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Refurbished Computers
Refurbished items are used computers that have been rechecked for a resale and given good warranties. There are many reasons why a electronic device ends up being a refurbished item, including being a customer return, an exemplary showcase product at a store, and so on. Simply opening the product box is enough for the computer to be submitted to the refurbishment process. In fact, manufacturers have estimated that about 5% of all computers sold are returned to the stores for one reason or another. Many of these computers are put through a refurbishment process and then resold to the public. The refurbishment process varies from one manufacturer to the next, so you should always check what applies to the store you're dealing with. Typically, the computer is tested, and if any discrepancies to original manufacturer's specifications are found, the computer is remanufactured to meet those requirements. Also, the associated warranties on a refurbished item may differ from one store to the next, so you should also compare the associated warranties on such items. The typical warranties attached to remanufactured computers range from 30 to 60 days. The majority of defects on computers, new and refurbished, on average appear within the first few weeks of purchase, so the warranties should be enough, on average. However, you should test and check the remanufactured computer thoroughly immediately after purchase. Finding Refurbished Computers There are several places where you can find refurbished laptops and desktop computers. Some of the best places in this regard are the bigger resellers of new computers that get a lot of customer returns. Also, there are companies that focus on selling refurbished computers instead of new ones. They buy refurbished/used computers from other companies, then sell them onwards at a healthy profit margin. Also, some of the manufacturers are good places to find refurbished items. For example, IBM and Dell offer used computers that have gone through the refurbishment process, from such sources as off-lease and from customer returns. Online sources where you can find refurbished items include: ibm.com (look for IBM certified used equipment) dell.com (look for Dell Outlet) refurbdepot.com amazon.com (look for "outlet, used & refurbished" at the Computers section) buy.com (look for clearance center)
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