Refurbished smartphones are becoming more and more popular, but are they reliable?

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Chiara can’t do without her phone. The student uses it to work, call her friends and post on social media. Two years ago, she bought a refurbished phone from an online store, paying 250 euros. “There, we can select the condition of our phone: correct, very good condition, perfect condition, and all of this varies the final price of the phone”she explains. She is sure she got a good deal: “I think I bought almost half the price compared to a new phone. I think I still made a lot of savings”she believes.

We compared the price of two different devices released last year. On the brand’s website, 869 euros. Count on 20% less with the French leader in reconditioned goods, and up to 40% less for this other model. But the milestone remains difficult to overcome. Only one in five French people are tempted today.

“It’s such a daily use, we still know that the battery is something that discharges very quickly, even if it can be changed to reconditioned. In truth, I admit, I have a little less confidence”admits a local resident. Another makes the same argument: “I don’t change it regularly, but when I do, I want to keep it for a long time and for it to last over time.” “I think we are really in a consumer society and I think I also like beautiful things, and I wouldn’t necessarily see myself with a vintage phone”recognizes a young woman.

Vintage, guaranteed 100% functional. Sometimes reconditioned abroad or in France, as at Largo, a workshop near Nantes (Loire-Atlantique), where 20,000 laptops are dissected each month. After an initial sorting, used smartphones reveal all their secrets: faulty battery, tired microphone or camera. Real painstaking work. For this company, reconditioning in France is the assurance of the conformity of the changed parts and a guarantee of at least one year.

To be sure you’re getting a good deal, here’s a little advice from co-founder Christophe Brunot: “You just need to buy a product that is two years old, and a model that was released two years ago. And there, you are sure to have a reliable product that will last over time”he explains.

Last year, 149,000 phones were reconditioned in this workshop.