India’s refurbished market is growing year by year. We have seen many users trust refurbished phones over new ones due to lower prices, similar performance, longer warranties, and other factors.
But, it does not mean everything is like a piece of cake, like new models. It also raises many questions on the user’s side, such as how the phone will be refurbished, whether I will get a like-new experience with refurbished devices, whether they will be defect-free, how the warranty will work, etc.
Recently, I spent the whole day inside India’s largest smartphone refurbishment Cashify warehouse and explored every process closely. So, today I will share my experience with all of you and try answer every possible question. Let’s read:
Also Read: What Are Refurbished Phones? Is It Safe To Buy These?
Why refurbished phones are misunderstood
Let’s start with why refurbished phones are misunderstood, or why people hesitate to buy refurbished phones. There are many common reasons behind user fear. I talked to a few random people about this topic.
Most users are concerned about fake parts, a bad battery, poor QC, a scratched design, a fake display, a degraded camera, etc. Instead of trusting claims, I walked through the entire process myself.
For all my readers, Cashify has a strict policy on using high-quality parts during smartphone refurbishment and employs multiple QC processes.
How Devices Reached The Warehouse
There are multiple sources to reach the Cashify smartphone refurbishment warehouse. One of the primary and obvious sources is Cashisy-owned picked or store devices that were purchased directly from the seller.
Second major source from the patterns side, like Croma, Amazon, Flipkart, and Apple as well, which comes from exchange programs.
Diagnostic Stage
After getting all the devices, before repairing, a pre-QC (quality check) process starts, where each device gets a unique barcode, to follow the process from start to finish in the warehouse.
To clarify further, the reason behind the barcode is so the final QCer can track all repair processes, such as display, battery, camera, and other repairs, to ensure quality.
This is a high-value section that goes with Multi-point hardware tests, such as water damage detection, Sensors, cameras, microphones, speakers, and battery health for phones.
So it decides whether phones should be repaired or permanently rejected. After this process, they finalise the device’s condition and which section should be repaired, like the display, battery, motherboard, body, etc.
Also Read: 5 Best Refurbished Mobile Phones Of All Time!
Quality Check Guidelines
Every device undergoes a strict quality control check through apps and manual checks, with almost 32 points for smartphones and tablets, 32 for laptops, and 22 for smartwatches.
32-point checklist for Smartphones And Tablets:
- Bluetooth
- Microphone
- Flashlight
- Screen Pixel
- Ear-piece
- Jack Check
- Speaker Test
- Volume Button Check
- Wifi
- Call Test
- GPS
- Serial Number Capture
- Actual Design Capacity
- Temperature Range Check
- Cycle Count Check
- Manufacturers Date
- USB Post Cosmetic
- Full Charge Capacity
- Battery state of Health inspection
- Power Key Cosmetic
- Device Bezel Cosmetic
- USB Cosmetic
- HeadJack Cosmetic
- USB Post Cosmetic
- Manufacturer
- Operating System
- Serial Number
- Model Number
- Device Storage
- Device Color
- Wifi Address
- IMEI
32-Point Checklist For Laptops:
- Processor
- RAM
- Hard Disk
- Operating System
- External Graphics Card (NVIDIA / AMD)
- Touch Screen
- Bluetooth
- CD/DVD Drive
- Battery
- Fingerprint Sensor
- Touch Bar
- Audio Jack
- Bottom Rubber Feet / Foot
- Gasket Rubber
- Pointing Stick
- Keyboard
- Web Cam
- Mic
- Charger
- USB Port
- Hard Drive Missing / Defective
- Age of Device
- Scratch or Broken on Screen
- Discolouration on Screen
- Spots on Screen
- Line on Screen
- Wi-Fi
- Speaker
- Camera Cover / Shutter
- Body Condition
- Hinges
- Ports & Connectivity Overall
22-Points Check List For Smartwatches:
- Verify Device Category and Serial Number
- Click on the Search button
- Select Product Name
- Screen Physical Condition
- Digital Crown Button
- Side Button
- Screen Touch Calibration
- Magnetic Charging Port
- Does iWatch Pair?
- Battery
- Audio & Hardware
- Speaker
- Mic
- Display & Body
- Dead Pixel / Spots on Screen
- Loose Screen Condition
- Physical Condition – Scratches
- Back Panel
- Body Dent
- Accessories
- Age of Watch
- iCloud / ID Lock / Brand Lock
Also Read: Compatible vs Original Accessories With Refurbished Phones: What’s the Difference?
Data Wipe & Software Integrity
After pre-QC, the phone does not go to the repair section. One of the most essential and prominent works was data wiping. Cashify has a strict policy on user data protection; no employee can access or see the mobile without a data wipe.
Cashify has dedicated software for data wiping, which takes almost 30 minutes to erase data. For your information, Cashify formats your device in front of you during pickup, but this process is repeated in the app to avoid any data leakage.
