The iPhone is one of the best selling phones ever, able to satisfy everyone whatever the level of experience with mobile devices. Every year at least one new iPhone model comes out and, with the crisis still very present in Italy, it is not desirable that everyone can buy the new models on the market (we are talking about a minimum purchase of 800 € up to 1100 € it's more). If we do not want or cannot buy the latest iPhone model (even with the promotions of the telephone companies, but here the rate and subscriptions factor comes into play) we can turn to the used or refurbished market to buy an iPhone .
In this guide I will show you where you can buy previous iPhone models (iPhone 8 Plus or iPhone X) used and reconditioned in excellent condition, so as to spend less than € 500 (but a lot depends on the model chosen) and still have a smartphone practically new with the bitten apple.
Guide to used and refurbished iPhones
Before even showing you where to buy iPhone models at a lower price, we must understand the difference between a used and a refurbished one, often not very clear and confusing (and the last thing we want is confusion, since we still bring out a nice little money).Differences between used and reconditioned
Before going into the world of offers and stores, it is necessary to understand the difference between a used device and a refurbished device .
iPhone used
The used iPhones are the simplest, because they are sold directly by the previous owner after a certain period of use. These devices show signs of wear varying from model to model, but in general the more time they have been in the hands of the owner the more the chances of finding a defect are high. There is no certainty about the operation or the presence of the indispensable accessories, therefore you must trust the advert or the seller when we purchase this type of device.
These devices are those with the lowest possible price, but in the case of direct negotiations between owners (current and future) it is not possible to obtain any type of guarantee.
Refurbished iPhone
The refurbished iPhone is a used device that has passed a whole series of tests (made by a shop or certified by an institution, in many cases Apple itself) to make it work "as if it were new". These iPhones have minimal damage (sometimes they are practically perfect even on the body!), They always have all the necessary accessories and in general they work better than simply "used" devices.
Obviously, the price also goes up, but by purchasing a refurbished product we will always have the legal guarantee on the product (which is not always obtainable with a used device, especially if purchased with a private negotiation). Here on the site we will present in detail only the sites that sell refurbished models, leaving at the end of the article the sites where you can also find the simply used iPhones.
Rules for a safe purchase
In addition to the difference between used and refurbished we will also have to pay attention to the following tips while buying a used or refurbished iPhone.
- Do not trust too low prices : although it is now possible to buy an iPhone 8 Plus at € 300 (fair price given the years of the model in question), do not trust too much of those who offer us an iPhone 11 at € 400, they are almost certainly Chinese clones passed off as originals. We always check the price of Apple devices sold new and compare more prices on the Web to understand where the "rip off" is.
- We always use PayPal or secure sites : if we do not want to use Amazon (which is safe but does not accept PayPal) we always choose sites that accept this payment circuit, so that we can quickly request a refund in case of scams or problems in the transaction.
- Watch out for the IMEI block and the Apple block : if the used or refurbished device comes from the black market (therefore stolen), there could be an IMEI block or the Apple block to prevent it from being used. When we buy a used product, make sure that there is the original box or at least the label with the IMEI printed on the back of the device, so that we can immediately check for any blockages.
- Shipping : if it is free, make sure that it is possible to obtain the tracking code of the package, so as to monitor the progress of the shipment in a completely autonomous way.
Where to find used or refurbished iPhones
And after all these tips it's time to see together the safest sites where to buy refurbished or used iPhones at advantageous prices, with Italian guarantee and fast shipping.Amazon Renewed
On Amazon you can find refurbished Apple certified iPhones by visiting the Amazon Renewed page.
The site offers a large selection of certified refurbished smartphones ready to be purchased at significantly lower prices than the models sold as new. To search for your favorite iPhone just use the search field at the top by writing the model of iPhone we are interested in and starting the search. On Amazon we will always get the legal guarantee, fast shipments thanks to Amazon Prime and an incredibly efficient assistance service, for this we recommend Amazon to buy a refurbished iPhone.
Unfortunately Amazon does not support PayPal, but you don't have to worry as even using rechargeable cards it is possible to request fast returns and refunds in case of problems.
Amazon Warehouse
If, on the other hand, we are looking for very little used iPhone vouchers (often even just opened and returned back without doing anything else), we can use the Amazon Wharehouse section of the famous e-commerce site.
The advantages of Amazon are the same and, on all the products used, we can also find a valid indication on the conditions of use of the product: with the word "Used - Excellent conditions" we will find the devices perfectly working but with some minor aesthetic defects ( almost imperceptible) while with the words "Used - Like new" we will find the iPhones intact and functional but with some defects on the box or some missing accessory.
By focusing only on the products used in these conditions (and avoiding all the others) we will be able to buy our used iPhone by spending much less than the product sold new (even 300 - 400 € less).
GrossoShop
Another great site we can visit to find refurbished iPhones is GrossoShop.
This site offers a full page dedicated to certified refurbished iPhones, with decidedly attractive prices for those looking for an iPhone without spending a fortune.
The site ships iPhones from warehouses in Europe and applies the Italian guarantee.
For each shipment it is necessary to pay the shipping costs of € 9.90, the shipment is processed quickly and the only accepted payment method is PayPal, so that you can buy safely.
TrenDevice
Another recommended site to buy refurbished iPhones is TrenDevice.
This site offers among the lowest prices on the web for refurbished devices, with the certification on the quality of the products sold. The site supports PayPal as a payment method, offers a 12-month warranty on all devices, free returns within 14 days (in case we are not satisfied), fast shipments (from the cost of € 9.90) and it is one of the few sites that also offers the possibility of paying on delivery (using the cash on delivery), so as to pay only when our iPhone is activated under the house!
This site is currently one of the best where to find refurbished iPhones and is to be kept in high consideration before buying any product from other sites.
Other sites where to find used or refurbished iPhones
In the previous chapter we saw the best sites from where to buy used and refurbished iPhones with fast shipments and secure payments, but we can also use one of the sites in the following list to find our future iPhone:
- eBay (used and reconditioned)
- Great Savings (Refurbished)
- trovarigenerati
- Subito.it (used)
- Kijiji (used)
Whatever the site chosen, make sure to pay only with PayPal, so as to be protected in the event of fraud or fraud. Avoid approximate payment systems such as direct top-ups on Postepay, money orders or other unknown payment circuits, as also seen in our guide Safer online payment systems for shopping .
Conclusions
Used and refurbished iPhones will appear will allow you to own a trendy Apple device without having to spend a capital every year on the purchase of the new model: just prepare and "set aside the money" to buy a good used or refurbished model every two years or when the old device goes out of media.Always on the subject of refurbished, we invite you to read our guides. It is better to buy refurbished (refurbished) "> How to see if a mobile phone is used .
If we notice that our old iPhone becomes too slow, before changing or throwing it away we advise you to apply the advice seen in our article How to get an old and slow iPhone back fast .
