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TIP - £699 Macbooks for £529 - Direct from Apple!

K

kmpowell

macrumors regular
Original poster
Aug 16, 2003
114
96
EDIT TO ADD

Ok guys - under the circumstances I feel I should post a slight advisory in my intial post.

It would appear that although the majority of people have received the brand new shop stock returned models I said they would, there have been a few instances where people have received refurbed Macbooks instead.

So be aware when ordering that there is a slight risk you may not get a shop stock returned Macbook (not that is necessarily a bad thing though if you can live with the odd mark).

Apologies :(

Hi All

Although I mainly use this forum to glean info rather than post, I thought I would share some knowledge that could benefit others. :)

My girlfriend wanted an entry level Macbook, so naturally we decided to wait until the new MBs were released. Having been severely disappointed with the models/pricing here in the UK, I decided to try and track down what would happen to the £699 shop stock models that were sent back to Apple. I had read that they would be taken apart and used for parts, but a quick call to my contact at Apple and he confirmed that even though most of them would be taken apart, a small amount would be made available through the Refurb' store fully sealed and brand new as they were in the shops! He said they would start appearing today and would be scattered in at various times over the next 7-14 days, although he couldn't confirm the price.

So, up nice and early this morning to watch the shop - I refreshed the screen a few times at the time I got told they would be appearing (10am) and bingo! Up they popped, 2.4 models for £659 (still there last time I looked) and 2.1 models for a brilliant £529!!!! I double checked the specs and sure enough it was a £699 model so I whacked it in the basket (with a few other things)... Result! :D

macbook_purchase.jpg


Even when we had our order confirmed there was still some showing in the store up to an hour later, so I presume there were a couple of them available.

So, for anybody who was hoping for a new entry level macbook at a decent price, who isn't to worried regarding the LED and multi-touch blah blah, keep an eye on the refurb store at 10am each morning, for the next week or so.

:)
 
Yeah, the refurb store isn't really as much of a secret as you seem to think!

And a word of advice - if you can, cancel the order for that mouse. It truly is awful and is in my opinion one of - if not the - worst mouse ever made. Your MacBook will work with any USB or Bluetooth mouse.
 
neiltc13 said:
Yeah, the refurb store isn't really as much of a secret as you seem to think!
Click to expand...
I know the refurb store isn't a secret, but these returned £699's aren't refurbs, they are brand new sealed and boxed. I was giving people advice on when they would be available etc, that's my point.

neiltc13 said:
And a word of advice - if you can, cancel the order for that mouse. It truly is awful and is in my opinion one of - if not the - worst mouse ever made. Your MacBook will work with any USB or Bluetooth mouse.
Click to expand...
Use them heavily on my iMac and Mac Pro and I've not had any problems. I just clean the roller ball with neat alcohol (my girlfriend is a Biomedical scientist, so has access to it) once in a while and they work fine.

:)
 
kmpowell said:
I know the refurb store isn't a secret, but these returned £699's aren't refurbs, they are brand new sealed and boxed. That's my point.


Have one on my iMac and Mac Pro which are used heavily and have not had any problems with it. I just clean the roller ball with alcohol once in a while and they work fine.

:)
Click to expand...

Well good luck, but for the price Apple wants for one of them I am confident there are far, far better products on the market.
 
Ah, i've already ordered one from the ordinary store.:eek:
I suppose i got a nano though, still could have saved some money.

There is currently a 2.4ghz model in the refurb store for £650!
Would the printer deal apply if you bought it this way?

Is there anything different about the product if you buy it from the refurb store?
 
JG271 said:
Is there anything different about the product if you buy it from the refurb store?
Click to expand...
Nope no difference at all - these returned £699's aren't refurbs, they are brand new sealed & boxed reseller stock that the resellers aren't allowed to sell (apple make them send old stock back to them when new models are announced). :)
 
kmpowell said:
Nope no difference at all - these returned £699's aren't refurbs, they are brand new sealed & boxed reseller stock that the resellers aren't allowed to sell (apple make them send old stock back to them when new models are announced). :)
Click to expand...

Oh cool, i noticed my local currys is still selling 2.2ghz macbooks though:p
 
kmpowell said:
Hi All

Although I mainly use this forum to glean info rather than post, I thought I would share some knowledge that could benefit others. :)

My girlfriend wanted an entry level Macbook, so naturally we decided to wait until the new MBs were released. Having been severely disappointed with the models/pricing here in the UK, I decided to try and track down what would happen to the £699 shop stock models that were sent back to Apple. I had read that they would be taken apart and used for parts, but a quick call to my contact at Apple and he confirmed that even though most of them would be taken apart, a small amount would be made available through the Refurb' store fully sealed and brand new as they were in the shops! He said they would start appearing today and would be scattered in at various times over the next 7-14 days, although he couldn't confirm the price.

