Buying refurbished, resale hit?

[2Turbo]

Would I lose much more resale value on a refurbished imac compared to buying new? Is it really worth it to save a few extra bucks?

 

[The-Pro]

Its just as new with the same warranty. No one would ever know. Some refurbished macs dont come in the original box and instead just in a brown one.

Some people say refurbished is actually better because those machines have been thouroughly (that how you spell it? ) tested for 100% functionality.

 

[dangerfish]

When you sell it, used is used. I wouldn't even mention that it was a refurb. It's irrelevant.

 

[martinm0]

When you sell it, used is used. I wouldn't even mention that it was a refurb. It's irrelevant.

Agreed. Used is used and outside of the buyer looking up the serial online, there are no indicators that its refurbished on the machine itself.

And even if you took a hit in the resale value being a refurb, the money saved upfront will balance out any lesser offers should you divulge it is a refurbed machine to any potential buyers.

One point to note is that you can often get brand new machines at close to refurb prices through vendors that don't charge sales tax. You might pay a few dollars more than refurb+tax, but you'd have the box and the ability to sell it as a new machine. Check out Appleinsider.com's mac pricing list for some pricing from a number of vendors.

 

[thekev]

Used is used. Why are you worried about such a ridiculous thing anyway? Even after only a year you drop a significant percentage either way. You really think having retail packaging will make up the price difference between new and refurbished?

 

[utekineir]

you won't get to charge extra for a nice package including box around the holidays

 

[Weaselboy]

Would I lose much more resale value on a refurbished imac compared to buying new? Is it really worth it to save a few extra bucks?

I think you might take a bit of a hit if you sold a refurb on eBay for example. Refurbs have a plain, brown box instead of the white OEM box and the refurbs have a different serial number, so a savvy buyer will know they are getting a refurb.

If I was selling a refurb on eBay I would definitely disclose it. If you don't you are setting yourself up for problems with a nit-picky buyer IMO.

Now me personally, I would not care if it was a refurb, but I do think refurb products in general have a bad reputation, and this might impact your end price.

 

[gnasher729]

Now me personally, I would not care if it was a refurb, but I do think refurb products in general have a bad reputation, and this might impact your end price.

Apple refurbished products don't have a bad reputation at all. Since Apple allows you to buy a product and return it if you don't like it, there will be plenty of products that might have been just unpacked and returned immediately; they cannot be sold as new but they are identical to new. Most of the iPad 3's that you can buy refurbished are probably absolutely brand new.

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One point to note is that you can often get brand new machines at close to refurb prices through vendors that don't charge sales tax. You might pay a few dollars more than refurb+tax, but you'd have the box and the ability to sell it as a new machine. Check out Appleinsider.com's mac pricing list for some pricing from a number of vendors.

Following the discussion about Apple's tax avoidance, buying a computer and not paying sales tax is actually tax evasion.

 

[Weaselboy]

Now me personally, I would not care if it was a refurb, but I do think refurb products in general have a bad reputation, and this might impact your end price.

Apple refurbished products don't have a bad reputation at all. Since Apple allows you to buy a product and return it if you don't like it, there will be plenty of products that might have been just unpacked and returned immediately; they cannot be sold as new but they are identical to new. Most of the iPad 3's that you can buy refurbished are probably absolutely brand new.

I did not say they did. I said refurb products in general have a bad reputation and to the uninformed that will impact what they are willing to pay for a refurb'd Apple product.

Not everybody reads forums like this and understands what an Apple refurb is (or is not).

It think it is about a sure bet that if you list two, identical iMacs on eBay and one is not a refurb and has the OEM white box, and the second is a refurb with the brown box, the refurb will pull a slightly lower auction ending price.

 

[thekev]

Following the discussion about Apple's tax avoidance, buying a computer and not paying sales tax is actually tax evasion.

I'm one of the ones who mentioned that, although it's not quite that simple. Most states will have ways you can file use tax. A more common case of sales tax evasion might be someone having an expensive item purchased in their home state shipped out of state to avoid sales tax.

It think it is about a sure bet that if you list two, identical iMacs on eBay and one is not a refurb and has the OEM white box, and the second is a refurb with the brown box, the refurb will pull a slightly lower auction ending price.

While that is possible, the concern over resale value is still asinine. I wouldn't pay more for the retail version, as you really don't know what you're buying either way. It's a used machine at that point. Things that matter are more like battery cycles and the condition of the screen and keyboard. These things will depreciate no matter what as soon as they're used. A new one comes out. Apple reduces their own refurbished pricing, and really no one would pay more or as much for a used one with a retail box than Apple charges for a refurbished unit. The refurbished unit has been inspected and comes with a standard warranty. If any parts are worn, those are replaced.

 

[Weaselboy]

While that is possible, the concern over resale value is still asinine.

