Features
As good as new
Accessories should all be present, but it wouldn't be unheard-of for a generic item such as a mains lead or USB cable to get left out.
Your buying rights
Bearing the above in mind, when you buy a refurb you need to be prepared for the possibility of very minor cosmetic defects that you wouldn't accept in a brand new product. If you want to know exactly how close to perfect you can expect, just ask. All the vendors we spoke to were more than happy to describe what they sell in detail, and remember they each handle stock from various different sources, so the condition your purchase is likely to be in, from slightly foxed to factory gate perfection, will always depend on what you're ordering.
Other than that, your rights when buying refurbished products are the same as when buying new. The Distance Selling Regulations (DSR) apply as usual when you order goods online or over the phone, so you have a seven-day cooling-off period to change your mind and send the item back. You'll normally have to pay for return delivery, but conditions such as this must be notified in writing (for example, on a screen within an online buying process) before you pay.
If there's anything wrong with the goods, though, you can reject them under the Sale of Goods Act, and in this case the supplier must pick them up at its own expense and refund you in full. Within the first six months, any significant defect is assumed by law to have existed when they were sold - you get the benefit of the doubt on this, not the supplier - and you're entitled to your
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Factory refurbs often come with a manufacturer's warranty, typically for 12 months. Alternatively, the supplier may offer its own warranty, which may be shorter, particularly on older machines. You shouldn't generally set too much store by warranties, even though they're more enforceable than they used to be under current legislation.
If anything goes wrong with a product within a few months of purchase, your statutory rights entitle you to a refund, repair or replacement, so you don't have to rely on the warranty. But it may offer extra protection, such as a 'no quibble' guarantee, promising that your fault report won't be questioned; a swap-out policy, so that you'll be offered a new machine immediately, not a repair (you shouldn't accept repairs anyway unless you've already been using the goods for a while); or onsite support, so an engineer will come to you rather than the machine being sent away for attention. Make sure you understand the terms: for example, 'balance of' manufacturer's warranty means the clock has already started on the time period (such as 12 months), so you'll want to check how long is left.
Also check on after-sales service and technical support. Will you be entitled to register your purchase with the manufacturer and get the same telephone and/or email support as a new customer? If not, will the supplier be able to provide help if you get stuck when setting up or using the product? You may be quite happy to compromise on these issues if you're a savvy user and can generally sort out your own problems, but if you're not so confident, or are buying the machine for someone else, it's wise to make sure you know what support is offered and what isn't.
As with new goods, the supplier may also offer an extended warranty at extra cost. These can be poor value, but some policies, costing just a few pounds and promising to cover the product against failure without a lot of small-print exclusions, may be worth considering. Use your common sense and remember that any defects that show up within a short period are already covered by your statutory rights.
