Buyer’s Guide For Refurbished iPhone XS Max
Buying a second-hand iPhone can be a tedious process. So many variables that you need to take into account, which makes the possibility of overlooking something crucial even higher. And most of the time, you discover something is wrong once you’ve already made that purchase. So in this buyer’s guide, I will explain what a refurbished iPhone is, what the best places to buy one, and what to look for before making that purchase.
But before we start with this buyer’s guide, let’s first understand what a refurbished iPhone is.
A refurbished iPhone is a pre-owned iPhone sent back by the owner or swapped for a new one. The seller then checks and cleans the iPhone thoroughly and, if needed, replaces some of its components with new ones. In general, this seller is certified and should be able to give you a warranty along with this refurbished iPhone.
What To Look For Before Purchasing a Refurbished iPhone XS Max?
A common thing that may happend when buying a second-hand iPhone is ending up buying a stolen one! Well that’s unlikely to happen when buying a refurbished iPhone. As a matter of fact, you shouldn’t worry about buying a stolen iPhone when you go for the refurbished route at all. That’s only possible when purchasing a secondhand iPhone.
But still, there are other variables you definitely should check before buying a refurbished iPhone XS MAX.
Promo Photos
Whenever you see a listing with promo photos, look further. This trick shouldn’t actually work at all, but still, some people do fall for it. Know that the seller is hiding something because he’s not showing you the real pictures of the iPhone. You should always see the real pictures before even considering to click that listing open.
Network Bands
You might overlook this one but make sure the iPhone you’re about to order will You might overlook this but make sure the iPhone you’re about to order will work with the carrier of your country. In general, most sellers will mention this in their listing but sometimes they don’t. So make sure to check whether the iPhone will work with your country’s network and if it’s not mentioned just ask the seller.
The Condition of the iPhone
When it comes to buying a refurbished iPhone XS Max (or any other iPhone) you get a classification that you can choose from. The terminology may vary from seller to seller but you can think about Grade A to D, where A stands for excellent condition and D stands for decent condition.
Just keep in mind that scratches and dents are not the things you should worry about most. It’s the battery condition, and overall the inside components.
Also, if you’re about to buy an iPhone XS Max, which is considered a fairly new iPhone, then you might be thinking about looking between Grade B and A. This iPhone is after all nearly three years old, which means that the battery of most iPhones is used quite a lot.
Where to buy a refurbished iPhone XS Max
It’s crucial to know if the seller is reliable when buying a refurbished iPhone XS Max (or any iPhone for that matter). Nowadays, we shop primarily online. And most likely, you’re looking for a refurbished iPhone online as well.
Since it is still possible to buy a phone in person at the shop, which can be a good option too, the companies mentioned in this article offer their services online. I’ll also mention the country/continent where that company operates.
eBay
When it comes to buying a product second-hand, eBay is a trustworthy player in the eCommerce business. But there is a catch. eBay offers both used iPhones and refurbished ones. So be careful when tracking down their list. Most of the time, when the iPhone is refurbished, you get to see the condition (Good, Very Good or Excellent) followed by the word refurbished.
On the other hand, if the iPhone is used and not refurbished, you get to see the word pre-owned.
| eBay | |
| Grading System | Ebay does have a grading system. All iPhones should look new and if you’re not satisfied, you’ve 14 days to send the phone back. |
| Review System | Ebay has a review system and you should use that before buying the refurbished iPhone. |
| Warranty | This depends on the seller but in general, you should get a one-year warranty service. |
| Return service | You have 14 days to check and test the iPhone out before you can send him back. |
| Carrier | In general, the iPhones are unlocked, but be careful since there might be some sellers who sell locked iPhones for a specific area, such as the UK. |
Amazon
I don’t have to tell you that Amazon is currently the most prominent online retailer on the planet. It surpassed Walmart many years ago, and it grows bigger and bigger every single day. So when it comes to buying refurbished iPhones from reliable sources, then is Amazon the place to be. Another advantage when buying from Amazon is seeing what other people thought of the seller. That way, you can determine for yourself if that seller is someone you want to do business with or not.
| Amazon | |
| Grading System | Amazon doesn’t have a grading system. All iPhones should look new and if you’re not satisfied, you’ve 14 days to send the phone back. |
| Review System | Amazon is known for its loyalty to the customer, which means that you can trust their reviews made by the previous buyers. |
| Warranty | This depends on the seller but in general, you should get a one-year warranty service. |
| Return service | You have 14 days to check and test the iPhone out before you can send him back. |
| Carrier | In general, the iPhones are unlocked, but be careful since there might be some sellers who sell locked iPhones for a specific area, such as the UK. |
The Apple Refurbished Store
Apple needs to be first on this list when it comes to buying a refurbished iPhone. I mean, they are, at the end of the day, the actual producer of the iPhone. So when an iPhone gets refurbished, they know exactly how to do so. I put them third on this list because their refurbished iPhones can get a bit expensive. But that’s what you pay for when buying products at Apple: the quality they offer.
