All iPads If all brown box replacement iPads are refurbs then why dont they all have DK serials

[Samtb]

Ive read a lot of people say in this forum that DK serial numbers are refurbs but also that all brown box replacements are refurbs. So why don't all these replacements have DK serial numbers then?

 

[Defender2010]

I got a refurb today and the first two letters are C7...go figure!

Edit: sorry, I didn't see this was an iPad thread. My replacement was iPhone. Whoops!

 

[charlituna]

Ive read a lot of people say in this forum that DK serial numbers are refurbs but also that all brown box replacements are refurbs. So why don't all these replacements have DK serial numbers then?

Because they aren't all refurbs.

 

[Samtb]

Because they aren't all refurbs.

But aren't most refurbs? Also I don't think DK serials mean its a refurb. There are plenty of replacements out there which don't have DK serials and chipmunk's serial number lookup site is the only site which claims that DK is a refurb.

 

[charlituna]

But aren't most refurbs? Also I don't think DK serials mean its a refurb. There are plenty of replacements out there which don't have DK serials and chipmunk's serial number lookup site is the only site which claims that DK is a refurb.

In Apple's parlance almost none of them are refurbs. They use that term strictly for retail items sold 'open box' on their site.

For service parts they are either totally new or new with some refurbed parts. But they call the latter remanufactured, not refurbs.

 

[Samtb]

In Apple's parlance almost none of them are refurbs. They use that term strictly for retail items sold 'open box' on their site.

For service parts they are either totally new or new with some refurbed parts. But they call the latter remanufactured, not refurbs.

And can you tell by serial number whether its refurbished or remanufactured, since you say "most" and not all are remanufactured?

 

[charlituna]

And can you tell by serial number whether its refurbished or remanufactured, since you say "most" and not all are remanufactured?

Sure, if Apple ever releases the code key. But that's unlikely why is probably why sites like Chipmunk assume that this or that means refurb or whatever, perhaps without a real understanding of what that means (to Apple).

 

[Night Spring]

Not all brown box replacements are refurbs. Early in the product cycle, there aren't any refurbs because no products have been returned yet. So some new products are set aside to serve as replacements and shipped in brown boxes, but they are new. The later it gets in a product cycle, the greater the chance that brown boxes are refurbs.

 

[Samtb]

Not all brown box replacements are refurbs. Early in the product cycle, there aren't any refurbs because no products have been returned yet. So some new products are set aside to serve as replacements and shipped in brown boxes, but they are new. The later it gets in a product cycle, the greater the chance that brown boxes are refurbs.

But even now for example, 7 months after release, most iPad 4 replacement serial numbers start with DM and its highly likely by now that most, if not all, replacements are refurbs. So the first 2 letters of the serial number doesn't tell you whether its a refurb or not as most new iPad 4s are also DM, unless you work for Apple and know their code system.