Back Market: Refurbished Tech

What Back Market sells and who it suits

If the new price of a phone, laptop or games console is more than you want to pay, Back Market sells refurbished versions of the same kinds of device. The listing names Apple, Samsung, Google, Dell, HP, Lenovo, Microsoft, Sony, Xiaomi, Nintendo and Canon among the brands on sale.

The product range includes phones, tablets, MacBooks and other laptops, Apple Watch and other smartwatches, AirPods and audio gear, and gaming consoles. The developer says devices are professionally inspected before they ship, and it claims savings of up to 40% against new.

The developer also says more than 30 million refurbished devices have been sold through the service across 17 markets, avoiding about 1.6 million tons of carbon emissions. Those are the developer's own figures.

Warranty, inspection and returns on refurbished devices

Eligible devices come with a minimum 12-month commercial warranty and 30-day returns if the device is not the right fit. The listing says each one is checked with up to a 100-point quality inspection.

Back Market also states that devices are guaranteed not to be locked, stolen or fraudulently sourced. Customer Care is there if something goes wrong.

On eligible purchases, Express Replacement covers a faulty device. A replacement is shipped for free before the original goes back, so you are not left without a phone while the first one is returned.

Browsing offers, saving devices and tracking orders

Phones, tablets, laptops and other devices are all listed in one place, so you can compare models without leaving the app. Weekend flash sales and refurbished offers are shown alongside them.

You can save favourite devices and get a notification when the price drops. Once you check out, in-app tracking follows the order through to delivery.

Payment options include paying over time, where available. Whether that option appears depends on the device and your location, so check the checkout screen for each order.

Student, educator and US military discounts

Students and educators can get an extra $20 off eligible orders. This is an added discount on top of the listed price.

Eligible US military customers can get an extra 10% off selected offers. Only the offers the listing marks as selected qualify, so the discount does not apply across the whole store.

Selling an old device through Trade-in

Trade-in is the selling side of the app. You can offer smartphones, tablets, MacBooks and laptops, gaming consoles and headphones. The listing says an offer comes back within minutes.

To sell, you ship the device for free using the instructions in the app, and you are paid once it has been checked. Scanning the device and AI grading are used to identify the model, assess its condition and produce a more accurate offer.

The offer depends on that assessment, so the price you are paid is set after the device is checked, as described on the listing.

Running diagnostics on your own phone or tablet

Device Care is a set of checks you can run on the phone or tablet you already own. It covers the screen, audio, camera, sensors and connectivity.

The developer presents it as a way to keep an eye on how a device is working and to get more use out of it. It is separate from buying or trading in a device.