A scenario comes to us that if I sold a device with a non-working display, this is how they would wipe the data. So, they work with a PC. They connect your device to the PC via a cable, then erase all the data. So, it does not matter whether your phone is dead or its screen is inaccessible.
Also Read: How Cashify Maintains High Repair Quality Standards: OEM vs Compatible Parts!
Parts Replacement Philosophy
You may think that every part is changed or repaired. But it depends on the device’s condition. First, let’s talk about the screen, which is checked manually and categorised into three parts.
First, the display works properly but has scratches on the outer layer, so it goes under the scrubbing section, where the outer screen is scrubbed to remove the scratches.
Second, if the outer display is damaged, it goes under a glass change. Third, if the screen is yellowish, not working properly, damaged, or has black spots, etc., then the technician changes it with an Original or higher-standard display.
Similarly, the battery also goes through a 30-minute stress check via the app, based on the results, it decides whether the battery needs replacement or not. The app shows message battery-draining frequency, performance, phone heating, etc., to provide a conclusive result.
In the Apple case, the brand depends entirely on battery health; if a phone’s battery health is below 85 per cent, it will be replaced; otherwise, it won’t. FYI, there is zero percent chance of manipulating the battery health percentage at this time.
Cashify has a large team to work on the motherboard and other technical components, such as Bluetooth, Network antenna, RAM, chipset, camera cleaning, sensors, etc. They work based on the need to improve device conditions.
Also read: Cashify Repair: Unveiling Repair Timelines and Quality Parts
Cosmetic Refurbishment Or Just Cleaning
All devices go through a special vibrating and cleaning machine; you won’t find any dust in Cashify’s refurbished devices. Cashify isn’t just replacing defective parts and making devices for sale.
They also check the appearance level, such as whether a smartphone needs dent repair; if so, they do it.
Similarly, laptop colours fade over extended use; under Cashify’s repair process, they scrub off the old colour, as we remove old wall colour to give a new painting.
After proper scrubbing, they paint the whole body with a new, exact same colour. It would be very hard for buyers to spot whether it was done in a device manufacturing centre or in Cashify’s warehouse.
They also work on laptop body repair if needed. You can see in the image before and after the process.
Also read: Cashify’s Approach to Using Genuine Parts: Truth Behind It
Quality Control: The Real Gatekeeper
One of the crucial parts is Quality Control. Cashify has multiple QC checks when reviewing apps; initially, one more was added, with robotic and manual QC. One of the best things is that every department has its own quality measurement process.
After the process is completed, it goes to final QC, where it is checked thoroughly. If a single mistake is found, it is sent back to start, where the process is repeated, as with new devices reaching the warehouse.
After all processes, devices are stored in the stock room; when any order is received, they are checked thoroughly under video surveillance to prevent any mismatches or defective devices.
Also Read: How Refurbished Phones Are Graded at Cashify? A Detailed Explanation!
Grading System: What “Like New” Actually Means
Cashify has very clear condition grades, which are superb, good, and fair:
Superb (Like New)
Appearance: Almost indistinguishable from a new phone, with minimal or barely visible signs of use. No dents or cracks.
Best suited for: Buyers who want a near-new look without paying full retail price.
What it offers: Top-tier cosmetic quality with a fresh, premium feel.
Good
Appearance: Light scratches or minor body marks may be visible, but the phone remains fully functional with no cracks or structural damage.
Best suited for: Buyers who prioritise value and don’t mind mild cosmetic wear.
What it offers: The best balance between price and overall condition.
Fair
Appearance: Clearly visible scratches and some dents, but no cracks. All hardware and software functions work as intended.
Best suited for: Budget-focused buyers who care more about performance than appearance.
What it offers: Maximum affordability while retaining full usability.
Packaging & Dispatch: Final Checkpoint
After the process, the device is ready to be dispatched or sent to the stock room. Before going live on the website or store, you can see a unique barcode for each device.
Cashify records all device videos and assigns a barcode to each device, providing greater transparency to the user.
So, if you have watched any device videos and ordered them, you will receive the same device you ordered after seeing the device video. No mismatch, no manipulation, only trust.
Cashify receives orders from two sources. One is an online order from the direct website, and the second is when they send their device to the store according to the stock needed.
All devices ordered from the website are packed from the warehouse under videography.
This is because, in case we get any claim about that, devices changed, not received the same device, received a defective device, scratched device, etc., from the user side.
So, we will have a record to cross-check and investigate the claim. So, this was the final step in Cashify’s smartphone refurbishment warehouse.
Also Read: Refurbished Vs Open-Box Vs Second-Hand: What’s The Real Difference?
Final Words
I hope you understood the entire process from the device being entered into the warehouse to becoming refurbished, like-new. I spent the whole day inside India’s largest smartphone refurbishment Cashify warehouse. So, I tried to explain everything in a crisp way. If you still have any questions, there may be misconceptions regarding the refurbished device. Just drop your comments or reach out to me, I will love to assess your questions. Thanks for reading.
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