Why don't people buy Refurbished instead of brand new?

[Keebler]

Seriously, it is better for the environment and you get a high quality machine just like a brand new with extended warranty and cheaper.
If Apple offered refurbished iPhones I would get one too. Instead, I bought one on eBay in excellent condition with a three days use from the original owner.
The planet can't provide resources for infinite electronic devices and machines.
Plus why make the companies even richer than they already are by selling overpriced products just because they are brand new.

(raises hand) I DO!

My last 7 macs have been refurbs. I always recommend them as well.

Never had an issue myself (doesn't mean it doesn't happen to some) and I've been pleasantly surprised with larger capacity HDs and RAM in a few.

Save $$$$ right off the hop. Every time, I turn those savings into more RAM or I buy the Apple care so I'm get more bang for my buck.

Warranty is the same so if there's any issues, return it. Easy peasy.

I will most likely always buy refurb.

But I can see how some models may not be available etc... and I certainly don't judge anyone for buying new. To each their own.

The value is still there when I've resold those Macs as well. I kept most of them for years in my office though.

Love my refurbs.

 

[Larry-K]

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.

Yes, they had a refurb program long ago, and it was pretty spotty. Then, you were likely to get a damaged or cosmetically challenged item.

Now they have a clearly spelled out refurb policy (you can find it, if you look), and it assures that you will essentially get a new unit for all practical purposes. They aren't just taping boxes shut anymore.

Craigslist and E-bay have no similar practices and their prices are irrelevant.

When You buy a "Vintage" machine from Apple, they list the price as discount from new, it's a reference point, but I don't know who would buy a three year old computer at full price and feel good about it (Well, I guess nMP users might).

They aren't doing anybody any favors, they're moving product at a healthy margin, just not their usual astronomical ones.

The best thing about refurbs is that it gives you one last chance to purchase something good, even after Apple has officially replaced it with rubbish.

 

[8692574]

Always get refurbished and sometimes add Apple Care with that, I end up spending less and having more coverage

 

[Tomorrow]

Refurbs are great if something with the specs you want at the price you want to pay is available. Sometimes you want something built to order; sometimes you want a spec that isn't available as a refurb.

Lots of comments in the thread about refurbs having been returned - based on my experience in computer retail (including Apple computers), the majority of refurbs were never sold to consumers, but were returned by the retailer for reasons like shipping damage or the need to rob parts from one computer to put into another, etc. Those new, unsold, but now imperfect computers get sent back to the manufacturer to be refurbished - having never been touched or ever seen by a consumer.

Also you CAN get a refurb iPhone and save a big chunk of money - I bought mine from AT&T.

 

[AlexGraphicD]

Also you CAN get a refurb iPhone and save a big chunk of money - I bought mine from AT&T.

How does that work exactly? You got to be under contract with AT&T?

 

[617aircav]

If the refurbished prices were good sure, but I'm not buying refurbished to save 5 percent off new.

 

[Tomorrow]

How does that work exactly? You got to be under contract with AT&T?

I'm only under contract with AT&T in that I'm paying for the phone in monthly installments - I could have bought it outright.

 

[deeddawg]

My daughter choose one of the AT&T refurb iphones two or three years ago. It was decent. It also was decidedly NOT an Apple refurb; it did have a minor blemish we didn't care about and it's warranty was 90 days through AT&T with zero warranty from Apple.

 

[AFEPPL]

I'd rather buy new.
With the discounts they are roughly the same price as refurb items so why would i want to?

Phones i get for next to nothing anyway, so its a win win.
With the network deal i get it doesnt make sense to pay upfront for the handset.

 

[JeffyTheQuik]

Almost every Mac I bought was refurbished. Apple's refurbished is amazing, pretty much looks like new, wrapped in a white box. I even bought refurbished airports, iPods, and MacBooks. The only time I bought new is if it's an iPhone (because Apple doesn't offer refurbished iPhone ), or if I bought the product close to release date (no refurbished version available).

Apple is unique in their quality assurance on refurbished products. Alas, I cannot say the same thing about other companies. I bought refurbished Dell machines as well, and sometimes it is clear they didn't check the products from the previous owner (dust/grime, batteries on wireless mouse still attached, wireless mouse/keyboard switched on out of the box, packing materials incomplete, etc). Sometimes not a biggy, but you know you are getting a (very) used product. When I open a refurbished Apple product on the other hand, it feels pretty much like new.

They do in India...
[doublepost=1460673464][/doublepost]Actually, I got a 4K monitor for $89 that was a returned floor display. There is a bit of a spotty reputation on Amazon where people get them and they die quickly, or have dead pixels, so with Sears' quality check, I figure that the infant mortality issues have already been addressed, and the dead pixel one was too (it doesn't have any).

I love looking at the return bin, because I can find a lot of good stuff cheap.

