New, Open Box or Used? What Item Conditions Really Mean

When you buy surplus, clearance or second-hand stock, the condition label is the most important line in the listing. It tells you more about what will arrive than the price does. The labels most UK sellers use follow eBay's, so you will see the same words almost everywhere. Here is what they usually mean.

New

Brand new, unused and unopened, in the original packaging, with any original seals intact. This is the same as buying from a high-street shop. The only difference with surplus stock is why it is cheaper: overstock, end of line, or a business clearing its shelves.

New (other) and opened, never used

The item is new and unused, but something about it is not quite shop-perfect. Usually that means:

• The box has been opened, perhaps to check the contents.
• The packaging is missing, damaged or plain rather than retail.
• It is a shop display or unwanted return that was never used.

For most purchases this is excellent value. The item itself is new; only the presentation is not. Read the description for what exactly is different.

New with defects

New and unused, but with a cosmetic fault such as a scratch, a scuff or a mark, or a box that is badly damaged. A good seller will say what and where the defect is, and show it in the photos.

Refurbished

A used item that has been checked, repaired where needed and tested. How thorough that process is depends on who did it. Manufacturer-refurbished items are generally restored to a near-new standard; seller-refurbished varies. Look for what testing was done and whether parts were replaced.

Used

Previously owned and used. Condition can range from barely touched to well worn, so this is where the description matters most. A useful used listing tells you:

• What marks or wear there are, with photos of them.
• Whether it has been tested, and how.
• What is included, and what is missing.

For parts or not working

The item does not work properly, or has not been tested and cannot be guaranteed to. It is sold for spares or repair, priced accordingly, and usually not returnable for being faulty, because that is what was described. Only buy this if you know what you are doing with it.

The questions worth asking

Whatever the label, a few questions cover most of the risk:

• Is the item in the photos the actual one I will receive?
• Has it been tested, and how?
• Is everything included: cables, chargers, manuals, accessories?
• Is anything marked, damaged or missing that is not shown?

Your rights

Buying from a UK business, goods must match their description, be of satisfactory quality and be fit for purpose under the Consumer Rights Act 2015. For online purchases you also normally have 14 days from delivery to change your mind. A used item will not be perfect, but it should be as the seller described it.

How we describe our stock

On our listings, the condition shown is the condition the item was listed with, and the description tells you anything we have noticed: marks, missing parts, untested functions. If something is not clear, ask us before you buy and we will look for you.

Browse the full shop, or see our returns and terms.