| Gaining an understanding of what it means for an | | | | Instead of wasting all those other widgets that |
| item to be refurbished is important if you are | | | | work perfectly fine and losing all that money that |
| planning on buying a product, but especially any | | | | they invested in the product they will simply fix |
| consumer electronics. Many items often appear | | | | the error. This is what a 'refurbished GPS' could |
| under the moniker of refurbished in this area, with | | | | typically be. |
| very notable examples in MP3 players, cell phones, | | | | The other possibility is that the GPS device got a |
| desktops, laptops, and televisions. Because it | | | | scratch on its surface during the manufacturing |
| appears so often it is important that we have a | | | | process. Upon inspection the scratch was too |
| better understanding of what retailers mean when | | | | large to send the product out to stores to be |
| they apply this term to products, such as | | | | sold as new. Instead, the product is give the label |
| refurbished GPS. | | | | 'refurbished GPS' and sent out to the retailers at a |
| An item is considered refurbished when it has | | | | steep discount. |
| undergone major maintenance or minor repair for | | | | Still another possibility for the being labeled |
| mechanical or aesthetic malfunctions. To put it | | | | refurbished is open box items. It is common for |
| another way, a refurbished item is an item that | | | | purchasers of expensive electronic device to feel |
| was once broken but is now fixed. These repairs | | | | buyers remorse and return the item. These items |
| can be as minor as replacing a faulty button or | | | | have no defect but have only been returned |
| switch to a wholesale gutting of a product and | | | | because the original purchases did not like the |
| replacing it with new guts to make it work better | | | | item, felt bad about purchasing the item, or just |
| or more efficiently. | | | | did not feel like they really needed it. |
| Refurbished items are often very complex | | | | Whatever the reason, in the end it boils down to |
| devices. Let us take a GPS unit as an example. | | | | them returning a perfectly good item and you |
| These devices have many interconnected parts | | | | stepping in and buying it at a large discount. |
| including wiring, GPS signal receivers, a CPU, and | | | | This discount can be very substantial, sometimes |
| many other complex parts that interface with | | | | as much as thirty percent. Considering that a |
| each other. When a single piece in this system | | | | refurbished device is for all intents and purposes |
| malfunctions the device is unable to function | | | | the exact same as one that is 'new' means that |
| properly. The rotten apple has in effect spoiled | | | | you would be throwing away money if you |
| the whole barrel. | | | | bought a new item when a refurbished alternative |
| When this happens to a GPS unit the | | | | is available. Buying a refurbished GPS is a great |
| manufacturer almost always picks up on it during | | | | way to save money and to help stretch your |
| the quality assurance section of manufacturing. | | | | paychecks a little further. |
| Through testing they find out that widget C is not | | | | Buying refurbished is definitely the way to go for |
| functioning properly and needs to be replaced. But | | | | savvy consumers looking to enjoy the comfort |
| according to regulations they are not longer able | | | | of electronics while being conscientious about |
| to sell this product as new because it already | | | | where there money is going. |
| reached a certain stage in the production process. | | | | |