Frequently Asked Questions

Frequently asked questions

The stuff people actually want to know before buying a refurbished phone.

Condition & grading

What do the grades mean?

Premium phones are cosmetically clean and fully functional. Within Premium, we use three tiers:

• Excellent — near-flawless. Only visible under direct inspection.
• Good — minor wear, e.g. very light scuffs on edges. No scratches on the display.
• Fair — visible wear, light scratches possible. Still cosmetically presentable.

Value phones have disclosed cosmetic or functional quirks at a lower price. Every Value phone is still fully tested, still warrantied, and the specific quirk is labeled on the listing (e.g. "small mark on display", "aftermarket battery", "screen burn-in").

How do you test phones?

70 points, in three stages:

1. Functional: power, charging, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, cellular radios, all cameras, all speakers, all microphones, all buttons, all sensors (proximity, ambient, accelerometer, gyroscope), biometric unlock, water-resistance seal (where applicable).
2. Battery: health percentage measured and bucketed (80–85%, 85–90%, 90%+).
3. Cosmetic: graded under standardized lighting against a published rubric.

Is the battery new?

Not always — we disclose the battery health band on every listing. A battery in the 90%+ band has minimal degradation. 80–85% is serviceable but may need earlier replacement. If the original battery failed our cutoff, we've installed a replacement battery and the listing will say so.

Warranty & returns

What's the warranty?

12 months, covering functional defects. Full details on the warranty page.

How do returns work?

30 days from delivery, no reason needed. Start the return from your account. We email a prepaid label. Full details on the returns page.

Can I return a phone I used?

Yes — as long as it's within 30 days and in the condition it arrived in. Don't jailbreak it, don't pry it open, don't lose accessories — otherwise no questions.

Shipping

How fast do you ship?

Orders placed before 2pm Pacific ship same day. Standard shipping is 3–5 business days. Expedited 2-day and overnight are available at checkout.

Do you ship internationally?

United States only right now. International is on the roadmap.

The phones themselves

Are they unlocked?

Yes — every phone sold on 2ndphoneclub is carrier-unlocked and works with any US carrier (plus most international ones). If the listing says "locked" anywhere, it's an error — email us.

What's in the box?

The phone, a charging cable, and a quick-start guide. No charger brick, no earbuds — Apple and Samsung stopped including those too, so we don't either.

Is there a SIM card?

No. Use your existing SIM or order a new one from your carrier.

Payment & account

What payment methods do you accept?

All major credit/debit cards, Apple Pay, Google Pay, Shop Pay, and Affirm (financing available at checkout for eligible orders).

Do I need an account?

No — guest checkout works. But creating one lets you track orders, start returns in one click, and see your cumulative carbon savings.

Trust

Why refurbished vs. new?

Refurbished phones cost 30–50% less than new and displace roughly 70kg of CO₂ per device. The performance difference on current-gen iPhones and Samsungs is basically imperceptible. You get the same phone for less money, and the planet gets a break.

Who are you?

2ndphoneclub is the D2C consumer storefront of 2ndlifephones, a wholesale refurbisher operating since 2018 out of El Segundo, California. More on the about page.

Still have a question?

Email support@2ndphoneclub.com. A human answers every message within one business day.