Apple doesn't buy back used equipment and then resell. These are largely returned/refurb/re-manufactured units with a few that are likely new.
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Apple Offers Refurbished iPad Mini and 4th-Generation iPad for First Time
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Apple doesn't buy back used equipment and then resell. These are largely returned/refurb/re-manufactured units with a few that are likely new.
They are essentially "second hand" units. They may have been a customer return or DOA or whatever, but the discounts are so minuscule you might as well get something "brand new" if you are spending quite a bit of money in the first place. A mate of mine bought an iPad 2 refurb and the screen was scratched in several places, from what I gather they only replace the back shell and sometimes the battery on refurbished iPads. It does say in the terms and conditions for refurbished Apple stuff that slight damage maybe expected though.
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And? I signed up with AT&T for a two year contract with my iPad mini and got it for $359. Sure, I have a contract for two years, but thats how long I keep my Apple stuffBy Gen 3 of the iPad Mini, there will be retina and I am sure lots of other goodies
This does not seem like a good deal seeing you can get a $700 iphone for $200 by signing a 2 year contract...
I don't think Micro Center is a competitor of Target, for a qualifying price match guarantee.....does it?
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Just a $30 discount on the cellular model....might as well just spend the extra money and get a new one.
Two days ago Rakuten.com sold the iPad mini 16 GB for $299. It was an ordeal getting the order through but I just had it shipped out. No tax and shipping flat $299 made a good deal.
Microcenter is currently having an In-Store pick up only sale for $299 but you have tax. If your in the local area and pick up the circular ad from Microcenter, some people have had success with Target price matching and, with the red card, are getting the 5% additional deduction.
Some people roll their eyes saying "wow such small deals" but the fact is that Apple rarely has sales or discounts that every little bit does count in the end.
Microcenter is currently having an In-Store pick up only sale for $299 but you have tax. If your in the local area and pick up the circular ad from Microcenter, some people have had success with Target price matching and, with the red card, are getting the 5% additional deduction.
Some people roll their eyes saying "wow such small deals" but the fact is that Apple rarely has sales or discounts that every little bit does count in the end.
Hmm, I'm trying to prepare for the possibility of Retina iPad minis in April but not sure where I can sell my current iPad mini to for the best price in the UK.
lol @ people whining "not enough discount"
you really would pay $40-50 extra just for a pretty cardboard box?
If you put a new and refurb unit next to each other you wouldn't be able to tell the difference.
The discount is an issue but not for the reasons you are stating (brown box vs original package).
The issue is that you can buy one that is brand new for either the same price, or close to it, due to savings provided by lack of taxes or those stores discounts as you can one that is refurbished. If it is a choice between brand new vs. refurbished at same price point, most people will go with brand new.
If they had made the discount match the rest of the line by starting at 14% or greater making it less than a brand new one then people would not see as big of an issue.
I had planned on waiting on a refurb ipad mini gen1 because I figured it would get a decent discount.
They only have the cellular one which is what I plan on getting but I guess for $30 I may as wait till the Gen2 and get a new v2 or see if they discount the mini gen1 little better.
They only have the cellular one which is what I plan on getting but I guess for $30 I may as wait till the Gen2 and get a new v2 or see if they discount the mini gen1 little better.
I don't mind buying refurb stuff. A lot of times it's gets a little extra look over since it's not on an assembly line but if I'm already spending a big sum and there isn't that big of a discount I rather just buy new and be the one who puts the 1st scratch and dings on it.
It's because the discounts don't have to be good. Apple is still selling every iPad they make, and these minor discounts are just to get the returns out the door. Were you honestly expecting more?
Apple Refurbs are as good as new. I have purchased many. Never experienced anything other than a like new product in a different box.
However, I'm certain Apple would rather you purchase the "Real Deal."
Don't forget that they also use these to replace new units that are returned under warranty due to problems. And yes, Apple has no problem sending out scratched units hoping you will just accept it that way. That is what they did with me.
lol @ people whining "not enough discount"
you really would pay $40-50 extra just for a pretty cardboard box?
$30. And, yes, I absolutely would gladly pay an extra $30 for a brand new unit.
If you can find another place that's offering an equal discount on a new one, then yeah, I'd buy new too.