 

[Michael Anthony]

Who buys a computer based on environmental reasons?

 

[alphaod]

I have had a lot of back experience with refurbished products from many companies, but I agree, I would get refurbished from Apple.

The problem is the wanting it new mentality sometimes, and since I'm upgrading to the next thing when it first comes out there isn't any refurbished choices available.

 

[AlexGraphicD]

Who buys a computer based on environmental reasons?

People who are responsible enough and aware of the destructive effects the materialistic consumerism has in the world around us. Crazy eh?
[doublepost=1460699977][/doublepost]Speaking of which, hey apple is with me on this one http://www.apple.com/environment/
Kudos to apple for at least coming up with sustainable solutions.

 

[JamesPDX]

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.

We're not criticizing; we're coaching.

 

[Strider64]

People who are responsible enough and aware of the destructive effects the materialistic consumerism has in the world around us. Crazy eh?
[doublepost=1460699977][/doublepost]Speaking of which, hey apple is with me on this one http://www.apple.com/environment/
Kudos to apple for at least coming up with sustainable solutions.

Threads like this remind me of my old boss when he would say to me when I thought we were using to much paper. "Chop down that tree! Who cares about the next generation!" I would always shake my head when he said that, he was single at the time. I heard he has children now, I bet he has change his tune a little.

 

[SilverBen]

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.

To be fair, you did bring the company's economics and strategies to generate more profit. You did it by ending it with your comment about giving more money to a company overpricing its new products. And honestly that did open up the door to people commenting the apparent naivety you have in economics. And I say this by not claiming to be an expert of some sort, nor I say it to offend anyone; simply stating my opinion on your post.

 

[AlexGraphicD]

To be fair, you did bring the company's economics and strategies to generate more profit. You did it by ending it with your comment about giving more money to a company overpricing its new products. And honestly that did open up the door to people commenting the apparent naivety you have in economics. And I say this by not claiming to be an expert of some sort, nor I say it to offend anyone; simply stating my opinion on your post.

I don't get the naivety part. I know why companies overprice their products and all they care is increase their profits. All I said is why make them even more richer by giving our hard earned money for products that we could buy for less money and have the same quality at the same time.

 

[SilverBen]

Say whaaa....???

Also Government employees have their own Apple site, where depending on what you buy, the bigger the discount will be.

It won't show on ipods, iphones and ipads, but it will on computers, software and upgrades. It pretty much works on a, the more you buy the more you save, kind of way. For example, if you get a mac pro, you may get something like $400 right off the bat. If you want to upgrade RAM, normally for, say $200, it would only cost you $160, and so forth for processor and HD...and so on. So you can see it adds up. And my numbers are for example only, don't quote me on it. As a difference, a base mac mini, may only show as little as $20 off the starting price; of course with upgrades it would increase.

You can find the prices and see if it makes a difference against refurbished. Just don't buy if you aren't qualified, or you will be in violation.

 

[617aircav]

 

[SilverBen]

I don't get the naivety part. I know why companies overprice their products and all they care is increase their profits. All I said is why make them even more richer by giving our hard earned money for products that we could buy for less money and have the same quality at the same time.

Precisely because of this comment/reply. Not to say no company ever overprices their products, but really, especially when new most companies, especially innovative ones such as Apple, need to make up research and development costs. There is also supply and demand. Those are some main reasons products cost more initially and drop over time.

An easy to see example is the TV market. I am appreciative of rich people or people financially able to make a commitment to buy the latest OLED, or 4K, or curved, or whatever you want out of the new technology. Because of those purchases, we are able to see really big price drops within a single year (depending on what you want).

As to your main question of buying refurbished, i simply don't trust most. I do trust apple products and it is probably the only company i would feel confident in purchasing refurbs. I don't say it to sound like a fanboy, and only speaking of refurbs.

 

[cube]

People who are responsible enough and aware of the destructive effects the materialistic consumerism has in the world around us. Crazy eh?
[doublepost=1460699977][/doublepost]Speaking of which, hey apple is with me on this one http://www.apple.com/environment/
Kudos to apple for at least coming up with sustainable solutions.

If you want real sustainability, try upgradeability.

 

[AlexGraphicD]

If you want real sustainability, try upgradeability.

You mean upgrade the parts on an iMac I already own?
But the new iMacs are not user upgradable.

 

[cube]

You mean upgrade the parts on an iMac I already own?
But the new iMacs are not user upgradable.

Bingo.

 

[AlexGraphicD]

Actually I've purchased my first iMac five years ago and because I moved in the US recently I have to buy a new one for doing graphics. I don't buy electronics and computers if I don't have a good reason to do so and fortunately I don't get used to them quickly.

 

[wordoflife]

I'd have no problem getting a refurb but I can usually get a similar deal on a new product without having to spend time looking for my exact configuration or compromising on specs.