Should I Buy a Canon USA Refurbished Camera or Lens?
by Sean Setters
We often post Canon USA refurbished camera, lens and Speedlite flash deals to our news feed because a) the items are priced very nicely and b) they come with a retail matching 1-year warranty. I've purchased several refurbished items over the years and the only difference I've noticed between the refurbished gear and a new/retail one is that the refurbished gear comes in a nondescript (usually white) box.
However, we were curious to learn more about Canon's refurbishment process, so they kindly granted us a brief interview.
Please tell us a little about yourself. What’s your position at Canon and how long have you been with the company?
Jason Fligman, Director of Service Operations, centric to ITCG product quality assurance/control, business development, refurbishing operations, service parts management, technical training, and field event support. Employed at Canon for 10 years.What typical circumstances lead to an item being processed by Canon’s refurbished department?
When items are returned to Canon, primarily through customer stock balance returns, they are inspected and if they meet specific criteria, directed into our refurbishing operations.Which Canon facility handles refurbishment of its EOS cameras, EF/EF-S/TS-E/MP-E/EF-M lenses and Speedlite flashes?
Canon Virginia (CVI) – Technology CenterCan you describe how the refurbishment process works, from the time that the item arrives at the service facility to the time it is sold as a refurbished item?
Canon products returned to Canon USA, and judged by Canon USA to be eligible for refurbishing, undergo a rigorous refurbishment process. Our trained Canon technicians perform comprehensive quality assurance inspections, replacing any needed components with genuine Canon parts. Before being offered for sale by Canon USA, the refurbished product is subjected to a comprehensive technical evaluation, which includes functional testing and assessments against quality control standards by Canon USA’s trained technical staff. Refurbished products are then packaged with the appropriate manuals, cables, and accessories. All refurbished products are backed by our standard 1-Year limited warranty.When asked if Canon could go into even more detail, we were told that several of the steps in the refurbishment process involve proprietary information which could not be disclosed.
As mentioned above, the biggest benefit of buying a refurbished item is its lower cost compared to a retail model, with the savings potentially augmented during one of Canon's refurbished gear sales. That the refurbished item comes with an identical-to-retail warranty is certainly reassuring that your gear will perform as expected. The only downside to buying a refurbished item is that refurbished gear may have a slightly lower resale value compared to an item acquired new from an authorized retailer (the resale difference is largely due to the stigma associated with refurbished products and the lack of a retail box).
Want to know what Canon USA refurbished items are currently in stock? Check out the links below.
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