Open box, scratch and dent, refurbished

The item's box has been opened — a return, a display model or a refused delivery — but the item itself may be unused and in new condition.

Not necessarily. Open box describes the packaging; the item may never have been used. Our condition grade says whether it was.

No. Refurbished items were repaired or restored; open-box items are usually just opened. They are graded differently.

Open box suits you if the item is unused and complete; refurbished suits you if you want an item that has been checked and restored. Compare the grade, the photos and the price.

They cannot be sold as sealed new stock, may be missing small parts or packaging, and the buyer takes on checking them.

Usually, if the item is complete and works: you get a nearly new product for less. Check what is included and how problems are handled before you buy.

That every part and accessory is listed, the photos show the actual unit, the grade matches your expectations, and you can report a mismatch in time.

Not always. Accessories and manuals are the parts most often missing from returns, so a listing says when we know something is missing.

Ask the manufacturer: some honour their warranty on open-box units, some do not. DealsDMV itself gives no written warranty.

From returns that were barely used and arrive complete. Listings with photos of the actual unit and an honest grade let you find them.

Filter by condition and choose New (Other), the grade open-box stock usually carries, or search for the item and compare its options.

Missing chargers or accessories, a previous owner's account or data still on the device, battery wear, and a warranty that may not transfer. Check each when you get it.

Yes. Reset any phone, tablet, laptop or smart device before you use it, so nothing of a previous owner's remains and it is yours alone.

Report it from your orders page within 7 days: a device you cannot use because of someone else's account is materially different from its listing.

Usually, if it powers on, the battery holds a charge and it comes with its charger. Test those on the day you receive it.

Often, if the screen is undamaged and the remote and stand are included. Check the screen on a plain background for marks or dead pixels.

Yes. Use the charger made for the device; a damaged or mismatched charger is a safety risk, whatever it cost.

An item with cosmetic damage — a scratch or a dent from shipping or handling — that should not affect how it works.

Usually yes: unused, with a cosmetic mark. Check the grade; damage that goes beyond looks is graded lower.

Often, when the mark sits where nobody will see it once installed, such as a side panel against a cabinet. Check that doors, seals and controls are unaffected.

It depends on the manufacturer and the seller. DealsDMV gives no written warranty, but household buyers keep Maryland's implied warranties.

In the DMV, DealsDMV sells discounted appliances for free collection in Brentwood, Maryland; any cosmetic mark is shown in the photos and described in the notes.

Some ship and some must be collected. Each appliance's listing says which, and shipping is priced for your address before you pay.

Certified refurbished is restored by the manufacturer or a vendor it approved; seller refurbished is restored by a seller or a third party.

The best grades look and work like new; lower grades work but show wear. The grade tells you which, from Excellent to Good.

No written warranty from us. A refurbished grade describes condition, not a warranty promise.

They can be a good deal when the grade is high and the item is tested. Prefer listings that show the actual unit and say what was checked.

Rebuilt to the original maker's specification from reused, repaired and new parts, and expected to perform like new — a fuller job than refurbishing, which restores a product to working order.

Usually a cosmetic grade: the device looks the best in that seller's range. Grading standards vary a lot between retailers, so read what each grade means where you buy.

Typical tests cover every function, authenticity, network compatibility, whether it is blocklisted, whether it was jailbroken or rooted, and battery health — usually at least 80%.