Selling Certified Refurbished Items on Amazon – Yay or Nay?

Ah, Amazon…

The marketplace where new means new, but used means…well, many other things!

You’ve probably noticed that each listing or product on Amazon has a condition section. It often says “new and used,” and it should be pretty self-explanatory what Amazon means by new, and what it means by used.

However, things are not that simple when it comes to used products when selling on Amazon. Thought there were just two sides to each coin on Amazon? Think again! In reality, there are four sides to used products:

Used- Like New or Open Box

This tag is used for any product that is in perfect working condition. It might lack whatever protective material they originally had on the box, but the inside packaging still remains intact. The damage is also minor, and the packaging still comes with instructions. It’s pretty much a product in new condition, which is missing the original wrapping. Open-box products can be quite sought-after on Amazon!

Used – Very Good

This confusing-sounding condition refers to any product that has been used maybe once or twice, and works perfectly fine. It might show wear and tear here and there, and might be cased in a package that is damaged. Some of the accessories it originally came in might also be missing from the box.

Used – Good

Another condition? Yes! We told you there are four sides to this story!

A used item, qualified as a good, is a product that has seen more usage than “very good” items but still works perfectly and gets the job done. The packaging will definitely be damaged, and it might have even been changed. You might also end up with missing parts, like screws and how-to-use manuals.

Used – Acceptable

We swear this is the last one! An acceptable used item has definitely taken a beating. But guess what? It still works! Seeing as the item has taken a beating, you can be sure that the packaging will definitely be damaged, and even changed. It might also be dented or scratched, in a way that you can tell someone has been using it. Just like the previous two, it might arrive with missing parts.

Now that you have a better understanding of the different shades used on Amazon, let’s get to the real question:

Can You Sell Refurbished Products on Amazon?

The answer is: yes, you can. But as always with Amazon, not everything is that simple.

Amazon has a program for Amazon sellers who wish to sell refurbished products and like-new products on the platform. Thousands of products are returned by customers for many reasons, including video game consoles, musical instruments, office equipment, home appliances, industrial tools, and many others. Something had to be done about all these items, and Amazon did it:

Say Hello to Amazon Renewed

Amazon Renewed is Amazon’s brainchild for used, like-new, and pre-owned items. The program has made selling certified refurbished items on Amazon much easier. There are thousands of sellers on Amazon selling certified refurbished goods. However, there are still rules. The products must meet Amazon’s criteria.

 

 

Let’s talk about the items which you can sell through Amazon Renewed:

First of all, they must be products that can be fixed, or refurbished either by Amazon’s specialists or the suppliers themselves. If there any damaged parts, they have to fixed so the product can work like new. A product that cannot be fixed will not be eligible for the Amazon Renewed program. In other words, it will not be “certified refurbished.”

Are there specific items that I can sell through Amazon refurbished?

Yes, according to the Amazon Renewed policy, the following categories are just some of the items you are allowed to sell through this program as certified refurbished products:

• Smartphones
• Tablets
• Television
• Various automotive parts
• Kitchen appliances
• Cameras
• Headphones

These are examples of items, which are permitted to be sold as certified refurbished items on Amazon under the Amazon Renewed program.

But how do I refurbish an item?

Easy! You have to go through what is called a “refurbishment process.” You need to run at least one diagnostic test by a professional, replace faulty parts, clean up the product and even repackage if possible.

Depending on which “used” category your items belong to, they must include all the accessories that certified refurbished products on the Amazon Renewed program are required to have.

Can Any Seller Sell on Amazon Renewed?

Technically, anyone with an Amazon seller account can apply to sell products on Amazon Renewed. However, there are points to consider:

For example, if you are already an existing seller on Amazon, you need to make sure that you have an Order Defect Rate (ODR) of 0.8 or less. On top of that, you need to able to provide invoices dated with 90 days. If you are shooting for high-quality items such as Apple, then those invoices need to exceed $2.5 million in total for this brand only.

If you wish to list refurbished products that do not come with warranties from manufacturers (these are also called factory refurbished items), then you need to submit images of these refurbished items. Typically, Amazon will require at least 8 images of a sample before they allow you to start selling these items through Amazon Renewed. And just like the “used” condition, the images must portray the refurbished product from four sides.

You need to claim responsibility!

That’s right. Technically, you are considered a third-party vendor on Amazon. This means that you need to be responsible for the Amazon Renewed Guarantee.

As you can see, even used open box and pre-owned products on Amazon are allowed to be sold through the Amazon Renewed program, and they even come with a 90-day warranty. Some renewed products still hold their manufacturer warranty, depending on the condition of the products and the manufacturer’s terms.

Risks Associated with Selling Certified Refurbished Products on Amazon

If you are an Amazon seller, then chances are you already know about Amazon suspensions. Here’s one thing that you might not know: suspensions can happen on Amazon if you sell pre-owned used products, even if they are qualifying refurbished.

Why? Well, because there are literally hundreds of rules that might end up getting you suspended. Even if you sell certified refurbished items and you sell on Amazon Renewed, you never know which one of these rules you might trigger. That’s why we generally recommend any seller on Amazon to stick with new products only and preferably stay away from the crowd that chooses to sell certified refurbished items instead. Why? Because new products are less of a hassle, especially when sourced from authorized supply chains or the brands directly. You never know where used products are coming from, and whether the invoices are valid or not! From all you know, they might come from liquidation companies, which is another type of product supply chain we warn against.

Nevertheless, if you still decide to sell refurbished items on Amazon and end up getting suspended for selling these refurbished items, all you’d need to do is get in touch with our reinstatement service, and we will start the process of digging into your account, figuring out what went wrong, and coming up with a plan of action that will have you back selling on Amazon’s platform in no time! We must say, we have a great track record! Give us a shot!