But $30 cheaper is $30 cheaper, so if you can't find a new one at that same price, there's no reason not to save the $30 and go refurbished. That $30 pays for your case or lightning adapter.
You're just as likely to get a brand new one that has a scratch from the factory.
Yes, the refurbished ones are ones that have been returned. But Apple disassembles them, individually tests all the internal components, replaces any that aren't functioning correctly, and then they put these components in a BRAND NEW casing. You don't get anyone else's scratched or dented casing. It's replaced with a brand new one on every single refurbished product.
It goes in a plain white box with everything that comes with it brand new, same warranty and everything.
I was tentative about buying refurb from Apple a few years ago but I gave it a shot and it's totally worth it. You would not be able to tell the difference in the physical unit unless you look on the back and see the model number starts with F instead of M.
It's no big deal. I don't purchase refurbished iOS devices and I'm not in the market for one either. It just makes my resell value higher when the time comes.
Got my wife a refurb 2 before the 3 came out and we're both entirely happy with it. No scratches, no dust, great battery life and no issues. I'm considering getting a newer model for myself, and would have no problem getting a 4 refurb now if they had the model I was looking for. Waiting for that tax return.
The discounts on the refurbed minis are in line with what I expected.
Look at all the refurbs on Apple's Web site and you will typically see a 7% discount on current generation refurbs and 15% discount on the previous generation refurbs.
I don't understand these people complaining about brown cardboard boxes. I've bought several refurbed items from Apple and the only brown cardboard box was the shipping box. They were all packaged in typical retail packaging.
My first iPad was a refurbed iPad2 which I have now had for over a year and is still running strong.
If and when they have a refurbed black/slate 32GB AT&T model available, I will probably buy it.
Look at all the refurbs on Apple's Web site and you will typically see a 7% discount on current generation refurbs and 15% discount on the previous generation refurbs.
I don't understand these people complaining about brown cardboard boxes. I've bought several refurbed items from Apple and the only brown cardboard box was the shipping box. They were all packaged in typical retail packaging.
My first iPad was a refurbed iPad2 which I have now had for over a year and is still running strong.
If and when they have a refurbed black/slate 32GB AT&T model available, I will probably buy it.
Apple Refurbs are as good as new. I have purchased many. Never experienced anything other than a like new product in a different box.
However, I'm certain Apple would rather you purchase the "Real Deal."
I'm sure they're good as new and I don't have a problem with a refurb unit but if I'm going to buy refurb on a normally expensive item I personally won't buy one if it's priced almost the same as a new one.
For me $30 isn't enough of a spread on a $400+ device. For that small amount I'd pay the $30 and put the scratches and first finger prints on it and toss the retail box in the closet. I'm not saying it's got to be 50% off but when I buy used I expect used pricing.
To get notified when this kind of product appears, follow this RSS feed http://bit.ly/YcmAFn or register yourself for e-mail notifications at http://refurb-tracker.com/.
Not exactly double-counted, because most of the refurbished units will come from devices that had to be repaired, for example due to dropping them.
The owner pays a small fee (if it was his own fault) or gets a replacement for free (if the device was DOA or just stopped working), Apple keeps the dead/damaged device, takes the board and display and puts it in a new case.
It is then sold as a refurbished device.
When this device is bought, you have now TWO people owning an iPad Mini.
Apple actually can make more money from this, if the one who bought a 16GB iPad Mini for 329$ and damaged his device has to pay the out of warranty service fee, which costs him 219$.
The device is then repaired, and sold again for 299$.
Two people are now using their iPad Mini and Apple earned 847$, more than by selling two non-refurbished iPad Mini.
The only case in which this is not correct is with returned devices in the short period where you can return your device if you don't like it. Then there's only ONE customer with an iPad Mini in the end.
As I just explained two posts above you, Apple profits even more from selling refurbished units than from selling new units.
The iPad Mini is now more than four months old and some people are clumsy and therefore Apple probably has a nice number of damaged iPad Minis sitting around somewhere.
Trashing them would be a waste of money, selling them as new would be illegal - so they have to sell them as refurbished.
This has absolutely NOTHING to do with Samsung or Android, Microsoft or WebOS or whatever, this is just making money from stuff you have lying around.
Apple started to sell refurbished MacBook Pro 15 Retina in January - not because of some invisible competitor, but because they collected enough broken devices and repaired them to be able to sell them in large enough quantities.