The second-hand and refurbished market is booming, driven by price and the environmental argument. But one question always comes up: “if it breaks down, am I covered?” The answer depends above all on one thing: who you’re buying from.
Refurbished, sold by a professional
A refurbished product bought from a professional seller (specialist platform, pro merchant) comes with France’s legal guarantee of conformity. For second-hand goods, the presumption that the defect existed before the sale lasts 12 months (instead of 24 for new goods): for a full year, it’s up to the seller to prove the defect wasn’t there.
On top of that, there’s almost always a commercial warranty specific to the refurbisher (often 6, 12 or 24 months depending on the “grade” and the seller). Check its duration and scope before you buy.
Second-hand between private individuals
Here, no legal guarantee of conformity: it only applies to sales by a professional. You do, however, keep two remedies:
- the hidden defects warranty (garantie des vices cachés), under the French Civil Code: it applies even between private individuals, and kicks in when a serious defect — hidden and pre-dating the sale — comes to light;
- conformity with the listing: if the item doesn’t match the description, you can challenge the sale.
Hence the importance, when buying second-hand from a private seller, of keeping the listing, your messages and the proof of payment: they’re your only evidence in a dispute.
The summary table
| You’re buying… | Legal guarantee of conformity | Commercial warranty | Hidden defects |
|---|---|---|---|
| New, from a pro | Yes — 2 years | Often | Yes |
| Refurbished, from a pro | Yes — 12-month presumption | Often (depends on the seller) | Yes |
| Second-hand, private seller | No | No | Yes |
Three tips before buying second-hand
- Favor a professional seller if the warranty matters to you: you keep the legal guarantee.
- Keep everything: listing, invoice or receipt, messages, date. It’s the foundation of any claim.
- Write down the purchase date: it sets the starting point of every warranty.
Tracking warranties of every length
Refurbished products multiply odd warranty durations (6 months, 1 year, 2 years depending on the seller). Hard to keep them all in mind. With Keept, you record each item’s purchase date, its origin (new, refurbished, second-hand) and the exact duration of its warranty; the app calculates the expiry date and alerts you before it runs out — whoever the seller.