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Is it safe to buy AppleCare from eBay?

R

rootss

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Sep 5, 2008
4
0
Hi all,

My first post here. I just recently bought a used Mac Pro. :D

The machine was still under original Apple warranty until Oct 5, 2008. I'm thinking of getting AppleCare and I saw on eBay there are several sellers selling the AppleCare for Mac Pro for much cheaper than the Apple Store price. Curiously, the seller will send only the registration code by email and not the box or papers.

My question is... are those sellers legit? Also I notice they're selling the "old" AppleCare which has part number MA516LL/A and the current one at Apple Store is MB586LL/A. Are there any difference between the old and new one?

Thanks in advance.
 
There are a couple of threads (applecare+ebay) on this. You might want to take a look at this one. ;)

I've seen it available on amazon (MA516LL/A) as well, and it was less expensive than Apple. :)
 
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In the last two years, I've purchased 3 MacBook Pro AppleCares from eBay and had no issues activating them and getting those MBPs registered.

I'd just make sure the person you're buying from has a good reputation on eBay.
 
I bought my MP Applecare on eBay. I checked with Apple officially and they said there was no problem where you buy the Applecare from. The phone agent also said he didn't blame me not buying it retail as I saved almost $100. I hope they didn't record his phone conversation with me "for training purposes".
Regarding the Applecare part #'s I asked the same question and was told by Apple that one part # was for Applecare with the original MP purchase and the other part # was for a separate Applecare purchase after the fact or from a retailer. The different part #'s are indeed for the exact same Applecare.
 
I got my mini AC on ebay in a box a year ago. I got my MB AC last week from ebay. The auction said they would mail the code on a plain white paper via postal, unless I wanted it emailed asap. I opted for the email and I got it in a couple hours. I then registered it online and got an email from apple in 10 minutes confirming my coverage. All is well. I think I paid $99 for the mini and $162 for the MB.
 
I saved a 100.00 on AppleCare for my MacBook Pro on Ebay :) AppleCare has since replaced the battery and motherboard...So, there is no problem.....:)
 
I bought Applecare on eBay, the registration code was emailed to me and I registered it on Apple's website. It's been a bunch of hours now, and I have not gotten an email confirmation yet, and the site still says "registration in progress." Someone above mentioned receiving confirmation in a few minutes. Is it typical for the registration process to take this long? Perhaps I'm being impatient, but this is afterall the age of instant gratification.
 
wilfried said:
I bought Applecare on eBay, the registration code was emailed to me and I registered it on Apple's website. It's been a bunch of hours now, and I have not gotten an email confirmation yet, and the site still says "registration in progress." Someone above mentioned receiving confirmation in a few minutes. Is it typical for the registration process to take this long? Perhaps I'm being impatient, but this is afterall the age of instant gratification.
Click to expand...

if you're concerned about it you could just call 'em....
 
I bought Apple Care new in the box on eBay for my MacPro and one for my 30" CD for well under $100 each. I think both combined were $90. I think retail would be $250 and $99. So I made out like a bandit. I did however get them brand new in a shrink-wrapped box. I would not trust someone to just email me a number. That sounds fishy. I would not buy AppleCare off eBay unless it was a boxed version.
 
I bought Applecare for my Mac Mini two weeks ago. $55 on ebay. Once I got the code I went through the process and about an hour or two later I got the confirmation email from Apple.

I was wary of buying it so cheap on ebay, but it was a good deal and everything was legit.
 
I recently ordered AppleCare with my new refurb Mac Pro and Apple actually sent me two copies. I think it was because of the packing invoice had the Apple Care as item #2, and someone misread that as the count.

Anyway, now I have a spare AppleCare and I was actually wondering if anyone would even dare to buy one from eBay. I mean, what you are buying essentially is a number... who is to say that you are not being scammed in some way.
 
There's no problem with just emailing the code. When I got mine, that's what I had them do so I wouldn't have to pay shipping for a worthless box. If the code's not legit you'll find out pretty quick.
 
I saved by switching to eBay...

...three computers - three different retailers - zero scams.
 
I've done it twice. No problems. I'm always careful to buy from people with decent feedback ratings who have been around a while.
 
There are a lot of legitimate Ebay sellers that can give you upwards of 50% off. I've always it bought it from Ebay.

But,

You have to lookout for low feedback or suspicious sellers. Always check their feedback..If they have a high percentage positive rating, a number in the hundreds/powerseller, and feedback from people who have bought Applecare from them then you are okay.

Don't forget, if you use PayPal, make sure the auction page shows they have Paypal insurance coverage to buyers.
 
Here's another vouch for buying AppleCare on eBay. Not only should they have a good feeback reputation (sorry if this is repeated info, I didn't want to read through all responses, hehe) but check also if they have positive feedback from selling AppleCare too. It would also be nice to read someone's personally written feedback instead of generic "great seller, A++++" stuff.

And yes, having them email the code is fine and dandy. Or you can ask them to take a picture of it and email it to you.
 
Moof1904 said:
I've done it twice. No problems. I'm always careful to buy from people with decent feedback ratings who have been around a while.
Click to expand...

That's my problem, I have sold maybe 3 things on ebay... good feedback, but not much of it. But then again, I tell myself that I paid nothing for the extra apple care, so maybe I should hold onto it and when the first one runs out, or I upgrade my Mac again (I tend to do that every 2 years), I will just use the second copy then.
 
Lucky you sernh.

Just to update, a bunch of hours after I registered, the websited hadn't changed and I hadn't gotten the confirmation email, so I called Apple. According to the agent, his system showed that I was duly registered, though he couldn't quite figure out where I was on the website.

The odd thing is, now two days later I still haven't received the confirmation email, and the website still shows "registration in process." However, there's a link on the support page to "Download Techtools Deluxe" (so you can get the diagnostics disk that comes with the boxed Applecare, even if you just order a registration code), and it let me download, and that page shows the correct expiration date for Applecare two+ years from now.

I think it's just a glitch in their system, but it's annoying. I think there's something weird with my Apple account. They've had trouble finding my warrantee information with my name at the Apple Store. Is there somewhere on the website I can login to see my account? I can't find it.
 
Not trying to sound like a broken record, but I have a 2008 Mac Pro and the current AC on the Apple web site is MB586LL/A and what is being sold on Ebay is MA516LL/A. Is that an older version? Does it matter?
 
The funny thing here is this...

You guys are asking us (other users, who ain't associated to Apple) does it matter? Shouldn't you be asking APPLE since they're the one's who'll be offering you cover for your beloved machine? Ofcourse to us it doesn't matter.... :rolleyes:

Seriously, don't you people have grey matter?
 
fsron said:
Not trying to sound like a broken record, but I have a 2008 Mac Pro and the current AC on the Apple web site is MB586LL/A and what is being sold on Ebay is MA516LL/A. Is that an older version? Does it matter?
Click to expand...

That's the right one. It'll work fine. THey probably just updated their packaging or something.
 
fsron said:
Not trying to sound like a broken record, but I have a 2008 Mac Pro and the current AC on the Apple web site is MB586LL/A and what is being sold on Ebay is MA516LL/A. Is that an older version? Does it matter?
Click to expand...
Answered here. (Earlier in this thread). ;)
 
I give it 2 thumbs up!

I just finished buying my applecare for my Macbook Pro "Penryn" and i paid $178 on ebay. As soon as i bought it, i got the info via email, and a a link to register it and also to download tech tools.

178 is NOT bad instead of paying 349 from apple.. When my fiancé is ready to buy her applecare, i will def buy it from him.
 
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