Every year, millions of computers and consumer electronics are returned to manufacturers accross the US.  Whether due to functionality, or the item was a leased item, these items still have some use and can offer a great value to eBay buyers.  However, it is important to understand what Reconditioned or Refurbished means and how it effects the items you buy.

Understand the difference of a high quality Factory reconditioned unit from a seller refurbished or out side source refurbishment! The difference is huge! ( read below! )

1) Factory Reconditioned ( THIS PRODUCT )

Items such as computers, printers, cell phones, and industrial equipment are often leased by companies in order to acquire the machines they need at a lower cost. This is done by replacing worn components, chassis, and testing the product fully.  Reconditioning has less to do with repair, than it does with replacing parts that commonly need to be updated. This can be done by two categories of companies:

• Factory Authorized - This is where either the factory itself, or a certified outsource firm reconditions these products by company standards for resale.
• Reseller Recondition - This is where an items was been purchased from the original company and reconditioned in-house, but is not certified or trained by the original manufacturer. 

2) Factory Refurbished/Refurbished ( OTHER PRODUCTS! )

Every year, over $100 Billion worth of products are returned to big box retailers due to either blemish, or functionality issues.  This is common with items such as computers, laptops, or other consumer electronics.  This catagory of work has less to do with replacing worn out parts, and more to do with repairing a damaged items. These returned items are often sold to outside companies who take on the responsibility to resell them after repairing them.  These company then refurbish the items by finding the problem with the item and repairing it and replacing worn parts.  This can be done one of two ways:

• Factory Authorized/Certified Refurbishment - Some companies have technicians that are certified to repair of refurbish a product by the original manufacturer. This is most commonly found in the computer category.  This means the item they sell has been repaired or refurbished by someone with specific knowledge of the product from the company itself. 
• In House Refurbishment - Some companies that resell refurbished goods have technicians that can repair these items, however are not certified.  This means that while they may have repaired the item, it also may mean that the technician does not have specific training on that product line or brand.  While this does not mean that someone who is certified is a better technician than the non-certified repairer, it does indicate the level of training involved.