It goes without saying that all their refurbished iPhones are thoroughly tested and cleaned. They also replace components if it’s necessary. So if the battery gets replaced, you know for sure that it’s an original battery.
| Apple | |
| Grading System | Apple has one grading which is Excellent. They don’t believe in multiple calssification. |
| Review System | Apple is not platform where sellers and buyers meet. So you can trust on their word. Otherwise, if the iPhone has malfunctions, just send it back before the 14-days-trial period. |
| Warranty | The same one-year warranty as a brand new iPhone |
| Return service | You have 14 days to check and test the iPhone out before you can send him back. |
| Carrier | In general, the iPhones are unlocked, but be careful since there might be some sellers who sell locked iPhones for a specific area, such as the UK. |
Swappie
This Finnish company is relatively young compared to other companies on this list, but they seem to know their craft. I experienced their service, and I should say, I was pretty amazed.
I bought a silver iPhone XS Max at this company not long ago, and the whole process went very smoothly. Their website is straight to the point; you can choose the color of the iPhone, its capacity, and its condition. This last one varies from Acceptable up to Very Good.
One downside, though: you don’t get the charging brick. You only get the cable. I would have understood that if I had purchased the iPhone 12 or 13. Apple excluded the charging brick from these iPhones as well. But it was the XS Max. Last time I checked, the charging brick was just in the box along with the iPhone XS Max.
| Swappie | |
| Grading System | Swappie has a grading system between Acceptable, Good, Very Good and Like New. |
| Review System | They have a review system. Read the reviews before you go over to a purchase. |
| Warranty | 12-Month Warranty |
| Return service | You have 14 days to check and test the iPhone out before you can send him back. |
| Carrier | In general, the iPhones are unlocked, but be careful since there might be some sellers who sell locked iPhones for a specific area, such as the UK. |
Why it’s always better to buy a refurbished iPhone over a used one
When it comes to buying a second-hand iPhone, you have the choice between a used iPhone and a refurbished one. Keep in mind that it is always better to buy a refurbished iPhone because of the following reasons.
- When buying a refurbished iPhone, you also get a warranty for a specific period.
- Refurbished iPhones are, in general, checked by a specialist.
- Keep in mind that a used iPhone can be stolen!
- The condition of a refurbished iPhone is primarily good. There is a range from D up to A. It’s up to you what range you choose.
- The battery health of a used iPhone can be weak.
- When buying a refurbished iPhone, you can choose the color and storage of the iPhone. With a used one, you have one option: the one the seller has.
| Condition | Warranty | Return | Options | |
| Refurbished iPhone | Ranged from A – D, where A is as good as new and D is descent. | Yes, the iPhone comes with a warranty. | Yes. | You have the option to choose the color and storage. |
| Used iPhone | It depends. The condition of the iPhone is mostly bad when it comes to used iPhones. | If the iPhone is just released and purchased at Apple, you may get the warranty along with it. but it’s not usual. | No. | When it comes to the color and storage, you get what the pre-owner had. |
Four Reasons Why it’s better to purchase a refurbished iPhone over a New one
Sometimes it’s even better to buy a refurbished iPhone over a new iPhone. Since the release of the iPhone XS Max, the functionality of the current iPhones didn’t change that much. Yes, we got slightly better display, cameras, and CPU, but overall the XS Max can handle the same things as the iPhone 12 Pro Max.
So, if you don’t care much about possessing the newest and latest devices. I would highly recommend you to just go for a refurbished iPhone and save up some money, that you might use for something better.
01.
Design
It depends on which range you’ve chosen but mostly they are scratch and dent free
02.
Quality
In general, refurbished iPhones are checked thoroughly.
03.
Cheaper
Refurbished iPhones are cheaper than new ones while their quality is not much worse than a new iPhone.
04.
Good for the environment
It’s better to buy something that’s already produced instead of a new product since the latter needs raw materials that need to be sourced.
Is the quality of a refurbished iPhone reliable?
Buying a new iPhone can be an expensive purchase. So it’s natural to have concerns about the quality of that phone. And to be honest, the quality of a refurbished iPhone depends on where you buy it. So keep in mind that it is essential to choose a well-established seller to buy any refurbished iPhone from.
But to know whether a refurbished iPhone is reliable or not, I highly recommend you to follow the steps we discussed in this guide carefully before you go over to purchase.
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