Most people have heard of "buyers remorse," which results when a person make a purchase (typically an impulsive one) and then regrets buying the item days, or even hours, later - eventually returning the item.  So what happens to all of the Blackberries that are returned?

Most Blackberries that are returned "from the field" (buyers remorse, upgrades, malfunctions, etc.) are sent back to the manufacturer where they are refurbished.  These phones can no longer be sold as new (even the ones that were never activated), which has created a large market for refurbished Blackberry cell phones.

Refurbished Blackberry phones are cleaned, updated with the newest software, and tested for functionality.  They are then sold back to consumers at a discount.

There are a number of third party companies who acquire the refurbished cell phones from manufacturers and sell them.  Often you can find a great deal on a used Blackberry by shopping for a refurbished phone.  Some refurbished phones are not distinguishable from brand new models at all, except when you look at the price tag.  Buying a refurbished phone also carries the advantage that you do not need to renew a contract with your cellular provider to get a good deal.

Finally, be careful when shopping for refurbished phones.  There are some great retailers of used Blackberry cell phones and some not-so-great retailers.  Most reputable dealers will offer some sort of warranty with their phones, so that is a good criteria to judge them on.