There are a few things that you must keep in mind before you actually choose one.
Before you go shopping for a refurbished digital camera, you must have a basic idea of what you are looking for in terms of features, battery life, your budget etc. The best way to do this would be to determine the uses for which you are planning to buy a camera.
Always remember that there is really no 'guarantee' when you are buying a refurbished camera since it might work well for a few months or it might not work at all. So, it is very important that you check your camera properly before purchasing it.
Also, check the type of warranty that you will get on the digital camera. Is it from the manufacturer or the retailer? For how long is it? What features of the camera does it cover?
One of the most important things is to see whether the camera actually works or not. Even though this might sound a little weird, when you are buying a refurbished camera, it is always better that you properly check each and every thing - since you must remember that what you are purchasing has already been used earlier.
Check whether the proper cables and accessories are given to you at the time of purchase. Mostly, people check only the camera and forget to see whether they are getting the battery charger, USB cable and other devices with the camera as well. If it is your first digital camera and you do not really know what contents you should be getting, then you should ask the seller clearly at the time of enquiry about what will you be getting in the final package.
Nowadays, refurbished cameras can be purchased via the internet as well. But before you choose a particular site/store, try to get a recommendation about the reliability of the site/seller. Ask people who have purchased refurbished digital cameras about their experiences and whom do they recommend.
One of the well known web sites' which sells refurbished digital cameras is Amazon.com. It has a large variety of refurbished cameras and great customer service as well.