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General discussion

Used electronics: To buy or not to buy, that is the question

May 12, 2015 10:11AM PDT

Discussion is locked

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None of the above
May 12, 2015 10:20AM PDT

I have bought a pre-owned house and a pre-owned car, but none of the gadgets you mentioned.

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Ditto.
May 12, 2015 10:59AM PDT

Same here. Bought a pre-owned house and a pre-owned car, but no pre-owned electronic gadgets.

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Kindles
May 12, 2015 10:55AM PDT

I have purchased at least a half dozen used Kindles on eBay. Not a one of them was ever a bad investment.

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dvd's
May 12, 2015 2:00PM PDT

I have a library of (at last count) early 500 dvd's not one was purchased new.
I get them all "used". some from amazon and a lot from gohasings. have never
paid more than $6 for one and its usually around $2. many are brand new but
just didnt hit it with other people - the great new ones take months before the
price comes down hahaha
in 55 years of driving I have only purchased 2 new cars, the rest used. I seem to have
bad luck with new ones.
my home was junk and rebuilt it "like new", or better Happy).

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you get stuck with any...
May 12, 2015 4:16PM PDT

.... HD-DVD's?

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Pre-owned piano
May 12, 2015 10:58AM PDT

I spent $600 on a refurbished electronic piano at the manufacturer's outlet store. It worked great for a while, but when it broke a couple of years later, no one could get parts and I ended up recycling it. If I buy another piano, I'm buying new.

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I regularly sell and buy SMALL electronics.
May 12, 2015 11:01AM PDT

I always sell my two year old phones on Ebay. When I sell my phones they are always in top shape as my wife and I take great care of our phones and we generally get a much better price than if we sell them elsewhere.. I am not adverse to buying amateur radio equipment on Ebay or Eham as I know that hams take care of their product.

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I usually buy refurbished
May 12, 2015 11:08AM PDT

Just bought a manufactured ultra-book on ebay with the standard manufacturer's one year warrantee. I saved $500 and couldn't be happier. I also bought 4 tablets in the past couple of years - three on ebay and one on craigs list. I've never had a problem !

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Tablet
May 12, 2015 11:20AM PDT

Bought a "used" Nexus 7 2013, 32 gb from Amazon (Amazon Warehouse, not a private seller). It arrived in absolute mint condition, pristine packaging and all. I paid about 40% less than the going rate that time. Works flawlessly and love it!

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Many.
May 12, 2015 11:25AM PDT

Mostly stuff over the years refurb by its maker from geeks.com (now gone), amazon (if on prime) and woot.com's deals.

Item C gives me the creeps. No thanks.
Bob

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I don't have a problem with refurbished...
May 12, 2015 11:34AM PDT

I don't have a problem with refurbished, as long as I'm already familiar with the item and it's factory refurbished. Otherwise, I try to buy new.

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I never buy new and have never been disappointed.
May 12, 2015 11:40AM PDT

I just bought a Galaxy Tab 4 10.1" tablet for my wife. First thing I did after my research dictated the item to purchase was to google "refurb galaxy tab4 10.1" The best price, way less than for a new one even at the best discounts, came from a respected and authorized refurb eBay store with 100% feedback and zillions of sales. My wife had her "new" tablet in four days and it looked absolutely new. I believe that lots of these items that are sold as refurbs are, in fact, new and left-over stock when the newer models come out.

I own and operate a custom furniture building shop. Most of my shop machinery was bought as refurb, or gently used, and I have NEVER had an issue that resulted from an item not having been new. I would FAR rather buy top-of-the-line refurb or used tools than new brand-X ones.

Last month I bought my granddaughter a "new" refurb Canon Vixia camcorder. Saved over $100 and again, it looked for all the world like new. Most of the time, refurbs sold by their manufacturer carry excellent warranties, too. But hey, in my many years of doing this, I have yet to need a warranty on anything. Go figure.

When I need a new tech toy, I always go for last year's model. You can still get the refurbs and who needs the newest (untested) model anyway? My Galaxy S4 phone? A refurb, and the S5, now available, has no improvements that make it more desirable to me, so I'll keep my S4. We have five computers in our home and office. Not one was bought new, and we have never had a problem with any of them. Dell, for one, has an excellent refurb store and they sell their equipment with excellent warranties.

Cars. NEVER buy a new car. My son buys new cars. He just bought a new Prius and the first month's depreciation plus the sales tax and license is more than I paid for the wonderful Mazda MPV that I bought with 19K miles on it when it was three years old. I'm still driving it, and at 72K miles, it has proven 100% reliable.

