Wholesalers will assign that like-new appearance to condition A or A+. These tested, repaired, cleaned refurbished phone with A or A+ condition could match the new appearance. However, you still need to consider the phone’s health. How long does the previous owner use? If the used phone was only used as an in-store demo unit or not?

In China, a country with a big labor force of experienced refurbished technician, supply refurbished phones with brand new housing and LCD screen. The cosmetic condition is 100% new but, the fact is, phone quality differs.

Some small-sized workshop never cares what parts are they using and some indecent merchants may swap parts from different smartphones and assemble a look-like brand new refurbished phone too. Some even worse, may not figure out whether the phone they are refurbishing is from a legitimate source or not. That is, if you check the IMEI, the phone may show “stolen”.

As a result, when you are looking for a “like new” refurbished phone condition, make sure you are buying from merchants who provide a warranty which allows you to return the device, getting a replacement if you are not satisfied with the quality.