Bargains are hard to resist, more so with electronic gadgets. Say for instance, there is this computer that you have been longing to buy but is way out of your budget. Then you see an ad that showcases the computer of your dreams but is less expensive. Certainly, a great deal. But before you go prancing to the store and purchasing the product, you have to understand first what refurbished really means.

Are they defective products that were just repaired? Are they gadgets that have not passed the standards? Or will it just work the first few times then will simply crash? These are just a few of the questions that one might think of when seeing the word refurbished attached to computers, or any other electronic devices for that matter.

Items are considered refurbished if they fall under any of the following categories:

1. Customer Return

Most companies have a 30-day return policy for any products. Customers can simply return the products whether it was used or not and for whatever reason for as long as it falls within the time frame.

If there is nothing wrong with the product, retailers can still resell it but at a lesser price. On the other hand, if the product has defects, the product is returned to the manufacturer to be repaired and then repackaged and sold as a refurbished item.

2. Opened boxes

For as long as the box is opened and repackaged, even if there is no damage or no repairs was done, the unit is still classified as refurbished.

3. Damaged Items

• damaged during shipping

Most products are damaged during shipping due to mishandling and the weather. Even if the content is still in great shape but the box looks worn-down, retailers and customers would not want to accept it. These boxes would be returned to the manufacturer for repackaging and will be sold as refurbished items.

• cosmetic damages

Occasionally, a product has dents, scratches, or any other deformation on its exterior that does not affect the performance of the computer. The manufacturer will either sell it with the cosmetic damage, or will fix it and sell it at a reduced price. Either way, the product will still be sold as refurbished.

• deficiency during production

During production, there are instances wherein a set of chips or components used are defective such that when they are checked for performance, they would fail to run. In cases like these, the products will be returned to the factory for repairs and adjustments, and will be released as refurbished items.

4. Surplus items

If a company has manufactured excessive number of computer units and is on the verge of introducing a new model, they usually sell the older units at a discounted price and label them as refurbished for a quick sale.

On the whole, when an electronic device is repackaged or shipped back to the manufacturer, even if the unit is still in perfect working condition, the item can not be sold as brand-new and is already deemed as refurbished. You can see that buying refurbished products is not a bad idea after all. It is a great method of getting a fantastic product at a lesser price. The important thing to remember when purchasing computers, whether it be brand-new or refurbished, is to inspect the computer yourself and make sure that it lives up to your expectation.