L'équipe Texto SMS Gratuit
18 September 2026 · 12 min read
Introduction: €249 instead of €719 — but which €249?
The listing looks irresistible: same model, same storage, "grade A — like new", battery advertised as "above 85%", 12-month warranty, delivery in 48 hours. The price is €249, against €719 for the new unit still on the shelf. The saving seems obvious.
Three weeks later, the device lasts half a day, 5G never shows up, and calls fall back to 3G even though the carrier has switched 3G off in the area. As for the seller, the only way to reach them is a contact form.
Refurbished isn't a scam: today it accounts for nearly one in five smartphones sold in France, and the market has been governed by precise rules since the 2022 decree on the use of the term "reconditionné" (refurbished), reinforced by the anti-waste law (AGEC) and the overhaul of the legal guarantee of conformity. The problem isn't the industry, it's the grey areas: the word "grade", how battery health is measured, where the device came from, and network compatibility. This guide covers all four.
What the word "refurbished" legally obliges the seller to do
Under decree no. 2022-190, a professional seller may only use the terms "reconditionné" or "produit reconditionné" if three conditions are met:
- the device has undergone tests covering all of its functions in order to establish that it meets legal safety obligations and performs as expected;
- where applicable, it has been subject to one or more interventions (parts replacement, cleaning, data erasure);
- no modification has been made to its functionality, performance, brand or model.
Two practical consequences that are often overlooked:
- Describing the device as "as new", "like new" or "restored to new" is prohibited for a refurbished unit. A seller splashing "like new" across the listing is already off-side.
- If non-original spare parts have been used (screen, battery, connector), the seller must say so. This is information you have to look for explicitly: it changes resale value and sometimes display quality.
Refurbished, used, second-hand: not the same thing
| Term | Mandatory checks | Legal warranty | Main risk |
|---|---|---|---|
| Refurbished (professional) | Yes, full testing | 12 months minimum (second-hand goods) | Quality varies by refurbisher |
| Used, sold by a professional | Not standardised | 12 months minimum | No reconditioning work done |
| Private seller to private buyer | None | Hidden-defect warranty only | Blacklisted IMEI, locked account |
Buying from a private seller isn't something to rule out, but it deprives you of the legal guarantee of conformity. All you keep is the warranty against hidden defects (article 1641 of the French Civil Code), which is far harder to invoke: you have to prove the defect existed before the sale and was undetectable.
"Grades": a commercial classification, not a standard
This is the most widely misunderstood point in the market. There is no legal or standardised definition of grades A+, A, B or C. Every platform, every refurbisher sets its own scale. A "grade B" from a serious operator can look better than a "grade A" elsewhere.
Roughly what the most common labels cover:
- Premium / A+: no micro-scratches visible at 20 cm, unmarked chassis. Often 15 to 25% more expensive for a purely cosmetic benefit.
- Very good condition / A: micro-scratches invisible when the screen is on.
- Good condition / B: scratches visible on the shell or on the screen when off, possible chips on the corners.
- Fair / C: clear signs of use, sometimes an impact mark on the glass.
The grade says nothing about the electronic condition, which is what actually matters. A device rated "fair" with a new battery and a healthy motherboard will last longer than a "premium" one whose battery reads 81%. If looks matter to you, a lower grade plus a shockproof protective case settles the question for €15, with €60 saved in the process.
Simple rule: pay for the electronics, not for the bodywork. Glass can be protected, a battery can be replaced, but a worn charging connector or a motherboard that has taken on moisture cannot be undone.
The battery: the real criterion, and the murkiest one
The 80% threshold doesn't mean much
Many sellers guarantee a capacity "above 80%" or "above 85%". The figure sounds reassuring. Two problems:
- 80% is precisely the end-of-life threshold used by manufacturers. A battery at 81% is a battery you'll have to replace within the year.
- The percentage the system displays is a software estimate, recalculated after a few cycles. On a device that has been reset and barely used since, the indicator can overestimate real capacity by several points.
What to aim for: either a newly replaced battery (stated explicitly, with the cycle count reset to zero), or an advertised capacity above 90%. Anywhere in between, budget €45 to €90 for a replacement in the near term.
Checking for yourself as soon as it arrives
- iPhone: Settings → Battery → Battery Health & Charging. Note the maximum capacity and look out for an "Unknown Part" or "Unable to verify" message — a sign of a non-original battery.
- Android: Settings → Battery, or, depending on the brand, the manufacturer's diagnostics menu. Some Samsung models report health via the Samsung Members app; Google displays battery health in the settings of recent Pixels.
A USB battery tester or a 24-hour discharge-tracking app gives a more honest measurement than the displayed percentage: measure the drop in charge in real use, screen on, over one hour. Below 4 hours of screen-on time, replacement is unavoidable.
Network compatibility: the technical trap that costs the most
This is the least visible defect and the most irreversible. A refurbished smartphone imported from Asia or North America can be perfectly functional… and poorly suited to French networks.
Frequency bands
French carriers use specific bands: 700, 800, 900, 1800, 2100 and 2600 MHz for 4G, plus the 700 MHz band and the 3.5 GHz band (n78) for 5G. A model designed for the American or Chinese market may not carry n78: you'll sometimes see "5G" displayed, with 4G-level speeds. Check the exact model reference (the one printed in Settings → About, not the one in the listing title) and cross-check it against the manufacturer's European spec sheet.
