Selling Certified Refurbished Items on Amazon
The Difference Between “New” and “Certified Refurbished” on Amazon
When listing products on Amazon, you may have noticed the “Condition” options: New or Used. Unless you sell electronics or other related categories, you may never have seen a third option — refurbished.
Definition of “Certified Refurbished” on Amazon:
“A refurbished product has been professionally restored to working order. Typically this means that the product has been inspected, cleaned, and repaired to meet manufacturer specifications. The item may or may not be in its original packaging. The manufacturer’s or refurbisher’s warranty must apply and should be included in the listing comments. Refurbished items are sometimes referred to as “remanufactured.”
“Certified Refurbished Amazon Devices work and look like new and are backed with the same limited warranty as a new device.”
Unlike “Used-Like New”, if something is classified as “certified refurbished” on Amazon, it may have been used before but has been completely restored to its original condition and can be considered “as good as new”. However, it can be a bit of a gray area to sellers unfamiliar with the term.
One of the most common ways to face an Amazon suspension is to list used items sold as new. It’s important to correctly categorize your items to limit your chances of suspension.
You must make sure that any item you list as “certified refurbished” on Amazon meets their requirements, which generally include a diagnostic test, cleaning and inspection, and complete repackaging that includes all accessories.
You can sell certified refurbished items at a discount (compared to the brand new version of the item), but many buyers are more likely to commit to higher-ticket items that they consider to be as good as new when they see it to be a good deal.
Selling Certified Refurbished on Amazon
Amazon doesn’t allow just any seller to list certified refurbished items. You need to maintain a high Best Seller Rank (BSR) to even be considered as a seller of certified refurbished products. That means it’s in your best interest to keep an eye on metrics in your seller dashboard to ensure you remain above the minimum seller requirements.