On average Canadians dump 140,000 tonnes of E-Waste (electronic waste) every year into local landfills. To counter balance a culture of waste, SHOP.ca and their manufacturing partners have put together a second life program for savvy shoppers. Refurbished products provide a green alternative both environmentally and financially. By choosing to reuse perfectly good products you reduce the carbon footprint on the earth. As well as reap the benefits of only paying a fraction of the retail price on great items.
How do products get on a manufacturers’ refurbishment list?
- 1. Overstock – new models are coming out so older models get discounted
2. Cancellation of a special order – a customer has decided not to move forward with an order so now there is extra inventory. This means that the savings get passed on to the next customer.
3. Evaluation unit – products are sent out to companies to review products
4. Floor model – visual displays used by retailers
5. Returned product – a customer gets cold feet and after opening the package they decide they don’t want it. Even if the product has never been taken out of the box it cannot be sold as a new product anymore.
Twice as Much Quality Control on Refurbished Products
To meet consumer safety standards and compliance the products are re-cleaned and repackaged by the original equipment manufacturers (OEMs). The only thing telling it apart from a brand new product is the sticker on the box stating it is “Refurbished.
In other words, a refurb product goes through quality testing twice, whereas a new product only goes through the testing cycle once. To ensure that the product has met quality control standards, the OEM will re-certify the product and in many cases provide a 90 day warranty.
As a green and savvy consumer this Earth Day check out the SHOP.ca Refurbished Store. You are guaranteed to save 20-70% off on practically new products. Moreover, you can feel good knowing that you are supporting a sustainable marketplace that believes in the betterment of the earth.