VoLTE and VoWiFi: the 2026 issue
Calls over 2G and 3G networks are disappearing. Orange has completed its 2G shutdown, and SFR, Bouygues Telecom and Free have already closed 3G across much of the country, with the shutdown timetable stretching to 2028-2030 depending on the operator and the technology. The consequence: without VoLTE (voice over 4G), a phone can no longer make calls in certain areas, even if data reception is perfect.
And VoLTE has to be certified by the carrier for the specific model. An imported device, even if technically capable, may not appear on your carrier's whitelist. Before buying:
- check your carrier's "VoLTE / Wi-Fi calling compatible handsets" page (these are public at Orange, SFR, Bouygues Telecom and Free);
- favour devices explicitly sold as the European version;
- be wary of listings without a complete commercial reference.
This point is all the more critical if you live in an area with average coverage, where VoWiFi (Wi-Fi calling) often makes up for a weak indoor signal.
Checking that the device is neither blocked nor stolen
A smartphone reported stolen is entered on an IMEI blacklist shared between carriers. It picks up a signal, but refuses any network connection, whatever SIM you insert. Reconditioning changes nothing: the block applies to the hardware.
The reflexes to have before and after buying:
- Retrieve the IMEI by dialling
*#06#on the keypad, or from the settings. - Compare it with the one printed on the box and shown in the system information: three identical numbers is a good sign.
- Insert your SIM card and check that a real call goes through, not just that the network appears.
- Check that no account lock remains: "Find My iPhone" disabled on the Apple side, Google account removed on Android. A device still tied to its previous owner is unusable after the first reset.
- Check there is no carrier SIM lock, a now-marginal practice in France but common on imported models.
If you have doubts about a private sale, the PHAROS reporting platform and filing a complaint remain the available remedies. For a purchase from a professional, the legal warranty is enough: a blocked device is non-conforming, full stop.
Your rights: legal warranty, withdrawal, and what takes precedence
The legal guarantee of conformity
For second-hand goods sold by a professional, the legal guarantee of conformity runs for 12 months minimum (against 24 months for new goods), with a presumption that the defect pre-existed for 12 months: it is up to the seller to prove the fault is yours, not the other way round. This warranty is free and mandatory — it can't be negotiated, can't be bought, and covers repair or replacement.
A point added by the recent reform and very little known: when goods are repaired under the legal warranty, that warranty is extended by six months. And if you request a repair and the seller refuses, you can obtain a replacement or a refund.
The commercial warranty
Many refurbishers advertise 12, 24 or even 36 months. This is a contractual extra, not a substitute. Read the exclusions: the battery is very often excluded beyond six months, as are liquid damage and the screen.
The right of withdrawal
Distance selling = 14 days to change your mind, no reason required, return costs possibly at your expense. It's your best protection: run every check described above in the first week, not after a month.
The French electronic communications ombudsman does not handle disputes over handsets bought outside a carrier. For a dispute with an online retailer, the route is the sector's consumer mediation service, then the DGCCRF via the SignalConso portal.
The 48 hours after delivery: the checklist
Once the parcel is open, set aside half an hour. Everything below can be tested without tools.
- Screen: display a full-screen white image, then a black one. Look for dead pixels, blotches, banding or colour-tint differences (a sign of a non-original screen).
- Touch: draw continuous lines from edge to edge in a drawing app. No interruption is acceptable.
- Cameras: photo and video, front and rear, with and without flash, plus ultra-wide mode and zoom.
- Microphones and speakers: record a voice memo, make a real call, test the loudspeaker and the earpiece.
- Charging: wired and wireless. A quality USB-C wall charger stops you from mistaking a worn connector for a dying cable.
- Sensors: compass, auto-rotation, proximity sensor (the screen must switch off during a call held to the ear), biometric unlocking.
- Connectivity: 5 GHz Wi-Fi, Bluetooth with a pair of wireless Bluetooth earbuds, GPS outdoors for five minutes, NFC for payments.
- Network: check that 4G/5G is displayed, make a VoLTE call, enable Wi-Fi calling.
Note every defect in writing with time-stamped photos and send your claim before the 14 days are up.
What it really costs: doing the full sum
The advertised price isn't the real cost. An honest two-year breakdown:
| Item | Refurbished €249 | New €719 |
|---|---|---|
| Purchase | €249 | €719 |
| Battery to replace | €0 to €80 | €0 |
| Protection (case + tempered glass screen protector) | €25 | €25 |
| Resale value at 2 years | ~€110 | ~€330 |
| Net cost over 2 years | €164 to €244 | €414 |
The gap remains huge, even in the unfavourable scenario. And if you're financing your handset through a subsidised plan at €30 or more a month over 24 months, redo the maths: the difference against a no-commitment plan at €10-12 often exceeds €400 over the period — more than the price of the phone itself.
Key takeaways
- The grade is a marketing argument with no regulatory value: base your decision on the battery, the motherboard and the model version, not on micro-scratches.
- Insist on a battery capacity above 90% or a documented new battery.
- Check VoLTE and n78 band compatibility with your carrier before paying: in 2026, it's the most expensive failure and the only genuinely unfixable one.
- Check the IMEI, confirm there's no account lock, and make a real call on day one.
- You have 14 days to withdraw and 12 months of legal warranty with a presumption that the defect pre-existed: use the first window to test, the second to get repairs done.
A well-chosen refurbished smartphone lasts three to four years longer. Badly chosen, it costs the price of a new one in repairs and irritation. The difference comes down to thirty minutes of checks carried out at the right moment — which is to say, right now.
