by Sharon Jones

The fact that used products are cheaper to buy is known to all of us, and yet most of us have never purchased a laptop or mobile phone or TV secondhand. According to a survey, 48 percent of respondents were comfortable with purchasing a second-hand car, 26 percent for furniture and 31 percent for clothing. When it came to secondhand or pre-owned electronic goods, the number dropped to 10 percent. Another startling statistic that came out of the survey – 48 percent of the respondents trashed their old mobile phones rather than recycle them.

Leave a Better World

Unfortunately, trashing electronic devices creates pollution. Most of these devices contain toxins and chemicals like mercury, cadmium, arsenic, and lead. With trashed devices being dumped in landfills, these chemicals and toxins find their way into the soil and from there to underground water. Recycling is a must if we wish to leave behind a better world for our future generations. While recycling is important, purchasing used or pre-owned electronic devices is also important. It reduces the need for resources to manufacture new devices and saves you a lot of money in the process.

Purchasing Recycled Electronics

According to surveys conducted by Consumer Reports, over 80 percent of buyers of refurbished electronic devices were satisfied with their purchase. It is true, that purchasing a refurbished device could be risky, but proper research can lead you to good devices and excellent deals. Ryan Morrel from cjdecycling.com says that you don’t have to break the bank to get a flat screen TV. By buying recycled electronics, you can save significant money. You do need to do your homework, maybe a bit more than if you were buying a new product.

Refurbished or New?

Look for products that are ‘certified pre-owned’ or ‘refurbished’. The label states that these products have been restored as near as possible to their original state. A large number of these devices have been returned post-purchase. This could be due to a small problem or just some minor cosmetic blemish. Always remember to ask and check the warranty on refurbished products. While purchasing products directly from the manufacturing company could get you longer warranty period, retail outlets will generally offer a 90-day warranty and in some places a return policy also.

Pricing Matters

However, super low-priced deals need to be checked and then checked again. A device that breaks down in a few months after purchase does not save you any money, it adds to your expenses. You also need to remember that a large number of recycled/refurbished/pre-owned devices might have data/information in them from the previous owner. While most recycling establishments make every effort to wipe these devices clean, the chances of hidden malware or personal information might still be stored in them. Make it a point to reset the operating system and ensure that you run it through security software before using the device.

Be a Responsible Consumer

Buying a refurbished device not only saves you money but also makes you a responsible consumer. Your future generations will thank you for it.