So, up nice and early this morning to watch the shop - I refreshed the screen a few times at the time I got told they would be appearing (10am) and bingo! Up they popped, 2.4 models for £659 (still there last time I looked) and 2.1 models for a brilliant £529!!!! I double checked the specs and sure enough it was a £699 model so I whacked it in the basket (with a few other things)... Result! :D

http://www.kevinmichaelpowell.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/macbook_purchase.jpg

Even when we had our order confirmed there was still some showing in the store up to an hour later, so I presume there were a couple of them available.

So, for anybody who was hoping for a new entry level macbook at a decent price, who isn't to worried regarding the LED and multi-touch blah blah, keep an eye on the refurb store at 10am each morning, for the next week or so.

:)
Click to expand...


From that picture that is not the whitebook they sell now, its the cheapest one from before. It sais Combo drive (unless my eyes fool me) which on the older ones were the one wthout a DVD dual layer burner.
 
kmpowell said:
Nope no difference at all - these returned £699's aren't refurbs, they are brand new sealed & boxed reseller stock that the resellers aren't allowed to sell (apple make them send old stock back to them when new models are announced). :)
Click to expand...

But how do you know your particular Macbook is reseller overstock? Your screenshot says "RFB" in front of the model and you haven't even gotten it delivered yet. Curious.
 
Davidkoh said:
From that picture that is not the whitebook they sell now, its the cheapest one from before. It sais Combo drive (unless my eyes fool me) which on the older ones were the one wthout a DVD dual layer burner.
Click to expand...
I know it's the entry level one from before, that's the whole point of this thread and hence why I said it was the £699. ;)

strobeable said:
But how do you know your particular Macbook is reseller overstock? Your screenshot says "RFB" in front of the model and you haven't even gotten it delivered yet. Curious.
Click to expand...
I did wonder that so I rang up the order line and they confirmed that they have to call it rfrb for legal reasons because technically they are 'returned' items. She said that it is 100% sealed and brand new though because that's all they have coming into stock at the mo'. :)
 
kmpowell said:
I did wonder that so I rang up the order line and they confirmed that they have to call it rfrb for legal reasons because technically they are 'returned' items. She said that it is 100% sealed and brand new though because that's all they have coming into stock at the mo'. :)
Click to expand...

So you actually have to follow it up with a phone call to confirm that your order is new & sealed? Such a great find.
 
strobeable said:
So you actually have to follow it up with a phone call to confirm that your order is new & sealed? Such a great find.
Click to expand...
You haven't got to call to confirm, no. I only called because given the information I was passed by my mate at Apple I thought I would double check. :)
 
kmpowell said:
Hi All

So, for anybody who was hoping for a new entry level macbook at a decent price, who isn't to worried regarding the LED and multi-touch blah blah, keep an eye on the refurb store at 10am each morning, for the next week or so.

:)
Click to expand...

Would you happen to know if they are adding any more today through your contact.....
 
adit said:
Would you happen to know if they are adding any more today through your contact.....
Click to expand...
I don't know what specific days it will be, all I was told was "over the next coming week or so".

iBaldy said:
So for £529 is this a good buy?
Click to expand...
Given the crap upgrade to the new 'entry level' whitebook, I think this is a brilliant buy if you can snap one up. As long as you aren't requiring a Superdrive, which let's be honest 99% of people buying this kind of machine aren't, then it's perfect. My girlfriend will be using it for eMail, Internet and Assignment work. Perfect. :)
 
all you people need to stop sniping and give the op some respect this is a good find and people should take notice as the new mb's are too damn expensive in my opinon

thank you op

p.s for 529 thats a decent deal
 
hi,saw these the other day,did a bit of Reading around saw this thread & signed up first thing this morning
 
Thanks OP, I just ordered a 2.4GHz, 2GB, 160GB white macbook for £659 delivered.

For what I need it is absolutely ideal - i just bought a top of the range imac last month and wanted to replace my 1 year old Vista laptop (which I now hate with a passion!) but have a few budget restraints!

I too was disappointed with the 14th Oct macbooks, specifically their UK pricing and lack of FW (I am not a power user, but do have FW external drives and a FW DV camera), and whilst the aluminium case, new touchpad etc. would be nice..... no way is it worth almost £500 to me - I was even looking at ebay, gumtree etc for a nearly new whitebook when I saw your post and had a look on this morning.

They had loads of stuff in the refurb store, including some really cheap 15" MBPs which were working out at less than the new MBs!

So, thanks again OP!
 
some £1200 17" MBPs too!



I already have a white macbook (2.2 I think), so all this does to me is make me realise its resale value is less than I thought, which means if I buy a new MBP I'll just keep this one and hand it down in the family..
 
I logged on to order the 2.4GHz Macbook.... But ended up ordering the 2.4 MBP for £849.

So since the MBP had the real RRP price above it, does that mean it is definately a refurb!!!
 
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