Ipad2 - Refurb for $320 or New Microcenter $360

[CrAkD]

I have nothing against refurbs but im impatient so I bought an ipad2 as a gift from micro instead of a refurb. also bought the base 13" from them new last year right after the refresh for $999. I wish they had a microcenter in NH because then it would be a no brainer save tax as well.

 

[moore2772]

Another reason to buy it from Apple

If you have a Discover card, you can order any Apple product (and most other things on the Apple online store) and receive 5% cash back if you click through to the site via the "shop Discover" link from Discover. Not a huge savings, but can pay for most or all of the sales tax anyway.

It may be that Microcenter's refurbished are identical, but Apple's refurbs (which ship to you directly from China BTW) have new screen glass, backs, and the improved battery.

 

[deeddawg]

Rest assured that if Microcenter sells it as new, it's new. [...] I've been a customer for well over a decade and I've never seen anything like what the poster suggested.

Same here. No idea where that false information came from.

If you have a Discover card, you can order any Apple product (and most other things on the Apple online store) and receive 5% cash back

Very true - and as an additional bonus, it *ALSO* works for in-store pickup at an Apple retail store. I did this when buying my iPad3 and have the cashback in my account.

It may be that Microcenter's refurbished are identical

Please point to where refurbished iPads are being sold by Microcenter? Have you purchased one? Seen a display in store? Or is this just something someone else mentioned on the Internet?

I'm curious and open to learning something new; in fifteen years of living under five from a Microcenter store I'd like to think I've developed some sense of their business practices. I've yet to see refurbished Apple products for sale; stuff is either new or clearly-marked open-box returns. (EDIT: I stand corrected, I just saw that they now have a variety of "pre-owned" Macbooks available. Since they're clearly listed as Pre-Owned, only a very unobservant buyer could think it was new, and to the point of this discussion I see no pre-owned ipads listed, just new and openbox)