Asinine? It seems like a perfectly logical factor to weigh in a purchase decision. Right now the 21.5" iMac refurbs are $200 off new MSRP. If the OP thinks a refurb might sell for say $100 less than the new machine in a couple years, that is a valid point to consider. Maybe not important to you, but it is not asinine.

 

[thekev]

Asinine? It seems like a perfectly logical factor to weigh in a purchase decision. Right now the 21.5" iMac refurbs are $200 off new MSRP. If the OP thinks a refurb might sell for say $100 less than the new machine in a couple years, that is a valid point to consider. Maybe not important to you, but it is not asinine.

It varies. Some are $300 or so off on the higher end models. A couple years later a buyer would have to be stupid to pay extra for retail packaging. If they want it, they can spend extra time looking. People buying a couple years out from the original sale are doing so to save money. In terms of the OP, your example still favors the refurbished unit, although $100 more for retail packaging 2 years out means a gullible buyer.

 

[utekineir]

although $100 more for retail packaging 2 years out means a gullible buyer.

I spent years selling used goods for profit.

2 of the same item, one with packaging one without, the one with always could bring in more $ and typically would sell easier.


Are they suckers, sure kind of. People like things to appear close to being new as possible in presentation, and many will pay extra for that. Especially if the item is being considered as a "gift" of some sort. i.e. my earlier comment regarding holidays.

 

[thekev]

I spent years selling used goods for profit.

2 of the same item, one with packaging one without, the one with always could bring in more $ and typically would sell easier.


Are they suckers, sure kind of. People like things to appear close to being new as possible in presentation, and many will pay extra for that. Especially if the item is being considered as a "gift" of some sort. i.e. my earlier comment regarding holidays.

At the start of the thread, it would not have been assumed that the OP would keep retail packaging. Now that it has been mentioned, it's probably safe to assume so. In either case it's used. There's no need to disclose that it was purchased refurbished. I would personally disclose if I knew something was wrong with it. If someone asked if it was from the refurbished store, I would tell them. The way the OP is written suggests that the refurbished store carries units that are somehow tainted. The forum tends to hyper-analyze things such as backlight bleed, image persistence, and variation in color temperature relative to other devices. No one has ever brought up complaints with the quality of refurbished vs. new.

What you haven't mentioned is how much of a difference retail packaging made in any given situation. Refurbished imacs of the current generation are $200-300 lower than new assuming you're just looking at the Apple Store and not at the student discount rates. Were you really able to eclipse those amounts simply due to retail packaging? I have no idea how much more. I assume it was significant enough to mention it in the first place, although I do think they were suckers.

 

[utekineir]

At the start of the thread, it would not have been assumed that the OP would keep retail packaging. Now that it has been mentioned, it's probably safe to assume so. In either case it's used. There's no need to disclose that it was purchased refurbished. I would personally disclose if I knew something was wrong with it. If someone asked if it was from the refurbished store, I would tell them. The way the OP is written suggests that the refurbished store carries units that are somehow tainted. The forum tends to hyper-analyze things such as backlight bleed, image persistence, and variation in color temperature relative to other devices. No one has ever brought up complaints with the quality of refurbished vs. new.

Where apple differs here is many manufacturers clearly stamp refurbished items. Personally I buy refurbished apple stuff for myself or family with no hesitation over retail items and do so whenever possible. As everyone else states the quality of the apple refurbished items is impeccable.

In the case of selling, ethically, it would have to be mentioned if asked.

What you haven't mentioned is how much of a difference retail packaging made in any given situation. Refurbished imacs of the current generation are $200-300 lower than new assuming you're just looking at the Apple Store and not at the student discount rates. Were you really able to eclipse those amounts simply due to retail packaging? I have no idea how much more. I assume it was significant enough to mention it in the first place, although I do think they were suckers.

I wasn't looking to write a detailed essay on the subject, nor did i state apple goods were what I had been selling. For about 10 years through school I bought items at flea markets and yardsales and resold either at the flea market or via want ad/craigslist type methods. Primarily electronics goods such as video games due to the margins being high for the size of the items. But really anything that a profit could be turned on was fair game.

Off hand for a number to throw out lets say cosmetics and packaging were good for 10-25% difference in initial asking price. This number would vary due to the item in question, time of year, stock on hand, demand for the item, etc. The % relative to price typically worked on a declining scale. I.e. cheaper items benefited more than more expensive ones.

Now wether the person is a sucker or not, in many circumstances the best price premium to be had from presentation come when someone is buying for someone other than themselves, and in that case, if they obtain what they feel is a suitable gift for an amount less than new, are they a sucker?

 

[Macsonic]

Normally refurbished Macs are price lower than a regular, non-refurbished Macs of the same model and specs. Depending on the selling venue, like with eBay, best to disclose the Mac is a refurbished unit. So as not to give the buyer a reason to complain "item not as described" in eBay rules. I know refurbished are just as good as regular items and some buyers are well informed on this. I think it's fine to buy refurbished and save some money.