Foreigner on visit buying refurbished products from Apple Store

[granbonobo]

Hi!
I am travelling in two weeks to the United States from Europe and I was planning to by a refurbished Macbook Unibody 2.0 or a refurbished Macbook Pro 2.26 (still undecided, any suggestions welcome, by the way). Since I'll be there for a week only I need to make sure how it works before travelling there so I'd like to ask some questions:

1. Are there refurbished products in the physical AppleStores? If so: how can I make sure they have the model I need? I cannot find email addresses of the stores, only US phone numbers
2. Can I buy online a refurbished product and select to collect it from an Apple Store?
3. If it says "Ships: 3-5 business days" how long can I expect to have it in the destination?
4. If I am sleeping at a rental flat and I order the Macbook and it comes while I am away, where does ussually post/parcel company leave the product for pick up?

Thanks for the advices, best regards!

 

[MrFusion]

Hi!
I am travelling in two weeks to the United States from Europe and I was planning to by a refurbished Macbook Unibody 2.0 or a refurbished Macbook Pro 2.26 (still undecided, any suggestions welcome, by the way). Since I'll be there for a week only I need to make sure how it works before travelling there so I'd like to ask some questions:

1. Are there refurbished products in the physical AppleStores? If so: how can I make sure they have the model I need? I cannot find email addresses of the stores, only US phone numbers
2. Can I buy online a refurbished product and select to collect it from an Apple Store?
3. If it says "Ships: 3-5 business days" how long can I expect to have it in the destination?
4. If I am sleeping at a rental flat and I order the Macbook and it comes while I am away, where does ussually post/parcel company leave the product for pick up?

Thanks for the advices, best regards!

I had a similar question 2 days ago. Check out that thread.

 

[granbonobo]

I had a similar question 2 days ago. Check out that thread.

Hi, thanks for pointing that out. It solves some of the questions, but I still don't know about shipping to the flat or contacting Apple Store to arrange the buying. I hope somebody had the experience and can answer me.
Thanks again!

 

[TheBritishBloke]

Hi!
I am travelling in two weeks to the United States from Europe and I was planning to by a refurbished Macbook Unibody 2.0 or a refurbished Macbook Pro 2.26 (still undecided, any suggestions welcome, by the way). Since I'll be there for a week only I need to make sure how it works before travelling there so I'd like to ask some questions:

1. Are there refurbished products in the physical AppleStores? If so: how can I make sure they have the model I need? I cannot find email addresses of the stores, only US phone numbers
2. Can I buy online a refurbished product and select to collect it from an Apple Store?
3. If it says "Ships: 3-5 business days" how long can I expect to have it in the destination?
4. If I am sleeping at a rental flat and I order the Macbook and it comes while I am away, where does ussually post/parcel company leave the product for pick up?

Thanks for the advices, best regards!

Hi,

Firstly, watch out for Import taxes, and VAT when you return home.

1. I believe some do stock refurbs, these are generally machines they have fixed in store, but it isn't common.
2. You cannot do this. You may only have it shipped to your address.
3. If you says "Ships: 3-5 Business Days" then it will leave their warehouse within 5 business days, so say you order on the first day you're there, And you're there for one week (order on sunday) Then they'd ship it before friday. And you usually get it within 2 business days after that, so basically within 7 Working days.
4. They'll leave it at the Local Depot.

 

[MacUser09]

Hi,

Firstly, watch out for Import taxes, and VAT when you return home.

1. I believe some do stock refurbs, these are generally machines they have fixed in store, but it isn't common.
2. You cannot do this. You may only have it shipped to your address.
3. If you says "Ships: 3-5 Business Days" then it will leave their warehouse within 5 business days, so say you order on the first day you're there, And you're there for one week (order on sunday) Then they'd ship it before friday. And you usually get it within 2 business days after that, so basically within 7 Working days.
4. They'll leave it at the Local Depot.

I'm not 100% certain, but I'm pretty sure that if you are buying a refurbished item, i.e. second hand, you are not liable to VAT or import duty.

Anyone know?

 

[Gav2k]

Yes you are ment to pay taxes. But only on entering your destination country and declaring your purchase. That said if you buy a case and dump the box they won't bat an eye.

 

[thegoldenmackid]

You will end up paying taxes both in the U.S. as well as in the your country of origin.

 

[arthursiew]

If you know where you will be staying, why don't you order the refurb from the Online Apple Store a few days before going there?

 

[granbonobo]

Hi!
First of all, thanks for the kind replies (specially Joelkelly), they are a welcome help:
Regarding importing taxes, my plan is to unbox the laptop and pack it in my laptop case, as if it was already mine, it shouldn't be clear I bought it there. About ordering it beforehand, my probles is that I am staying at a private flat rented without an insurance or through an official renting place, and I wouldn't like to risk having problems on arrival and furthermore losing the money of a laptop...
Do you happen to know if the Apple Store has a Q&A Email address to ask these questions?
Thanks!