Good as new: eBay’s Certified Refurbished program lets you snag like-new products for less

Whether you're buying a new laptop or planning on upgrading your camera, picking up the latest gadgets can be an expensive investment. If you try and save a bit of money, you're likely compromising on the features and specs, which may not end up being the kind of saving you'd like in the long run – and can lead to having to replace the item sooner than you’d expected. And that might also be the case if you end up going down the second-hand route.

Thanks to eBay Australia’s Certified Refurbished program, you can pick up powerful, full-featured and recent devices for considerably less than the RRP – even up to 50% less. Best of all, you don’t need to be worried about the quality of Certified Refurbished products, which come with an ironclad eBay guarantee. 

How can they do this? Any product marked as ‘Certified Refurbished’ has either been overhauled by the original manufacturer itself or the refurbishing process has been manufacturer-approved. The products come in new packaging along with any applicable original accessories, plus a 12-month seller warranty. And moreover, if there’s anything wrong with the product when it arrives, eBay’s Certified Refurbished program also offers free 30-day returns.

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In select company

eBay doesn’t allow just any old seller to participate in its Certified Refurbished program – this is a very selective program. Only merchants who offer high-quality refurbs can participate, and more often than not, that means the big brands themselves.

For example, you’ll find officially refurbished noise-cancelling headphones from Sennheiser for a fraction of their original (premium) price, alongside manufacturer-refurbished laptops from the likes of Dell and Asus. Overhauled cameras and drones, too, can be picked up for far less, and even Dyson’s expensive vacuum cleaners can be snagged for up to 19% off.

So what kind of products can carry the official ‘Certified Refurbished’ badge? eBay is very selective and there’s only a limited range of product types that qualify. That includes TVs and home entertainment systems, laptops and PCs, grooming products (such as hair dryers, clippers and trimmers, and electric toothbrushes), audio gear, and cameras and photography accessories to name some of the most popular.

As we’ve mentioned, many certified items are sold directly from the company that makes them, but in the instances where it’s not a manufacturer’s official store you’ll find trustworthy, manufacturer-approved and eBay-vetted resellers offering restored items for less. If a seller isn’t able to offer a minimum warranty period of 12 months, they’re not eligible to participate in eBay’s official refurbished program. The other requirements for resellers to qualify for this program are to provide brand-new or original accessories, new packaging and offer 30-day returns.

So when you’re purchasing refurbished items on eBay, be sure to look for the Certified Refurbished checkmark, or visit the dedicated Certified Refurbish page to guarantee you’re getting the real deal. 

You can find out more about refurbished warranties and the refurbished program on eBay Australia.

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