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Price Difference Best Buy Open Box
- Thread starter tgi
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I have purchased open box items several times from Best Buy, but never Apple products. It could be as simple as the Styrofoam that was in the box is missing in the cheaper one. A booklet or anything small is missing from the one. Could even be the box is missing and you will get a different one. Could be a small scratch on the case of one. Will usually be just a small difference, but Best Buy will price it accordingly.
I would call their online sales team and ask them. Maybe they don't know about it and will change the prices OR, it's an incorrect listing that isn't supposed to be there.
I did this a few months ago when a brand new iBook G4 and PowerMac G4 were listed for sale on Apple's Canada website. I told them about it and then they removed it. They were also listed for their original retail prices as well; not refurbished or anything.
I have bought open box items from Best Buy. I got a 32 GB iPad Mini in January for $409. Assuming this is the same store, it is probably due to the condition or missing items/box condition as was mentioned.
Pricing for each item is set by the store, so call that store to find out why the difference.
I find this to be a great way to save on products that are "never on sale", like Apple. I was checking their website everyday last month for a 13" rMBP when there was a 10% off open box items coupon. That $1,599 device goes for ~$1,385 when it is there. My local BB has a 256 GB 13" MBA, the new one, for $1,164.99 right now. I probably won't pull the trigger on it, as I'm still hopefully for a Haswell rMBP this year, and I would do better with an educational discount at Apple. (Although I've heard BB has and edu. discount, but I don't see it advertised.)
Pricing for each item is set by the store, so call that store to find out why the difference.
I find this to be a great way to save on products that are "never on sale", like Apple. I was checking their website everyday last month for a 13" rMBP when there was a 10% off open box items coupon. That $1,599 device goes for ~$1,385 when it is there. My local BB has a 256 GB 13" MBA, the new one, for $1,164.99 right now. I probably won't pull the trigger on it, as I'm still hopefully for a Haswell rMBP this year, and I would do better with an educational discount at Apple. (Although I've heard BB has and edu. discount, but I don't see it advertised.)
Thanks for the info! They can keep the box, packaging materials, instructions etc if it will save me $92+ dollars haha.
A lot of times it is just the difference in which employee at BB is entering the open box item into their POS. In this case, one of them did 15% and the other did 20%. Both are actually pretty weird, because open box discounts are usually 10%, assuming that the item is still in good shape and the packaging is all still there.
It may seem weird but it also might be how long that particular computer has been at that store without being sold.
I bought an open box retina 13 for a crazy low price ($1049)... when I took it home and saw the box there were like 5-6 price stickers on top of each other each with an incremental lower price. I'm not sure why but it seems as if it didn't sell for a long time so they kept reducing it
I bought an open box retina 13 for a crazy low price ($1049)... when I took it home and saw the box there were like 5-6 price stickers on top of each other each with an incremental lower price. I'm not sure why but it seems as if it didn't sell for a long time so they kept reducing it
One way... Go to Store Locator to pick the store you want. Once selected you'll be on that store's page, on which select "open box & clearance items" under the store picture. You can then filter to the categories or brands you want.
I used to be able to do this in the BB iOS app, but haven't the last few times I tried. The advantage of the app is that it uses your location and will commingle the results for all your local stores.
Who knows; it could be a mistake, or there could be some minor cosmetic damage. Assuming it comes with full warranty, unless it is scratched or dented, or one of the three essentials are missing, ie the power cord, wall plug or MagSafe2 adapter, you should grab the second (cheaper one), before someone else beats you to it.
In all honesty, I would avoid an open product from Best Buy entirely. I work in service at an Apple premium reseller and service provider, and I've seen too many cases where Best Buy completely screws over the customer with those open box deals.
If you absolutely must go for it, I strongly recommend looking at the computer itself beforehand and that it actually matches the specs advertised.
If you absolutely must go for it, I strongly recommend looking at the computer itself beforehand and that it actually matches the specs advertised.
I've found great deals through Best Buy Open Box. You can usually haggle with the manager for another ~10% off. I've gotten several computers this route including my current 13" Haswell MacBook Air which I got for ~760$ before TAX.
Just take it out and inspect it, make sure it works, etc. It's still going to have an Apple Warranty (or should if its a recent item) - so you'll still be back by Apple should anything be/go wrong. Just goto google and look up the serial to see the status of the warranty. More than likely, it's just a item someone got cold feet on after buying (i.e. they freaked out after spending 1000 on a laptop or something).
I've also noticed their pricing system quite arbitrary. I've seen three different stores selling the same open box item with prices ranging from 840 to 980 (on the MacBook Air Haswell 13") - and the cheapest one was absolutely pristine....