What is the difference between Refurbished and Pre-Owned Devices

What is the difference between Refurbished and Pre-Owned Devices

At Cell Discount we sell refurbished phones as well as gently owned pre-owned devices.   On occasion we sell new devices that are factory sealed and packaged as if they came directly from the store.  Below is an image of a new S10E with the factory seal.  These are still under the factory warranty.

New Device with seal

Pre-Owned Gently Used Devices

Pre-owned devices include our standard 30 day warranty that is extendable up to 3 years.  With the purchase of any extended warranty plan we also offer a Buyback Guarantee plan that obligates us to repurchase your used device within the warranty period provided it meets several conditions.  This allows our customers to protect the value of their devices and allow for an easy upgrade when it is time to  upgrade.  For more details read here

Among our Pre-Owned Devices we have the following:

  • Mint Condition (aka "A" Grade) - Typically a mint phone is similar to a new phone in condition with no cosmetic flaws.  The screen would be perfectly unblemished with absolutely no (in the case of OLED) burn-in or shadows.  The battery and other parts would be unused.  As they are unopened they will have their original waterproof (e.g. IP67/68) rating. Below is an example of a Mint phone with no cosmetic defect.



  • Good condition (aka "B" Grade) - These devices will exhibit normal wear and tear for it's age.  All will function perfectly and have been checked prior to shipping. This includes blemishes around the frame or cover and screen.  The screen would not be cracked or have any black or green spots (indicating damage); however it may have light scratches.  Typically we will disclose details on this.  Unless specified otherwise, these  devices will typically have the original battery and in many cases the original seal that ensures it's waterproof rating.  Below is an image of the same phone above but in B-grade which has some discoloration around the frame.



  • As-Is Condition (aka "C" Grade) - These devices will have some cosmetic flaws but unless otherwise noted in the description will function perfectly.  The cosmetic defects exhibited are typically one of the following:

    • Screen burn-in or Shadows 
    • Significant cosmetic wear and tear on frame or back cover.
    • Crack on the LCD screen or hairline fracture.  Often we recommend a tempered glass protector to cover up the fracture. 

      burn-in image  Burn-in Shadows

      heavy_frame_use Heavy Use of Device 

      Screen Crack

Refurbished Devices

Refurbished devices look cosmetically like Grade B devices in most cases.  All refurbished devices have been opened thus they are no longer waterproof and will have no IP rating.  Refurbished devices will  likely have had one of the following done:

  • New after-market screen replaced.  It will not have an OEM screen unless otherwise noted.
  • New battery replaced
  • Other parts such as as camera, power button or motherboard replaced.