Most of the smartphone manufacturing companies are launching their new models frequently, which comes with additional hardware and software specifications than the older models and this is what makes people change their minds and attract them to buy the newer model while selling old phone. Some of them exchange the old mobile but few of them sell the mobile. Selling the used phone is more profitable than exchanging it.

Buying a used phone is not an easy task at all, you need to know various thing before buying a used mobile phones and also there are lot of people who still question about the warranty of the phone or can the phone be insured or not, how good is the condition of the phone? And many other things that are to be checked and verified thoroughly. If not verified then you might get a faulty or fake phone or it might be a stolen one. Buying a stolen phone is one of the worst decisions because a stolen phone might be linked to some criminal activity and if caught then you might be in great trouble.

What are Used Phones?

Used phones are pre-owned phones, used by someone in the past for a certain period and due to various reasons and factors, it is available for sale at a low cost. Second hand phone prices are lower, but it doesn’t have any guarantee that it might be a healthy mobile, it might be a faulty or damaged one.

 But there is an advantage to buy second hand mobiles sometimes we can get used phones in good condition or almost a new second hand phone as someone wants to sell it due to financial problems or wants to buy another mobile. In this type of situation, you might also get a warranty on the phone as it is rarely used and brought recently.

What are Refurbished Phones?

Refurbished phones are used phones that are used by somebody for a very limited amount of time and due to some fault or some problems in the phones, they are then returned to the manufacturer or seller for repairs. After getting repaired and reconditioned like a new-one. They are available for sale at a low cost than the original price.

Refurbished products are usually not sold in original packing but you can get all original accessories present in the mobile phone and the reason you should buy a refurbished phones is that they are well tested and free of any damages and problems as it is verified by authorized technicians and checked thoroughly before being available for sale. Moreover, almost every refurbished mobiles comes with a manufacturer's warranty, the same warranty period as the new ones.

Do refurbished phones mean second hand phones?

Refurbished and Second hand phones are almost the same as they both are used phones but the only difference is refurbished phones are checked and repaired and second hand mobile are not.

Refurbished phones are faulty phones available for sale after getting repaired by the seller or manufacturer and it is always less risky compared to second hand phones and refurbished phones have a warranty that can be insured too. But second hand mobiles are cheaper than refurbished phones and they might be in a new-like condition as they might be used by the seller rarely or the seller has maintained the phone very well. The risk factor is a bit concerning in second hand phones they are not checked or verified by any seller, it is directly sold by the seller to the customer and if we buy the phone without checking or verifying it then we may be a victim of fraud as the phone got damaged very soon and the money used to buy the phone is a complete waste and also have to pay additional amount to repair the phone.

Can we trust refurbished mobiles?

Refurbished mobiles are really good and we can trust to buy a refurbished mobiles if we buy from a certified seller. Refurbished phones cost less than the original phone. For example, The original price of the iPhone 7 is Rs-28K in India, but if you want to buy the same moile as a refurbished one then you can get a Refurbished iPhone 7 at Rs-15 to 20K.

According to a survey 80% people are satisfied with refurbished products and they are really happy with the product they brought at low cost. According to some of the refurbished mobile sellers, they have sold thousands of products but they haven’t received a single complaint till now. Customers are truly satisfied with the refurbished product as refurbished products are verified and checked thoroughly and buying from a certified seller is even safer because certified sellers provide a warranty and also in the worst case they even replace the phone.

Advantages and Disadvantages of Refurbished mobile phones

Refurbished mobile phones are good to use because refurbished phones are not like normal second hand mobile phones. These phones are checked by the retailer both physically and internally by an experienced & authorized technician. Although the mobile phone might not look like a new one as there might be little scratches on the phone or it might be in a very good and well-maintained condition. There are no problems with the look of the phone and there is not to worry about the phone getting damaged as it is repaired and checked by a certified technician.

Advantages of refurbished mobiles phones:

• Refurbished mobile phones are cheaper than the actual cost of the phone.
• Refurbished mobile phones are way better than used phones or second handphones.
• Most of the refurbished mobile phones have a warranty same as the new ones.
• Refurbished phones are damage-free mobiles.
• Buying a refurbished mobile is less risky than buying a used mobile

Disadvantages of refurbished mobile phones:

• Old refurbished phones do not get software updates as they are out-dated.
• Most of the refurbished phones have poor battery backup.
• Refurbished phones may not look as good as new mobile phones, as they might have scratches on the surface of the mobile phone.
• Not all refurbished mobiles come with a warranty. It depends upon the seller.

Why Research is important before buying a used phone?

Research is very important before buying a used phone because doing research can help us learn a lot of things related to the product that we are about to buy or planning to buy. Research is important because there are a lot of fake people as well as their fake products that are available for sale in a very good shape and condition. People without research fall into the trap as the condition of the phone is good and price is also low and they immediately buy the phone and after using the phone for a certain period & the phone started showing problems and within few days it will completely stop working and after that neither you can return nor get a refund. All you can do is repair the phone by spending from your pocket.

