How to buy refurbished computer kit

Besides searching for the best prices for brand-new gadgets there is another way to get a great deal on a computer, camera or satellite navigation device: buy second-hand.

Though you might be wary of buying second-hand, there are bargains out there; and when savings of up to half the retail price can be made, it’s worth looking into. So join us as we explain the refurbished PC business and point you in the direction of some cracking bargains.

The most common myth surrounding refurbished PCs is that they are computers that have been repaired following serious faults and put into new boxes. There is more to it.

Refurbished computers often come with similar assurances of quality and after-sales support as brand-new purchases. There is an established market for these PCs, and many mainstream retailers offer refurbished computers alongside new stock.

Refurbished PCs come from one of a range of sources. Businesses upgrading IT equipment often replace perfectly good PCs, albeit a tad old or under-specified for their requirements, which can then be spruced up and sold on. Some computers may be ex-demonstration units, orders that have been cancelled or surplus stock.

But the majority are those returned to companies from dissatisfied customers because they are, or at least are perceived to be, faulty. So, who wants a broken computer? Not us, but that which appears broken is not always so.

We sometimes forget how quickly the PC market has grown. You can buy a computer in supermarkets these days, not to mention high-street shops and newspaper supplements. The result is that more people than ever are taking a leap into the world of computing but not everyone finds it to their liking.

Tom Willet, of refurbished PC company Morgan Computers, says it is hard for large-volume retailers such as supermarkets to judge whether it is the PC or user that is at fault.

He explained: “The majority of the computers that we sell have been returned to supermarkets by people who didn’t have a clue what they were buying in the first place, the type of people who buy cheap goods on impulse without considering what they actually need.”

Some may have minor faults, most of which can be set straight by returning the computer to factory settings. Other minor faults could be down to a loose connection or faulty component. Some are unwanted.

These are returned but, instead of being sold again as new, they are sent to a specialist to be spruced up and sold on. Many of these have barely been used, if at all. So to an informed buyer, such as a Computeractive reader, refurbished PCs can be great value.