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t0mat0

macrumors 603
Aug 29, 2006
5,473
284
Home
Refurb phones can be phones returned, and mended, and put out as refurbished.
Refurb can also mean old stock that they want to discount to get rid of - It happens a lot just before a product has an update. In this case, with 9th June so close, I imagine they're clearing any left stock inventory, and the last couple of broken iphones are being returned, mended and sent back out as refurb.
 

savanahrose

macrumors 6502a
Jul 31, 2006
791
1
greer SC
If you are worried about buying a refurb, don't be. Between my husband buying open box items and me buy refurbs from outlet malls. I can tell you that there isn't anything wrong with them. They are fully reconditioned and run like new.
My husband is hoping to find an open box Sony Bravia. Yeah like that one will happen. ;):D
 

billyripkin

macrumors 6502
Jun 28, 2007
368
7
Chicago
If you are worried about buying a refurb, don't be. Between my husband buying open box items and me buy refurbs from outlet malls. I can tell you that there isn't anything wrong with them. They are fully reconditioned and run like new.
My husband is hoping to find an open box Sony Bravia. Yeah like that one will happen. ;):D


Or you can check Sony's website under the refurb section for good deals on TV's.

http://www.sonystyle.com/webapp/wcs...////UserSearch=Inventory+>+0+and+Price+Ss+>+0
 

PowerFullMac

macrumors 601
Oct 16, 2006
4,000
1
I think refurbs are actually BETTER than buying brand new ones (actually, most refurbs are fairly new anyway, and almost always in perfect condition) because they have been looked over by Apple Technitions so its less likley it will go wrong as anything that might mess it up will have been repaired!
 

El Magnificante

macrumors member
Original poster
Jan 20, 2007
76
0
I'm not in the market for a refurb iPhone as I'm waiting for the new one ... and I've purchased refurb iMac's and all was well.

I am just wondering why there were so many of them? Was there a particular problem with the design or a specific part?
 

PowerFullMac

macrumors 601
Oct 16, 2006
4,000
1
I'm not in the market for a refurb iPhone as I'm waiting for the new one ... and I've purchased refurb iMac's and all was well.

I am just wondering why there were so many of them? Was there a particular problem with the design or a specific part?

Check the first reply.
 

gkarris

macrumors G3
Dec 31, 2004
8,301
1,061
"No escape from Reality...”
I'm not in the market for a refurb iPhone as I'm waiting for the new one ... and I've purchased refurb iMac's and all was well.

I am just wondering why there were so many of them? Was there a particular problem with the design or a specific part?

On the second run of iPhones, like the first run of the iPod Touch, had bad screens... those have since been returned and repaired and sold as refurbs or used as warranty replacements.
 

Virgil-TB2

macrumors 65816
Aug 3, 2007
1,143
1
I think refurbs are actually BETTER than buying brand new ones (actually, most refurbs are fairly new anyway, and almost always in perfect condition...
This hasn't been my experience.

Refurbished stuff from Apple (usually) always works but they are hardly ever in "perfect condition."
  • you should expect a few scratches
  • you should expect to *not* get the original packaging (even though Apple implies on their website that you will).
  • you should expect dead pixels
  • you should expect folded and stained manuals

If none of those possibilities bother you, then refurbished is for you. It's generally a good deal to buy refurbished, but assuming that the products are going to be "perfect," or worse, that they will be "better than perfect" ... is just setting yourself up for a big disappointment.

...they have been looked over by Apple Technitions so its less likley it will go wrong as anything that might mess it up will have been repaired!
I think you are using a bit of classic "wishful thinking" here. A product checked twice is not necessarily twice as good. ;)
 

arklab

macrumors member
Feb 26, 2005
42
0
My problem is FINDING a referb iPhone!

I've never seen one on Apples referb store - looks like AT&T online is the only one doing it (which is fine with me.).

But they only have a few at a time, and quickly sell out.

Has anyone notices any pattern of availability?

Usually on Wednesday?
or
Two weeks from the last release?
or
At what time of day?

Any help greatly appreciated! :)
Thanks.
 

Van Wildonher

macrumors 6502a
Apr 29, 2008
655
0
My problem is FINDING a referb iPhone!

I've never seen one on Apples referb store - looks like AT&T online is the only one doing it (which is fine with me.).

But they only have a few at a time, and quickly sell out.

Has anyone notices any pattern of availability?

Usually on Wednesday?
or
Two weeks from the last release?
or
At what time of day?

Any help greatly appreciated! :)
Thanks.


No pattern by what I can tell. Only pattern is they won't let you order more than one.

They had em 5/14, 5/21, and one time last year or earlier this year?
 

kdarling

macrumors P6
I think refurbs are actually BETTER than buying brand new ones (actually, most refurbs are fairly new anyway, and almost always in perfect condition) because they have been looked over by Apple Technitions so its less likley it will go wrong as anything that might mess it up will have been repaired!

It's far more likely that a third party sweat shop specializing in electronic refurbs "looked it over". Refurbs aren't magically better.

That said, I did buy a refurb 16GB iPod Touch off eBay for $250, and although it had very light scratches on the back (with a case, that doesn't matter), it had no dead pixels and has been a good deal. And the Apple warranty site showed it has another year warranty on it, much to my surprise.
 

extraextra

macrumors 68000
Jun 29, 2006
1,758
0
California
This hasn't been my experience.

Refurbished stuff from Apple (usually) always works but they are hardly ever in "perfect condition."
  • you should expect a few scratches
  • you should expect to *not* get the original packaging (even though Apple implies on their website that you will).
  • you should expect dead pixels
  • you should expect folded and stained manuals

If none of those possibilities bother you, then refurbished is for you. It's generally a good deal to buy refurbished, but assuming that the products are going to be "perfect," or worse, that they will be "better than perfect" ... is just setting yourself up for a big disappointment.

I think you are using a bit of classic "wishful thinking" here. A product checked twice is not necessarily twice as good. ;)

Wow, what refurbished stuff have you gotten? :eek: I've never experienced any of those, aside from the lack of original packaging.
 

onlycopunk

macrumors 6502
May 10, 2008
379
0
Newtown
This hasn't been my experience.

Refurbished stuff from Apple (usually) always works but they are hardly ever in "perfect condition."
  • you should expect a few scratches
  • you should expect to *not* get the original packaging (even though Apple implies on their website that you will).
  • you should expect dead pixels
  • you should expect folded and stained manuals

If none of those possibilities bother you, then refurbished is for you. It's generally a good deal to buy refurbished, but assuming that the products are going to be "perfect," or worse, that they will be "better than perfect" ... is just setting yourself up for a big disappointment.

I think you are using a bit of classic "wishful thinking" here. A product checked twice is not necessarily twice as good. ;)

Yeah I also have to ask what kind of refurbed stuff you are getting. When my 3G iPod died, they replaced with a refurb, it was in perfect condition and it's still working, much longer then my brand new one ever did.

And I bought a refurbed iPhone, it came in perfect condition no scratches dead pixels or anything. And the instructions are brand new as well. Granted it didn't come in an iPhone box, but what use do I have for that? I can't play music with a box.

You spout the kind of dribble that make people fear buying refurbed stuff.
 

zainjetha

macrumors 6502a
Aug 11, 2007
931
2
OH, when my ipod photo wouldnt turn on i went into the store, they replaced it with a refurbished iphoto - could tell was refurbished by serial no. my ipod was only 4 days old and demanded a brand new ipod and was given one with box, complete with usb cable, headphones etc etc.
 
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