Technology sector comes with quality mark for refurbished iPhones

Sector association Techniek Nederland is introducing a Refurbished Quality Mark that is primarily intended for iPhones. Stores must provide a certain quality control to qualify for the label.

Techniek Nederland has drawn up a checklist of points that suppliers must go through for the Refurbished Quality Mark. The store has to test the operating system, touch-sensitive controls, camera lens, microphone and Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity, among other things. Also, standard checking of the battery and the screen is part of the procedure.

Also part of the certification is that suppliers must offer a certain minimum level of guarantee. For example, the customer receives a standard 24-month warranty on the battery and accessories of refurbished iPhones. Stores that bear the seal of approval will also divide their range of iPhones into three categories: as good as new, lightly used and visibly used.

On Friday, the sector association issued the first certificates to Forza Refurbished, Leapp and Renewd, which are therefore allowed to carry the quality mark. The association hopes that more stores will register for the quality mark. Eventually, iPads, MacBooks and Android devices should also be included. The reason that iPhones were started is that they would make up about 94 percent of the refurbished market.

With the quality mark, the sector hopes to meet the criticism that there are large differences in quality with refurbished products. A year ago, the Consumers’ Association noted that the quality of refurbished iPhones offered varied widely, while the price was barely lower than that of new iPhones.