Questions to ask when shopping for a refurbished product.

Here are some important questions to consider when purchasing a factory refurbished product:

Is the refurbished unit being sold by a retailer that is also authorized to sell new products?

This means that you can have confidence in that reseller.

Does the refurbished unit have a U.S. warranty?

It is always important to read the warranty carefully to avoid misunderstandings.

Does the retailer offer a return or exchange policy for the refurbished unit?

Legitimate resellers stand behind their products, whether new or refurbished.

Does the retailer offer an extended service plan for the item?

This doesn't mean you have to buy an extended warranty -- but whether or not they offer one indicates their degree of support for the product.

If the answers to all of these questions is positive, purchasing a refurbished product can be a very smart move. Although some refurbished products may be repaired or serviced units, it is very possible that the product merely had a minor defect during its initial production run (such as a series of defective chips, etc...) or subject to an earlier recall. However, the manufacturer can go back, repair the defect(s) and offer the units to retailers as "refurbs".