Consumer Comparison
The iOutlet vs The Big Phone Store
Two UK retailers. Two teams that grade, refurbish and sell their own stock. Both publish a testing process — the difference is how far it goes, how consistently it's stated, and what backs it up after you buy.
Price Comparison Snapshot
| Model |  | iOutlet |
|---|---|---|
| iPhone 11 Pro 256GB | Cheapest £174.99
Save
£5.00 (3%) | Cheapest £179.99 |
| iPhone 14 Plus 256GB | Cheapest £354.99
Save
£15.00 (4%) | Cheapest £369.99 |
Correct as of: 22/07/2026
Introduction
Same idea, different level of detail
The iOutlet isn't a marketplace stitching together third-party sellers — it's a direct retailer that grades, refurbishes and sells its own stock, the same as us, both companies stand behind what they sell. So how do both compare?
Let’s take a closer look at the quality of what each of us publishes and how consistently we maintain that standard.
TESTING AND REFURBISHMENT
What actually happens before a phone reaches you
Every phone we sell goes through a 90+ point PhoneCheck inspection at our Wolverhampton facility. If a device doesn't meet the standard, it doesn't go on sale.
Category | The Big Phone Store | The iOutlet |
|---|---|---|
Business and experience | Direct retailer, refurbishing and supporting devices from its own Wolverhampton facility. Established in 1999. | Direct retailer, not a marketplace. |
Testing and security | 90+ point PhoneCheck inspection, covering key components, connectivity, finance, theft, loss, blacklist and police-register checks. | States devices receive a 70+ point diagnostic check, lost-and-stolen database checks, repairs where required and a final dispatch check. |
Condition and battery | Minimum 85% battery health, stated consistently, with a 100% option available. | Grades devices from A+ Pristine to C Average. Battery guarantee is stated as 75% on some pages and 80% in its terms and certain listings. |
Warranty | 12 months as standard, upgradeable to 2-year, 5-year or lifetime cover. | 12 months as standard, with 24-month extended cover referenced in some places. |
Returns | Up to 45 days, online or in-store | 45 days for online purchases and 30 days in-store |
What this means for you: Both retailers test and grade before they sell. The clearest practical differences are the scope of the security checks (we publish finance and police-register checks; The iOutlet's stated checks are lost/stolen-database and Find My iPhone), one unambiguous battery number instead of two conflicting ones, and warranty cover that can extend to lifetime rather than 24 months.
Similar on paper, but not in practice!
Both The Big Phone Store and The iOutlet do refurbished phones properly, and it's worth saying so! Real testing, real grading, a warranty that means something. If you're weighing us up against them, you're choosing between two retailers who both know what they're doing.
But the closer you look, the more the differences start to matter. Take the battery guarantee: ours is one number, stated the same way wherever you read it. Theirs shifts depending on which page you're on — 75% here, 80% there — which leaves you guessing what you're actually covered for. Or the warranty: 24 months is decent, but ours can run for life if you want it to. Or what happens when a repair's needed: we get it back to you the same day it arrives, because we know what it's like to be without your phone.
None of that makes The iOutlet a bad choice. It just makes us the better one — and the rest of this page shows you exactly why.
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CUSTOMER SUPPORT
You won't be stuck waiting on The Big Phone Store
We've been fixing and selling phones from Wolverhampton since 1999. That means when something goes wrong, you're not dealing with a call centre reading a script — you're dealing with the same team that tested your phone in the first place.
Most repairs go out the same day they land with us. Worst case, it's the next day — and that only happens for 2% of repairs
99.8%
Customer queries answered the same working day
98%
Repairs turned around and sent back the day they arrive
25+ years
Experience trading locally from Wolverhampton
Compare properly. Then decide.
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Both The Big Phone Store and The iOutlet sell and refurbish their own stock. The difference is in the standard each retailer commits to.
At The Big Phone Store, that means a published 90+ point inspection, a minimum 85% battery-health guarantee, warranty options extending up to lifetime cover and a Wolverhampton support team with published response figures.