any product you would return to the manufacturer. Usually, this would require you to send the package back through the mail. Your item would then be fixed and returned to you.

Where do you find out whether or not an item for sale has been reconditioned?

When you go to review a product offered for sale, the term should always be present in the description of the item. This is so a purchaser does not think that he or she is purchasing a brand new item. It is easy to assume (you know the adage about assume) that the items are new and in most cases, that assumption is probably correct. Better for the seller to disclose that the item is New or is Reconditioned so that the purchaser is fully informed. If you have questions whether the item is new or reconditioned, many stores (on-line or retail locations) have e-mail addresses or phone numbers to ask questions about the product.

Where can you locate items that are for sale on-line that are reconditioned?

So you want to save money by purchasing a reconditioned item but where can you find items on line? A quick keyword search through any number of search engines pops up an enormous amount of hits (over 1 million) on the keyword "reconditioned". Even Ebay has hits for reconditioned items that are for sale at that website. It may be necessary for you to refine the type of reconditioned item you are searching for to reduce the number of websites. For instance, if you are searching for reconditioned DVD players, there were over 47,000 sites. Further refinement may be necessary to find the item or website that has the item you are looking for.

Don't be afraid to purchase a reconditioned product. Do so with confidence that the product you have purchased as good or better than a new item and save money at the same time.