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students reselling NIB MBPs? How cheap can they get them?

S

seenett

macrumors regular
Original poster
Dec 4, 2007
200
25
In the last few weeks I have seen 3 or 4 Craigslist postings for brand new, still sealed in the boxes MBPs (latest version, 2.2ghz, Leopard). Asking prices are between $1550-$1650. Each seller claims a local university's bookstore was recently "moving inventory" with reduced prices. They also offered to include the original sales receipt.

I have been very tempted as I'm in the market for a MB but a MBP at those prices would be a great upgrade for only a hundred bucks or so more.

I know Apple discounts to students, but this appears to be a huge discount - you gotta think the students are still making $100 or so profit. I know Apple strictly controls the retail prices - could a university bookstore really be discounting this much?
 
Its a scam. You'll either receive a message saying to wire the money to england or something, or they are trying to harvest your email address from you replying to the listing.

Unless there is a local phone # to call, its a scam. Not exactly new... my craigslist has 50+ of these bogus postings for Macbook Pros.
 
Eh, I could make a few hundred bucks selling Apple products I've bought with an edu discount. But I'd have to have the money in the first place to do so!
 
taylorwilsdon said:
Its a scam. You'll either receive a message saying to wire the money to england or something, or they are trying to harvest your email address from you replying to the listing.

Unless there is a local phone # to call, its a scam. Not exactly new... my craigslist has 50+ of these bogus postings for Macbook Pros.
Click to expand...

All ads are local - sellers want a cash transaction in person.
 
You could always phone the local university bookstore and ask if they had recently had a sale on MBP's...

You could call each of the individual sellers and see if, in fact, they all route to the same person...
 
If they're local, meet up with them sans-cash and check the receipt and serial numbers. If everything looks good, head to the bank to get the money. Not all ads on craigslist are scams. I for instance sold a computer on there :)
 
Most of these are legit. I mean how can you steal a FACTORY SEALED MBP? Also i've noticed this in my area also so I doubt a crime spree nation wide would occur lol
 
The MBPs may be the real thing, but their sale is not legit. Students are entitled to purchase items from the Apple Store at an educational discount if the items are for personal use, not for resale. If the items are sealed in box, then there was never an intention for them to be used. This is clearly a violation of the purchase agreement. It's just another kind of theft. Basically, people who purchase new Apple items from students are enabling those students to steal from Apple.
 
idk, the mbp i bought with edu discount was more then 1800 after tax and i had a 160 GB hd added. the base mbp is 1799 with edu discount. unless you get more off from an in store purchase over apple.com
 
OP here -

Thanks for the comments. So, out of curiosity, what is the range of an educational discount? The Apple Store online shows the "normal" educational price, but also indicates that different schools may have different deals in place. What is the steepest discount anyone has seen? (Again, JUST out of curiosity :D )
 
At my university at the end of every semester there is always a huge sale. Also when new apple products are introduced the previous versions need to be moved out, so you get insane prices. For instance i could have gotten a previous version intel iMac 24" for 1299 including applecare, that's a pretty good deal even for a prev version.
 
seenett said:
OP here -

Thanks for the comments. So, out of curiosity, what is the range of an educational discount? The Apple Store online shows the "normal" educational price, but also indicates that different schools may have different deals in place. What is the steepest discount anyone has seen? (Again, JUST out of curiosity :D )
Click to expand...

In the UK it's about 14% off if you're in Higher Education(university), or 6% if you're in Further Education
 
If the students have multiple NIB machines, the campus store should be getting in trouble. The limit is one portable machine per year, and this mechanism is in place to prevent mass reselling. If I bought a machine, changed my mind and for some reason the campus store wouldn't take it back, I would certainly try and sell it for the maximum value possible.
 
MacinDoc said:
The MBPs may be the real thing, but their sale is not legit. Students are entitled to purchase items from the Apple Store at an educational discount if the items are for personal use, not for resale. If the items are sealed in box, then there was never an intention for them to be used. This is clearly a violation of the purchase agreement. It's just another kind of theft. Basically, people who purchase new Apple items from students are enabling those students to steal from Apple.
Click to expand...

Well technically it's a contract violation, not theft. Apple can sue, but it can't press charges.
seenett said:
Thanks for the comments. So, out of curiosity, what is the range of an educational discount? The Apple Store online shows the "normal" educational price, but also indicates that different schools may have different deals in place. What is the steepest discount anyone has seen? (Again, JUST out of curiosity :D )
Click to expand...

AFAIK, some schools have really good discounts on hardware at certain times of the year. For example, my university has special sales periodically and has discounted the base mbp down to $1600. Other forum members have reported getting mbps for that price, with software and other accessories bundled together. So it all really depends on the deal that school has made with Apple.

Now, onto the "sale." I agree with the poster above who suggested meeting in person w/out cash. Check the serial numbers and look them up. As long as it's all legit, I see no reason to leave such an offer behind.
 
Is there a limit to how many systems you can buy in how year though for a student? They never seem to have asked me, not that i sell.
 
right now, i can get a 2.2 mbp for 1650 and the last model 2.16 blackbook for 1149. i'm sure those could be sold for a nice profit.
 
peejack said:
Is there a limit to how many systems you can buy in how year though for a student? They never seem to have asked me, not that i sell.
Click to expand...

Apple only allows one per year (actually one laptop and one desktop IIRC) if you buy through an Apple Store (online or brick and mortar).

However, universities have their own policies, though I'm pretty sure they match somewhat with Apple's.
 
dibara2003 said:
my university lets you buy as much as you want. they check your ID and you just pay.
Click to expand...

I'm sure there's something in the "fine print" though. Otherwise, there would be nothing to stop you from repeatedly buying and selling hardware.
 
CV4 said:
why would your school care? They get their money either way.
Click to expand...

How do you think schools can afford to give you a substantially cheaper Mac? They eat the cost and use school fees to defer it. ;)

If I was the CFO, I'd sure as hell want to limit the abuse of that privilege. ;)
 
I just looked at my school's computer store site.

The price of the base 24" iMac was $1794.95 and it is $1799 with student discount on the Apple Site. The MBP is the same with prices of $1995 (school) and $1999(apple). Unless those prices include tax or something, there is like no reason to buy from my school.

Wish we got a nice discount.
 
CV4 said:
I just looked at my school's computer store site.

The price of the base 24" iMac was $1794.95 and it is $1799 with student discount on the Apple Site. The MBP is the same with prices of $1995 (school) and $1999(apple). Unless those prices include tax or something, there is like no reason to buy from my school.

Wish we got a nice discount.
Click to expand...

My school is the same way, but at times (generally right before a refresh) the prices are cut deeply (mbp goes down to $1600 base rather than the EDU price of $1800 and the macbooks also loose another $100-200).

Don't worry though. In the long run, the extra $100 saved won't be nearly as important as the education you received. ;) :)
 
i dont know if this is common or not but my school offers about 500 dollars off. and it includes apple care. i paid 2300 for a 2.4 2gb MBP and that includes apple care. That goes for every student at my school, they also offer macbooks ( white) for 1300 total. Crazy i know. Lucky are we
 
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