A: There are lots of things that can label items factory refurbished. Some are so frivolous, it's laughable. But because consumer laws prevent manufacturers from selling anything considered factory refurbished as "new", the second consumer gets the best deal. Here are a few examples: * Most major retail superstores offer a 30-day money back guarantee on their products and there are those consumers that just simply take advantage of that. These items are returned to the manufacturer, inspected and repackaged like new. Items where the box or casing was damaged in shipment which are returned to the manufacturer. The item was returned to the manufacturer because of a slight defect. The part that was defective was replaced by the manufacturer, tested and then repackaged just like new. The item was returned because of a minor cosmetic blemish on the casing that was corrected. Demonstration units are also considered factory refurbished. These units are inspected, tested and repackaged. The box was simply opened. That's it! It is impossible to know the history of each item, but for whatever reason the unit gets labelled factory refurbished it is inspected & serviced by the manufacturer then tested and repackaged to meet original product specifications. All merchandise is warranted by the original manufacturer unless otherwise specified. To simplify warranty issues, and as a service to our customers, as we realize the difficulty that can be associated with dealing with original manufacturers, Telephone Depot has elected to warrant all products we sell ourselves. Q: Why should I buy refurbished equipment? A: Refurbs save cash! Why hesitate getting the best value by getting the exact same equipment, with original manufacturers warranty at a much lower price: If you chose not to buy, or couldn't afford to buy that expensive item NOW you can with a factory refurb! And still get the same performance & warranty. Refurbished items have a much lower defect rate. The percentage of units that come back for repair are generally much higher on new items over refurb items because refurbished units are tested before they are sold. Bottom line, if all the benefits of buying a refurbished product are the same as a new one, even the warranty, the only "drawback" you would notice is probably a little label on the outside of the box or simply a brown box So, think again, Are You Shopping Smart?