Money Savers – Buy Factory Refurbished Products from Apple, Dell and HP

It's often a misconception that refurbished electronics are somehow defective or rejected in some way. In many cases, refurbished items are truly just as good as new but are labeled "refurbished" for logical reasons:

• Item was returned (box unopened) and can no longer be sold as "new"
• The box was, in fact, opened but the product never used
• Minor cosmetic damage during shipping that in no way affects the product's performance
• The item was used as a "Demo Unit" to demonstrate performance at places like trade shows or retail stores
• The manufacturer repaired a defective part of the product and repackaged it as "refurbished"

Apple, Dell and HP offer a bevy of refurbished items at more affordable prices and with a warranty - something third party retailers often don't offer. Buyers of refurbished products can shop with much more confidence if buying directly from the manufacturer or a trusted retailer, who will mark the refurbished items as "Factory Certified" (something you won't see when buying from a third party).

Also make sure there's a return policy on the refurbished product and that any necessary accessories (chargers, cables, etc.) are included in the package.

Refurbished isn't always 100% risk free, but when buying from a trusted source like Apple, Dell or HP, your chances of landing yourself a very good deal are high.

About Dyan James

Dyan has been researching, writing, copyediting, and proofreading articles across a variety of industries since 1998. She further developed her interest and talent for covering technology while working with the guys at DCG Technical Solutions, Inc. Whether writing from scratch, copyediting or simply polishing, Dyan has mastered the art of turning rough copy or a plain idea into an eloquently written piece.