WASHINGTON — The holiday season is upon us and some consumer experts say you may be able to save some cash by buying refurbished devices instead of ones that are brand new.
Channel 2 Washington Correspondent Kirstin Garriss learned why the experts say the choice to buy refurbished items may be less expensive, and better for the environment.
For the savings-savvy shopper, refurbished electronics may be the best deals of the season.
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For the savings-savvy shopper, refurbished electronics may be the best deals of the season.
“Sometimes products that are sold on refurbished marketplaces could have just had the box open and it never even took a selfie, yet, you’re buying it at this, you know, 55% discount,” Lucas Rockett Gutterman, U.S. Public Interest Research Group Education Fund, said.
According to the U.S. PIRG Education Fund, you can save between 20% to 50% off by buying devices marked as open box, pre-owned or refurbished.
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Gutterman said big-name brands like Amazon, Walmart and Best Buy offer these deals, and there are even more licensed and certified marketplaces that sell discounted products too.
“They do a lot of quality control to make sure that what you’re getting works perfectly fine,” Gutterman said. “Then they give you a grading system to tell you if you should expect any cosmetic damages.”
Gutterman also said buying a secondhand device helps the environment.
“We’re throwing out 500 pounds of e-waste a second and giving refurbished means that we can reduce the environmental impact by up to 91% versus giving new,” he said.
Some products though aren’t built to last.
Consumer experts say to avoid buying devices with thin screens second-hand, like televisions or computer monitors. The items are fragile, bulky and often have issues down the line.
“We also recommend avoiding products that are rubbing against your skin,” Gutterman said. “Those also just don’t last as long.”
While shopping, Gutterman said to stay aware of return policies, which can be as much as 30 days but sometimes less.
“When you buy the product, you want to open it, make sure it works as expected, and flag any issues, if there are any,” he said.
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