While you are researching on the phone model make sure to know what are the problems people are facing using that phone or find out the cons of using that phone, it is important because once you have brought it and after that facing the problem is waste of money. Do not overpay for the used mobiles, compare the price on various sites and also check the condition of the mobile phone. Check the price and compare other phones with the same specification and choose the phone whose price is lower, try to negotiate or fix a good deal. So, that you can get the phone at a more profitable and extremely low price.

Things to consider before purchasing a used phone.

1. Research

Before making the final mindset to buy used or refurbished phones, Decide which phone you want to buy, whether you want to buy a cheap iPhone or refurbished iPhones or used iPhone or any other smartphone you want to buy. Do some research on the phones go through different reviews and recommendations and find out what are the most common problems people are facing with the product can you adjust to that problem or you need to change your mind and switch to another smartphone to buy. Researching will help you get a quality and worthy product.

If you are deciding to buy a refurbished phone then search for a certified refurb seller. These sellers provide genuine refurbished products and there are also third-party refurbished sellers, they also provide refurbished products but cannot guarantee the originality of the product. So always go for certified refurb products.

2. Avoid Buying a Stolen Phone

Even if you are getting a very good deal like a high-budget phone at a very low price (i.e) the cost of the used phone of that model shouldn’t be so low, then be careful while buying the phone as it might be a stolen phone.

Check for original documents of the product. The document or the file where the details of the phones are mentioned should be visible very carefully and neatly if it is not visible properly then the document might be a faked one or might be tampered with to look like the original document. To check the originality of the document look for the IMEI number(International Mobile Equipment Identity) or dial *#06# to check the IMEI number of the phone and match the same with the original document or bill of the phone. If the serial number matches the number mentioned on the bill then it is not a stolen phone.

3. Real Vs Fake Phones

There are millions of fake phones getting sold around the world and fake smartphone sale costs the global industry 48 Billion US Dollars annually! There are a lot of Chinese and Korean phones available in the market a lot more cheaper than the original phone. These phones are cheaper because they are the clone version of the phone and it is very difficult for an individual to figure out whether it is an original product or a clone one.

To check the product first thing is to switch on the phone if it is already switched on then off the phone and switch on again and which logo appears during the switch on. From here most of the people can figure out the clone version or not. If still, you couldn’t figure it out then Go to settings and check the hardware and software details if still, you are not getting then you can download any third-party apps from PlayStore to check the hardware and software installed inside the phone or you can take help from any technician who has good knowledge on smartphones and from there you can easily figure out whether the phone is a clone one or an original one.

4. Inspecting the Phone Physically

Now we know that the phone is neither stolen nor a fake one. It is time to check the phone more deeply and physically. It is very necessary to check the phone from every angle and look for any sign of damage. If there is a cracked screen on the phone then look whether it the screen guard or the original screen. If the original screen is damaged then it might cost more than 3K and if it is the screen guard then it is manageable.

Look at the phone from every corner of the phone check the touch response brightness shake the phone well and listen if there are any sounds or not. if some sound is heard while shaking then something is broken inside the phone and ensure that the phone is not exposed to water damage.

 If the phone's battery is non-removal then look at the sim tray for water damage indicator. If the phone’s battery can be removed then switch off the phone and take out the battery and check for any changes on the charging ports, if the color is changed then it might be exposed to water and it is better to avoid buying the phone.

If there are many scratches on the phone then the phone might be frequently falling and getting internal damages. Even if there is no problem with the phone it is better to avoid these types of phones as they might show problems shortly.

5. Final Price

As you have done a lot of research inspecting the phone then you might have compared the pricing of the phone too. Don’t always fall for low prices, not low-priced things are worthful.

So, it is better to look at the phone condition and pricing comparing with other sites if there is a 200-300 rupees difference then it is ok. If the price difference is more it is better to go for the other one and look for a better deal and pay the price and don't overpay the seller as it is a used one it is meant to be a lower price, overpaying is a loss of money.

Where can you sell & buy used phones for a good price?

You can sell & buy used phones on classified sites like Cifiyah. It is one of the most trusted sites to buy and sell your products easily and securely. You can get huge varieties and options to buy cheap iPhones, refurbished iPhones, used iPhones and you can also get good and better cell phone deals & latest gadgets deals than any other classified site. You get good deals from online sellers rather than offline sellers.

You can post free ads on the Cifiyah website to sell or buy used phones easily. If you are new to the site then, Register and post an advertisement on the product that you want to want to sell it and mention all the details of the product including a good photo of the product to be sold and fix the desired price at which rate you want to sell used mobiles and wait for interested customers to contact you through mail or phone number that you have mentioned it during the time of advertisement.