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13 years have passed since I first sat down and realized I had a problem to solve…
I was a die-hard Apple fan, desperate to get my hands on a MacBook Pro. To this day, I still remember sitting in front of my computer pressing “refresh” until the early hours of the morning to try and get my hands on this particular product. I managed (around 2am), but I won’t lie, it was insanely difficult, time consuming and frustrating.
It was at this point that I realized, I had a problem to solve.
What if we lived in a world where buying refurbished products was just… easy?
What if we lived in a world where you could just buy the product you want, within your budget, that matches all your product specification requirements – whilst doing your part when it comes to reducing your ecological impact on the planet and making moves towards sustainability?
I decided that this was a problem I was going to tackle head on.
Since 2007, there have been many changes, versions, and revisions to RefurbMe, and in this article, I’m going to walk you through them so that you can see and understand how and why we built this service to make it exactly what it is today, to deliver you the customer experience you love. ❤
What is RefurbMe?
We are a refurbished goods price comparison site – we started off working with just Apple Store, but have more recently been able to branch out thanks to a number of partnerships with brands such as Gazelle, Mac of All Trades, Amazon and many many more (you can check them out here) to offer you even more easy-access top quality, low priced refurbed goods.
Why choose RefurbMe?
Happy customers are what make our business grow and be able to continuously expand and serve the refurbished devices world, so if you’re not happy: neither are we.
We’re proud to serve over +50,000 customers from 20 countries and bring the most comprehensive price-device comparator service for Apple products that exists; one that’s not only mindful of your time and wallet, but one that’s good for the environment too. Being respectful of the planet and minimizing e-waste has never been so accessible.
RefurbMe makes it even easier to track the prices and availability of Apple’s refurbished products. – Amit Chowdhry from Forbes
I just love that you guys aggregate and organize so well data from a ton of places around the web, and make it so easy for us users to find exactly what we need. – Ivan Minic
No more trolling Apple’s clearance page for deals; RefurbMe finds even more products and alerts you when they’re in stock.– Rick Broida from CNET
What’s the difference between you and other price comparison websites?
Tons! I’m glad you asked. At RefurbMe, our goal is to allow you to purchase awesome quality devices with ALL the information you need to make the right decision.
We’re dedicated to comparing devices and prices on Apple refurbished products – taking into consideration the different cosmetic condition of products and the constant inventory fluctuation.
More recently, in our latest version, we’ve been able to introduce new Apple product comparisons: so you know exactly what’s up when it comes to latest releases – and all your Apple related price and device comparisons can be met through us.
I’m proud to say that we have the biggest catalog of refurbished products; thanks to being able to partner up with places such as the Apple Store, Back Market, Amazon – and many, many more retailers from all over the world.
Who’s behind this?
It’s me! Simo. I started this project out due to my own personal frustration when trying to buy a MacBook Pro way back in 2007.
RefurbMe has been running for the last 13 years without any external fundings focusing on making easier comparing and monitoring Apple refurbished products. Currently, I’m based in Paris within Station F (world’s largest startup campus) and also running a “Microstartup studio” called tonoïd.
I wanted an easier way to get my hands on high quality devices without having all the headache of scouring the world wide web for hours on end, so I made a tool to help me after earning my first bucks from selling Dashboard widgets on Mac.
When you find the perfect device through RefurbMe, you choose:
Consistent data for an easy comparison
We make the comparison process easier, and more transparent than ever before. You’ll have access to all the information that merchants provide when it comes to their standards for wear and tear, warranties, return policies, battery condition, accessories included with the device and more. We’ve made this even simpler for you by adding “Refurb Profiles” for our merchants and retailers, so that you know exactly what “good” “fair” and “excellent” mean in terms of the kind of device you’ll end up purchasing – and you’ll know exactly who has the best deals and the best quality products out there for you to purchase.
We’ve included merchant comparison on our site (for example Amazon vs. Back Market) so you can easily get the sites in a “head-to-head” to see where you’ll get the most bang for your buck. It’s never been easier to find out where you’ll get the best deals.
Price and availability monitoring
We’ve made it easier for you to get your hands on the device you actually want, within the budget you can afford. Inconsistent inventories are one of the biggest reasons that customers turn to the original merchants, and end up spending thousands on their devices. When you want a product, all you have to do is outline your desired requirements for the device and we’ll automatically alert you when your perfect device is available for purchase. It’s that easy!
Want to be the first in the know when it comes to new product releases? What about being the first to know when your desired device lands at your perfect price point? We got you! We check prices for you regularly throughout the day, so all you have to do is set up notifications to be delivered straight to your inbox when you’re after a latest release or you want a specific device for a specific budget.
You can now set up alerts for latest releases like the Apple Silicon MacBooks or iPhone 12.
A global service
Whilst we’ve been adapting our sites to make them even better to use for our client base in Europe, RefurbMe has actually been compatible with EU markets as well as the US since our second version.
We also made a partnership with MyUS – in order to help customers from all around the world score a good deal:
- You’ll get a physical address in the US, that allows you to order products without paying American sales tax.
- MyUS will receive your products, repackage and send them back to you worldwide (FedEx, UPS…)
More recently, we’ve been working on adding more European merchants, such as Backmarket, Rebuy, Amazon, mResell and Refurbed – so you get access to the best local deals in just a few clicks.
Finally, we’ve developed our sites in French, and German, and adapting our website further to tailor it to your needs. When you browse our site from the EU, you get a fully personalized approach, so that you know you’re getting the best local deals you can get your hands on.
Setting the standard
Full transparency for the device you want to purchase: we gather all the information we possibly can on each device we show to you, so that you can see exactly what you’re buying. Our goal is to provide you with as much information as possible for every product and every retailer or merchant you come across, rather than leaving you alone to scour Google for hours on end.
We’ve standardized merchant condition ratings: so you know exactly what all their ratings mean and what your device will look and work like upon arrival. All you’ll have to do is check out the new RefurbMe Merchant Profiles to see exactly what each rating means for your new device.
Advanced filtering
We’ve integrated customer shortcuts for best-selling items: it’s faster and simpler than ever before to get your hands on the latest refurbished devices. Not only are you saving the planet and your wallet: you’re saving time, too!
Want something really specific? We’ve included categories with over 15 advanced filters for you to choose from, making it easier than ever before to get your hands EXACTLY what you’re after. No more settling for second best – you deserve nothing BUT the best.
Any questions
Our FAQs have been completely revised and updated so that ANY of your queries can be answered in just a click. Of course, we’re still on standby to help you with any problems or questions you may have: but we thought it was super important to give you all the details upfront.
We’re super glad to be able to share this article with you to update you on the latest at RefurbMe. We’ve been working hard to get our service to tip-top condition and offer the best possible customer experience, and we’re proud to say we’re pulling it off.
Final thoughts
This has been a heck of a journey, and it’s still the beginning – the refurb industry is getting more spotlights as consumers started to be aware about the benefit of a circular economy for electronic goods.
I personally thrive when building a tool that have a purpose and makes YOUR life a bit easier 🙂
My inbox is open, if you have any feedback or question – send me a message simo@refurb.me – I’d be happy to personally follow up with you!
If you like what we do, please help us spread the word by sharing 🙂
