[doublepost=1460211843][/doublepost]Tend to agree with this comment, I've bought a few refurbished items in the past and by and large they've held up, however, one MacBook book pro failed on me within a few weeks, completely dead, no booting. Took it to the Apple Store and they replaced the motherboard, no charge of course, took 3 days and it was annoying, left me hanging for that time. I still think they are good value, if you find what you're looking for, when you need it.
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Why don't people buy Refurbished instead of brand new?
- Thread starter AlexGraphicD
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I've found a lot of people don't know about the refurbished part of the Apple store.
I've opened up and replaced every user-replaceable component on Apple Refurbished Minis, Macbook Pros, MacPros and even a few iMacs in recent years, and I have never found a discernible flaw or improper installation.
That doesn't mean they don't exist, but in my experience they're not the norm.
If a hard drive failed after two years, especially if it was one of those junk 5400rpm 2.5s, I wouldn't be surprised, they're a failure from the beginning. That's why I always replace every user-replaceable component on every new Mac I buy.
I've had one 3rd party drive failure in 25 years.
Because HE academic/business discount, in tandem with the free 3-year hardware warranty you get, are often cheaper than refurbs anyway.
Exactly, though I think this only applies in the UK. As a student the HE discount in the UK gives you the same discount as refurb (c15%), but also free 3-year warranty, which you don't get if you buy refurb.
Personal Preference. I think they do represent a good deal, but they are items that were returned to apple for a reason. Some of those reasons were due to defects.
Then there's availability of a specific configuration that I want, many times you don't have the luxury of picking the exact configuration you had in mind, so do you choose less cost, vs. getting exactly what you want. For me the cost savings that I see is in the 12 to 14%, which isn't enough to given up a given component, or configuration.
Then there's availability of a specific configuration that I want, many times you don't have the luxury of picking the exact configuration you had in mind, so do you choose less cost, vs. getting exactly what you want. For me the cost savings that I see is in the 12 to 14%, which isn't enough to given up a given component, or configuration.
You're right, Alex, I was a bit snarky, but forgive me, I was pointing out your naivety. I use a 5S, I recently bought my first iPad, a mini2, and still use my refurb 2008 Mac Pro, but I have no expectations that other people will do as I do. Much of what is made in the world is not meant to last. If you read MacRumors regularly, you will have seen an article about how much higher the repair rate on Samsung phones are than iPhones. Not everyone cares about quality the way Apple does, in fact, it seems as if no one does.Why the sarcastic tone to begin with?
I was not talking about the company and the actions it takes to generate more profit, rather than the consumer's mentality being suspicious of refurbs and returned electronic devices.
Of course we can't live in the today's world without a mobile phone, but personally I try to change my phone as rarely as possible and now with my newly purchased iphone after being fed up with the laggy and slow android, I'm gonna keep it for a long long time assuming it doesn't get broken or damaged beyond repair.
What worries me the most is the line of thinking of the majority of people that are craving the brand new shiny devices over the refurbs or slightly used ones so they are not categorized as being poor or being cheap.
But you are right, we should care more for the environment and try to reduce our footprint in the every way possible. Just don't expect a lot of people to join you.
So... you'd turn down a date from <whatever superhot celebrity you wish> just because they'd dated someone else before asking you?
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I'll buy Apple refurbs over new any day of the week, provided it meets my needs.
Over the years I've bought as refurbs: 1 Mac mini, 1 MacbookAir, 2 Airport Expresses, two ipad minis, and two ipod nanos. I've also bought two openbox Macbooks (recently a rMB, and previously a MBP13), as well as used iPad1 back when they were current.
All have been indistinguishable from brand new except for the box they arrive in.
Sum total failures have been: 1 dead HDD in the MBP13 after three years (it's now 5.5yrs old), and one dead ipod nano (sweat-induced failure)
Across my family we still own and use everything but the ipad1 which was resold and the nano that died from sweat.
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Yes, that part can be a challenge and buying refurbs is best done when you can be patient and wait for the config you want to become available.
The site refurb.me is particularly helpful in this regard.
I don't see how that is a relevant distinction. Still, since aversion to non-new objects simply because they're not new is just an emotional thing, defying logic, there's no point in pursuing the discussion.
Thanks for being one of those folks who eats so much of the depreciation on cars and trucks before I buy them.
I don't see how that is a relevant distinction. Still, since aversion to non-new objects simply because they're not new is just an emotional thing, defying logic, there's no point in pursuing the discussion.
Thanks for being one of those folks who eats so much of the depreciation on cars and trucks before I buy them.
That's the same way I felt about it when I read the post, how do you make that a relevant distinction? but anyways, by the time you get my new truck (sticking with the metaphor) it will be dead on the side of the road with the parts that can be replaced having been replaced extending the life of the truck to double it's original expected life.
I was once like you. I still hate touching things that other people have touched before but I realized there's nothing I can do about it. There are so many things people put their hands on like money, credit card, door handles etc that if you think about it your going crazy.
One thing I do like buying new are cars, because I've seen how badly most people treat them.I don't see how that is a relevant distinction. Still, since aversion to non-new objects simply because they're not new is just an emotional thing, defying logic, there's no point in pursuing the discussion.
Thanks for being one of those folks who eats so much of the depreciation on cars and trucks before I buy them.
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Are you kidding, it's chock full of stuff, iMacs, Minis, MacBooks, MacPros. Only iPods are iPod Touches right now.
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Did they date Charlie Sheen?So... you'd turn down a date from <whatever superhot celebrity you wish> just because they'd dated someone else before asking you?
I have a lot of refurb stuff, but mostly things where appearance is not important. Things like desktops, external drive systems, WiFi, etc. As long as the warranty is reasonable, I don't hesitate and its worked well so far.
When it comes to things like phones, watches, laptops, displays, its a different story usually.
When it comes to things like phones, watches, laptops, displays, its a different story usually.
I'd buy a refurb, but have never done so. IMO, there's no stigma attached to buying refurb. It's not like I tell people where I bought my new Apple product, or my Surface Pro 4, or my Nexus 5X, or anything. It's not a topic of discussion.
I've been at MacRumors for a long time, and the significant majority of posts about refurbs have been positive. That made refurbs a possibility in my eyes, because I used to worry about buying refurbs.
Besides saving money, you help the environment by not forcing an additional Apple product down the assembly line, as you pointed out. It doesn't help Apple much financially, nor does it help their sales figures (i.e. they can't double-dip), but it's a nice gesture by the company to have offered refurbs to consumers for such a long time.
I've been at MacRumors for a long time, and the significant majority of posts about refurbs have been positive. That made refurbs a possibility in my eyes, because I used to worry about buying refurbs.
Besides saving money, you help the environment by not forcing an additional Apple product down the assembly line, as you pointed out. It doesn't help Apple much financially, nor does it help their sales figures (i.e. they can't double-dip), but it's a nice gesture by the company to have offered refurbs to consumers for such a long time.
Last time I checked they had a couple of hundred billion in the bank, I don't think the meager refurb offerings are going to bankrupt them anytime soon.
Notice that they always compare the refurb price to the original new price, even on machines that are years old.
The margins are probably closer to, but still above, what everybody else charges.
I don't think I ever claimed that the refurb offerings were costing them financially.
Also, Apple had a refurb program when they weren't financially successful, so it's not just an offer from one of the world's richest companies. They were doing it before they were all that profitable because it's a good option to offer to customers.
Would it make you more satisfied to see the machines compared to eBay prices? Craigslist?
They're not hiding anything, so I don't see the problem with listing prices in this way. They list the date of original release, and what they're charging.