Buying factory refurbished laptops

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Buying factory refurbished laptops is nothing new. In fact, people have been buying factory refurbished laptop products for some time, even if you may not have heard of this practice before. Most people who buy new usually don’t even know the type of savings you can get buy going refurbished; yes, it’s true, you can save a lot of money by buying used.

Just to recap things we’ve already mentioned in other posts:

Is a refurbished laptop even considered “used”? Well yes, in a general sense it is, but there is quite the difference between “used” and “refurbished/reconditioned.” Factory refurbished laptops are computers that are brought back to a like-new condition by approved reconditioning companies. These are usually the original manufacturer of the product but not always. Many times the manufacturer will authorize third-party vendors to do the refurbishment, but don’t worry: Those third-party companies are trained specifically by the parent company to do the work. They go by the same standards the actual vendors of the products go by. You know that when your laptop comes out of the process it’ll be exactly the way you wanted it to be. If it’s not, guess what, you have a warranty like you would if you had bought new. Seriously, the only real difference is the price you’ll pay.

Now, a “used” laptop to me is something completely different. This is nothing like a refurbished model. Used laptops are generally bought in an as-is state, i.e. there has been no approved refurbishing program that the laptop has actually gone through. As you may recall, refurbished computers are put through a very rigid program that brings it back to a state where it looks and acts like it’s new and off the shelf. Used laptops can come scratched, broken, or damaged. Worse yet, you’ll have no recourse if this should occur.

Here’s how I’d do my shopping: If I wanted factory refurbished laptops, I’d go to stores such as Best Buy, Fry’s Electronics, etc. Those are known to carry a large selection of these products, and advertise it right there on the box. Those stores also have solid return policies and warranties, so you know what you’re getting right off the bat. If I wanted to go for a used laptop, I’d check out craigslist, eBay, or something like that. Be aware though that if you do this, you’re going to incur quite a bit of risk. There are no guarantees when dealing private-party. If you don’t get quite what you expected, there’s not much you can do about it!

What’s a good price discount on these laptops when compared to the newer models? Depending on the amount of use on the machines, a normal discount is anywhere from 5% to 50%. The computers that were barely used and only took a small amount of refurbishment will only really come with 5% off the new price; after all, the box was probably just opened, it was turned on and maybe used for a short time, then brought back. A laptop that’s been used for a longer period (say, months or years) will require a more extensive reconditioning process. When that happens, you’re actually likely to pay less out of pocket with a more significant price drop. Sound a little backwards? It is, but remember that you’re paying the discount because most people want to buy new, not refurbished.