Ever thought about what you are getting yourself into by buying second-hand gadgets? Before we dive deep into what is what, let’s take a breather to understand what second-hand gadgets are. Second-hand gadgets are those gadgets that have been used before and given, donated, or refurbished. You have probably heard of the UK used, London used, China used, and the US used gadgets. The biggest market for second-hand gadgets is mostly iPhones, iPods, laptops, and Samsung phones.
Yes, they may still look new and shiny leaving you excited and hoping they work exactly like brand new gadgets (do not be deceived). Refurbished gadgets are those that have been returned to the manufacturer and this could be done because of a number of reasons, for example, exchange for a newer product, damages or simply not finding it satisfactory either way you never know which gadget you will land on. You might be lucky enough to get one taken back in exchange for a newer product or unlucky to acquire one with damages. This guide will detail for you the pros and cons of buying second-hand gadgets.
Pros of Buying Second-Hand Gadgets
Second-hand gadgets come at a lower price compared to brand new phones making them more tempting to buy especially with the current economy for example the estimated price for a brand new iPhone 13 pro max can go as far as six million Uganda shillings yet you can acquire a second-hand version for as low as three million Uganda shillings (very enticing). The catch with gadgets is that every time a new version is released, the older versions depreciate in price, this is mostly for phones for instance according to Bankmycell.com, the current depreciation trade-in value in a year’s time for iPhone is -16.70% while that for Andriod is -33.62%. In short iPhone, prices drop a great deal every time a new version is released compared to Android phones
By making the decision to buy a second-hand gadget, you are conserving the environment by reducing e-waste thus delaying the dumping of more waste. That is the way to go instead of having more e-waste pilling up. Did you know that particular gadget parts can not be recycled or take ages to decompose? That is e-waste, so every time you decide to discard a gadget, be sure your releasing waste in to the environment and your definitely contributing to the billions of trash on the planet.
If you land on a good second-hand gadget you get to save some money you would have incurred in buying a brand new one. Lets say your buying a laptop, a brand new HP Envy x360ay0008ne convertible laptop could go at almost six million Uganda shillings yet a used laptop of the same model is being sold at two million Uganda shillings depending on the dealer. If you buy a used laptop you save three million shillings, this money can do so many other things.
Cons of Buying Second-Hand Gadgets
The irony is that when buying a second-hand gadget, for some reason the damages will not appear immediately. They give you time to settle in, get comfortable and then show up. And it is very hard to fully check the gadget for damages and all dents when purchasing it. You could be unlucky enough to start facing challenges like a blinking screen, short battery life after your warranty time expires and then your stuck with an incompetent, problematic gadget.
Second-hand gadgets can also turn out to be stolen gadgets, there you are on your honeymoon with your newly purchased gadget only to have the police knocking on your door claiming you are in possession of a stolen gadget (the terror!) You could end up in jail for this if not careful. The thing is the thief might steal a gadget let’s say an iPhone, and switch it off for a given period of time then resell it when they believe the owner is no longer searching for it, some go as far as changing the motherboard of the phone and then there you will be purchasing a phone with a stolen motherboard and welcoming jail time.
The second-hand gadgets come with an unknown life span mostly because you do not know how long the former owner has them and what damages they could be having. If you happen to be unlucky you can end up buying an expensive gadget only to have to work for six months leaving you back on the streets to hunt for another gadget to use and you will need money again. If you are planning on buying an iPhone, you can always check the activation date before you purchase the phone.
Second-hand phones come with no warranty making them riskier, if you are lucky enough you will find a dealer giving you a warranty but in most cases, the warranty may be for a few weeks or months. This means at the end of this warranty time, any damages or defects that appear are on you and you will incur a cost to have them fixed.
With these pros and cons in mind, you can make a better decision on which gadgets will work for you and whether or not to purchase used gadgets.