Refurbished Devices: As good as new with XtraCover Warranty

The refurbished devices market is on the rise in India. This surge is just not fuelled by
the need to come online for work and classes due to lockdowns forced by Covid, but
also because of the aspiration to own premium devices at an affordable price point.
The common misconception is that a refurbished device is considered a second-hand
or a pre-owned device.

However, that’s not the case as refurbished phones are those that were returned by
customers due to defects and faults, and the manufacturer or a seller repaired those
defects and relaunched the device for reselling.

Refurbished smartphones and laptops offer a cost-effective alternative for the consumer
as it helps in saving money but also comes with assurance of after-sales and warranty.
Not only that, with refurbished devices one contributes to the environment as well by
minimizing e-waste.

In conversation with Soumitra Gupta, CEO of XtraCover, we get to know his view of
the Indian refurbished devices market and the company’s model for repair and warranty
for electronic devices.

XtraCover has over 20 years of experience in repairs of OEM and ODM like HP, Lenovo,
and Acer to name a few, and also offers extended warranties on electronic devices and
sells refurbished devices that are tested and certified for quality.

Question: Please share details on XtraCover’s repair and warranty model
for the electronic devices that differentiate it from the warranty that is
provided by the product brand.

XtraCover is a unit of Aforeserve Technologies (P) Ltd (ATPL). Based in New Delhi, ATPL
was established by the founder and core team of Aforeserve.com Ltd. which boasts over
20 years of experience in IT repairs and services.

XtraCover is India’s fastest-growing online platform and caters to the whole range of
after-sales services for mobile phones, IT & electronic devices. The company’s key offerings
include pre-owned certified device sales, and warranty support plans, among other
repairs/refurbishment services. The pre-owned certified device sales come with a year
warranty and are unique in the refurbished mobile industry.

The warranty support plans comprise extended, used phone warranty and accidental and screen damage protection, while XCQC is a mobile health check certification. The company prides itself on having world-class technology and a highly experienced workforce. The team is a mix of individuals with industry expertise derived from their long-term OEM and ODM associations.

A robust global supply chain’s ability to source components from across the world is another thing that gives XtraCover a competitive edge over its industry peers. The company envisions accomplishing itself as a premium consumer brand in the market.

Question: Given the Indian scenario, how are you driving the change in customers’ mindset to opt for a refurbished device? Please share your insights on the Indian market landscape for refurbished devices/gadgets? Besides smartphones what are the categories where you are seeing traction for refurbished devices?

XtraCover is a pioneer of this new organised sector & is focused on ensuring customer satisfaction, the core team is a mix of professionals who come with experience of over 20 years in repairs, refurbishment, warranty support, and product lifecycle management.

The technologically equipped team also possesses industry expertise and has long-term OEM and ODM associations. With a strong domestic and global supply chain, the company’s ability to source components from across the world (and even directly from OEMs) gives the firm a competitive edge over its peers in the industry.

There is huge potential in the market for refurbished smartphones in India. We believe we have just scratched the surface of what the market has to offer. The more and more organised the refurbished sector gets the true potential of the market will throw up astonishing numbers.

We believe that XtraCover is poised to take a giant leap because we are the pioneers in this industry and have positioned ourselves to take full advantage. XtraCover is focused primarily on the refurbished smartphone and laptop categories for now.

XtraCover gives a 1-year warranty on all refurbished smartphones sold on its platform and ensures that the devices are XCQC’s 64 parameters checked and certified. The e-commerce platform enables picking up orders and delivery on a pan-India level. All of these things put together build the trust towards refurbished devices, thus, expanding the market.

Question: How is your initiative ensuring a seamless experience for the customers for repair and warranty services over the same that is provided by the original brand?

Brand service centres always focus on services that fall within the warranty period. However, these service centres tend to have problems with spares and component availability that lead to higher TAT in out-of-warranty services, thereby leading to customer dissatisfaction. Also, with brands launching new products every few months, their prime focus is on sales as they would prefer customers purchase their newly launched models.

At XtraCover, we aim to give the best quality of service at an affordable price point, and we can source spares and components globally. We also give warranty on the repaired and refurbished products while facilitating doorstep services for the consumers. There is enough room for OEMs and organized players to co-exist. The main thing is to win the trust of the customer and deliver what is promised.

Question: How does your model for refurbished devices work? For instance, how are you sourcing the defective devices? Do you do the repairs at your own facility or through a partner? Do you plan to get defective/broken products from customers directly, and in doing so be a part of the e-waste management process.

XtraCover has its own B2B and B2C channels to source smartphones and laptops for refurbishment. We are facilitators for big players and industry leaders – such as e-commerce giants & OEMs that are part of our sourcing channels.

Our exclusive service partners are Aforeserve.com Ltd., which boasts over 20 years of experience in IT repairs and services. Yes, we do get defective devices from the market and are part of the e-waste management process.

Question: What would be your top advice to someone buying a refurbished gadget or pre-owned device, say a laptop or a smartphone, and what would be the things that a buyer should look out for and be aware of while buying any pre-owned/refurbished device?

Quality of refurbishment, workmanship or the knowledge-base/know-how of the refurbishment team, quality of spare parts used for refurbishment and what kind of warranty is the seller prepared to offer on the refurbished product – are the factors that one should consider while opting for a refurbished device.

At XtraCover, we are focused on ensuring customer satisfaction. Our core team is a mix of professionals who come with experience of over 20 years in repairs, refurbishment, warranty support, and product lifecycle management.