5 Issues to know earlier than shopping for refurbished tech in Africa

Refurbished tech will not be totally new or a giant deal in each a part of the world, Africa-inclusive. For a truth, a whole lot of Africans purposely go for refurbished tech, however some are offered faux devices repackaged as refurbished by doubtful distributors (would make a superb story for an additional day). Proudly owning refurbished tech gives a sensible solution to personal high quality devices at a fraction of the value new devices would value— whether or not it’s a smartphone, laptop computer, or gaming console, refurbished tech makes high quality devices accessible to hundreds of thousands of individuals on the continent. 

GlobalNewswire reported the African recommerce market – which incorporates refurbished and second-hand electronics – is rising at 14.2% yearly, and is projected to hit $2.6 billion in 2025 and $4.08 billion by the top of 2029. However earlier than you stroll right into a retailer or click on the purchase choice on a web site, there are a number of important issues it’s essential know to ensure you get a dependable tech machine, not an costly faux machine. 

1. Perceive what refurbished actually means: 

Not all refurbished tech is similar. Some are factory-refurbished, that means they’ve been inspected, repaired and licensed by the unique producer (suppose Apple or Dell). Others are seller-refurbished, fastened by particular person distributors who could also be certified or not.

For final peace of thoughts, all the time confirm before you purchase. Be certain all {hardware} components are functioning correctly, affirm that the machine helps the most recent safety updates, and demand on a sound guarantee. Manufacturing facility-refurbished comes with a superb guarantee and a excessive diploma of high quality management. Alternatively, the seller-refurbished gadgets range in high quality and situation. After studying this text, you’re not allowed to feign ignorance after shopping for a seller-refurbished gadget and it stopped working two hours, thirty-five minutes after making the acquisition (good luck getting your a reimbursement). 

2. Examine guarantee and return insurance policies: 

A vendor promoting a dependable refurbished tech product received’t hesitate handy you an affordable guarantee. In Africa, a whole lot of respected distributors provide 3-12 months of guarantee, whereas some casual distributors provide none however well-rehearsed guarantees and “Belief me, bro.”

To be on the secure facet, the place we clearly need you to be (or we might have gatekept our information), affirm: guarantee’s size and what precisely the guarantee covers (battery, display screen, motherboard, and so forth), if returns or exchanges are potential, and whether or not repairs are carried out regionally or abroad. You too can make your buy by verified on-line platforms. 

3. All the time confirm authenticity:

The sale of counterfeit or tampered devices is a rising concern. In Kenya alone, Counterpoint analysis knowledge recommended that by mid-2024, refurbished smartphones made up 60% of all cell phone gross sales, making the market a hotspot for faux gadgets. 

To guard your hard-earned cash: ask for the IMEI quantity, test the producer’s tag, and mannequin quantity and take a look at all options earlier than making fee. Unique refurbished tech would match official specs. If one thing feels off— it positively is. 

4. Examine battery life and software program replace:

Batteries are chemical elements that break down over time, whereas outdated software program can restrict performance— subsequently, study each fastidiously earlier than dropping any quantity on a refurbished gadget. Request a battery take a look at, or run one your self should you’re tech-savvy. 

Moreover, make sure the machine helps present software program updates and safety patches, it’ll be fairly irresponsible to purchase a tool that doesn’t assist software program updates in 2025. Additionally, carry out a manufacturing facility reset simply to make certain the earlier person’s knowledge is completely erased. 

5. Purchase from trusted refurbishers and never road distributors: 

This might have been primary on our guidelines, however we figured we’d save the very best for final. Africa’s refurbished tech market remains to be rising, with a mixture of formal and casual distributors. Though the road distributors could provide the bottom costs, they largely minimize corners to save lots of prices and make most income. 

It’s best to search for sellers with: buyer critiques and rankings, certification or partnership with main manufacturers -this is hard, however actual certificates have watermarks and QR codes that lead again to the model’s website. Faux certificates are often of poor print high quality or have spelling errors-, official receipts and after-sales assist.