Open box means a product whose box was opened before you buy it. It is often a customer return, a display model or an item with damaged packaging. Many stores check it and sell it at a discount, but open box does not mean anyone repaired or restored it.
Refurbished is a different promise. A refurbished product was tested, repaired where needed and prepared for resale. This guide explains the difference, shows how two large retailers grade open box items, and helps you pick the right option.
Open box in short
- Open box: the box was opened. The product may be unused, lightly used or a display unit.
- Who checks it: the store that sells it. The checks and the grades differ from store to store.
- Warranty: often the manufacturer warranty still applies, but check each listing.
- Not the same as refurbished: open box does not promise a repair, new parts or a new battery.
Open box vs certified refurbished, used and renewed
Open box
The store sells a returned or opened item, usually after a check. The condition note tells you about scratches and missing parts. Read it on each listing, because two open box items of the same model can differ.
Manufacturer certified refurbished
The brand that made the product restores it, tests it and sells it with its own warranty. Apple, for example, says each Apple Certified Refurbished product goes through full functional testing and comes with Apple's standard one-year limited warranty. Refurbished iPhones and other iOS devices get a new battery and a new outer shell. See our Apple refurbished page.
Samsung says its Certified Re-Newed phones are refurbished by Samsung, pass 147 quality checkpoints, get a certified new battery and come with a one-year limited warranty. See our Samsung refurbished page.
Used or pre-owned
Used means the product is sold as it is. Nobody has to test it or repair it before the sale. Some stores use "used" for graded returns too, so read the condition definition.
Renewed
Amazon Renewed is a section of the Amazon marketplace. Amazon says Renewed products are "professionally-inspected and tested by a third-party company". The Amazon Renewed Guarantee lets you return a product within 90 days of receipt for a replacement or a refund. For the full comparison, read Refurbished vs Renewed.
For the plain definition of each label, read What Does Refurbished Mean?
Retailer open box programs
This section uses the words each retailer uses on its own page. Terms can change, so read the page before you buy.
Best Buy Open-Box
Best Buy says open-box items "may be customer returns, display models or items with damaged packaging". Best Buy examines each item and prices it by condition. It lists three Geek Squad-verified conditions:
- Excellent: works and looks like new and is restored to factory settings. It includes all original parts, packaging and accessories, or a suitable replacement.
- Good: works like new and is restored to factory settings. It may have minor scratches or dents. It could be missing non-essential parts, accessories or the original packaging.
- Fair: works like new and is restored to factory settings. It may have larger dents or scratches and could be missing parts and accessories.
Best Buy says its return and exchange policy for open-box items is the same as for new items. It also says that in many cases open-box items come with the same manufacturer warranty as a new product. Check the warranty line on the listing.
Amazon Resale
Amazon Resale sells used, open box and pre-owned products. Amazon says all of these products go through a quality check, and electronics are powered on, tested and factory reset. The products ship from Amazon and can be returned within 30 days of receipt. Amazon uses these conditions:
- Used, Like New: perfect working condition with all essential accessories. The packaging may be damaged.
- Used, Very Good: fully functions but may have seen limited use. It may have minor cosmetic flaws and could be missing nonessential accessories.
- Used, Good: fully functions but may show wear from moderate use, such as a small scratch. It may be missing valuable accessories.
- Used, Acceptable: serves its main function but may have clear signs of use, such as scratches, dents and worn corners. It may be missing accessories or parts.
- Used, As Is: may have extensive wear but still serves its main function. Images show the exact condition.
For most grades, Amazon lists missing accessories or parts in the item description.
When each option fits
- Open box Excellent or Like New fits when you want a product that is close to new, with all essential accessories, at a lower price. Check that the full warranty applies.
- Lower open box grades fit when you can accept marks or a missing non-essential part. Price in a replacement charger or cable if one is missing.
- Manufacturer certified refurbished fits phones and laptops where the battery and the warranty matter most. You get the brand's own testing and warranty. Start with Apple, Samsung, Dell or Lenovo.
- Renewed or marketplace refurbished fits when you compare many offers and read each seller's terms. The seller sets the warranty.
- Used fits when the price is low enough to cover the risk of no testing and no warranty.
Checklist before you buy open box
- Warranty: does the manufacturer warranty still apply? Who gives it, and for how long?
- Return window: how many days, from purchase or from delivery? Is it the same as for new items?
- Condition grade: read the store's own definition of the grade, not only the name.
- Accessories: check for the charger, cables, remote and any stand. A missing part can cost extra.
- Battery: for phones and laptops, open box says nothing about the battery. A brand refurbished program may state a new battery.
- Price: compare with the new price and with the brand's own refurbished store.
Bottom line
Open box tells you that the box was opened. It does not tell you that the product was repaired or that the battery is new. The store's condition grade and the warranty line tell you what you get. If you want the brand's own testing and warranty, compare the open box offer with the official refurbished store in our brand directory.
Sources
- Best Buy, Finding the Best Deals on Open-Box Items at Best Buy, checked 2026-10-08.
- Amazon, Amazon Resale: Understanding Product Conditions, checked 2026-10-08.
- Amazon, What is Amazon Resale?, checked 2026-10-08.
- Amazon, Amazon Renewed: like-new products with a guarantee, checked 2026-10-08.
- Apple, About Apple Certified Refurbished, checked 2026-10-08.
- Samsung, Certified Re-Newed Phones, checked 2026-10-08.