Every refurbished seller invents its own condition grades. Pick a seller and the label you're looking at, and we'll show you what it actually means — and what the same device is called everywhere else.
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There is no industry standard for refurbished condition grades, so sellers reuse the same words for different things. These overlaps are calculated from each seller's own published definitions.
At Back Market it means micro-marks only. nothing visible at close inspection (about 20 cm). At Gazelle the same word means light marks. nothing visible at arm's length (about 50 cm) — one band lower.
At Back Market it means light marks. nothing visible at arm's length (about 50 cm). At eBay Refurbished the same word means scratches and/or small dents you can see in normal light. fully functional — one band lower.
At Back Market it means scratches and/or small dents you can see in normal light. fully functional. At Gazelle the same word means noticeable scratches and digs. fully functional — one band lower.
7 sellers, 25 published condition labels. Bands are RefurbVerify's normalisation of each seller's own wording — not a claim any seller makes.
| Seller | As New | Near New | Light Wear | Visible Wear | Heavy Wear | Not published |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apple Manufacturer | Certified Refurbished | — | — | — | — | — |
| Back Market Marketplace | — | PremiumExcellent | Good | Fair | — | — |
| Amazon Renewed Marketplace | — | Renewed PremiumRenewed | Renewed — Good | — | — | — |
| Swappa Marketplace | New | Mint | Good | Fair | — | — |
| Gazelle Reseller | — | Like New | Excellent | Good | Fair | — |
| eBay Refurbished Marketplace | Certified — Refurbished | Excellent — Refurbished | Very Good — Refurbished | Good — Refurbished | — | — |
| Best Buy Reseller | Open-Box Excellent — CertifiedOpen-Box Excellent | — | Geek Squad Certified Refurbished | — | — | Open-Box GoodOpen-Box Fair |
Sources — each seller's own published grading page: Apple · Back Market · Amazon Renewed · Swappa · Gazelle · eBay Refurbished · Best Buy
In the US the grade is doing more work than it does elsewhere, because the warranty behind it is shorter.
Across the US listings we track, cover runs from 30 days to a year — and some listings simply say “varies”. eBay's Certified tier carries two years via Allstate; Apple's is one year. Read the term, not the grade.
Amazon publishes a floor (over 80% Renewed, at least 90% Renewed Premium) and Apple ships a new battery. Swappa states plainly that its grades describe appearance, not function. Gazelle, eBay and Best Buy publish no battery standard with the grade.
At eBay, Certified is the top cosmetic tier. At Gazelle, Certified describes a 55-point functional inspection applied to every grade — including Fair. One is about looks, the other about testing.
Best Buy's Open-Box Excellent is a returned unit that was checked and re-shelved. Geek Squad Certified Refurbished has actually been repaired and restored. They sit in different bands for a reason.
On Swappa, Back Market, Amazon and eBay the grade is chosen by a third-party seller against the platform's rules, not by the platform itself. The platform's recourse policy is what backs it.
Because grade wording is looser here, the practical protection is the return window. eBay Refurbished requires at least 30 days and free shipping from qualified sellers.
Close, but they come from different scales. Swappa's Mint means pristine with no visible wear, and Back Market's Excellent means micro-scratches invisible from eight inches. Both land in our Near New band — but Gazelle's Excellent sits a band lower, describing the tier below Like New.
Amazon Renewed publishes more than 80% for Renewed and at least 90% for Renewed Premium, and Apple ships a new battery in every Certified Refurbished iPhone. Swappa, Gazelle, eBay and Best Buy publish no battery standard as part of the condition grade.
Not in the manufacturer sense. Renewed items are inspected and tested by qualified suppliers, not necessarily by the original brand. eBay reserves its Certified tier for items refurbished by the manufacturer or a manufacturer-approved vendor.
Best Buy states that Geek Squad Agents have inspected, tested and cleaned the product, and that refurbished units have been repaired and restored to a like-new state, which may include minor scratches. It describes a process, not a cosmetic tier.