Appliances. We seem to move every few years and it is always more practical to replace things like washers and dryers instead of moving them. When we arrived at our newest home here in NorCal 4 years ago, we went online and found a few shops that sold, you guessed it, refurbished appliances. A few days later we were using our like-new Kenmore washer and dryer, with a 90-day warranty, and they cost us $425 for the pair, delivered and installed. That was 4 years ago. They still look like and work like new.

Yes, it would have been far more trendy to pay $2000 for a pair of computer-controlled laundry wizards that look more like the console of the Starship Enterprise than washers and dryers, and then in three years when the computer stuff started going out and the warranty has expired, we could just go buy new ones again. But we realize that for every dollar we spend, we have to earn about $1.70, so those $2000 machines would have meant earning a whopping $3400!

No thanks. I'll continue to buy used, recycled and refurbished. With even a bit of care and research (check online reviews), you can buy gently-used stuff and it will serve you well. It's worked for me and I've been doing it for some 65 years now.

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It's slightly more a crapshoot than buying new
May 12, 2015 11:46AM PDT

I've bought plenty of new lemons, some immediately returned, some with quirks that I decided to live with.

I've bought a couple of used phones on eBay. One was supposedly factory reconditioned, and it's diseased but I used it for the better part of a year. It's still in use as an MP3 player. The other I bought from a seller with a sterling reputation. It's great and I'm using it.

Have bought several small reconditioned items such as mice and computer speakers, and factory reconditioned audio equipment with no problems.

I bought a "reconditioned" Color Nook from Barnes and Noble with full factory warranty (it was in Rick Broida's Cheapskate column). It was a POS and died about two months after warranty ended. But then, it was a Nook. Funny thing is if you look at old CNET reviews, and others, that compared Nook to Kindle, the Nook kept winning the prize. We know how that went! Meanwhile my first Kindle was the Kindle 1 that was used by two other people before it was passed on to me. It still works and I'm about to pass it on to someone else.

Depends on the item, the warranty, and the reputation of the seller, but I would still buy "used" if I were confident I'd be able to return or exchange. Do your research before buying...anything!

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you're wrong, Christina
May 12, 2015 12:17PM PDT

used electronics purchased on ebay, and presumably elsewhere as well, do come with a return policy. on ebay, it's usually 14 days, return shipping paid by buyer.

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Follow these simple rules and you won't get burned
May 12, 2015 12:23PM PDT

If you are a value shopper, pre-owned are very tempting. Take it from a serial gadget buyer, you can get burned if you buy used from a questionable source. Or even from a reliable source.

My rules:

1. Only buy from a seller who has a return policy, prepaid if the product is defective. Beware of the "all sales are final folks". Beware of restocking fees. Trustworthy folks include Amazon. Amazon sellers are not Amazon so you might have to go the dispute route alone initially.

2. Only buy manufacturer's refurbished products. Seller refurbs are risky. Most manufacturer refurbs are lightly used or never used returns that cannot be sold as new. They always come with a warranty.

3. Buy from sellers who offer reliable payment methods such as PayPal or a national credit card. If problems occur, you have a reliable seller and financial institute to help in your claim.

4. Used is generally not a good idea, especially with electronics.

5. If the deal is too good to be true, run in the opposite direction. There are too many reliable suppliers to take a flier on a misleading or fraudulent product.

6. Not everyone would agree with this one, but don't buy from an offshore seller. It is not worth the delay nor are your options as good with a foreign supplier.

Skeptic in Monterey, CA

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For me, price has to be right
May 12, 2015 12:30PM PDT

I love buying used tech, but I am a tinkerer by hobby so I don't care if it doesn't work or how old it is if the price is right. For example, I just bought a 26" Sharp flat panel that was several years old but was from a name brand I trust for the most part. It was at a thrift store and was missing the remote (universal remote app FTW) and power cord (standard one I had a million of). I guessed they just priced it without testing it and it was only $1.99 so I took a chance. I have repaired common issues with flat panels in the past and was certain I was in for another repair job but the panel was in great cosmetic shape with no damage. Brought it home, plugged it in and it fired right up. My luck but I know what I'm getting into when I buy used and consider the "can I afford to throw this away in a month?" question before I pull the trigger.

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Do your homework, then think twice
May 12, 2015 12:36PM PDT

I have bought a TV and three or four desktop computers that were used, all on eBay. Before purchasing I investigated the sellers, carefully read the descriptions, and made certain the items were both returnable and shipped insured. The TV was a real bargain that arrived in like-new condition, and as far as I know my ex is still happily using it. The computers were a couple of generations behind the state of the art, but entirely serviceable and I upgraded them to better meet my needs.

When buying used, it definitely pays to know who you're buying from and be willing to walk away if a deal sounds too good to be true. I've gotten burned a couple of times (on less expensive items, fortunately), and I won't buy anything used from a seller with an eBay rating below 98 percent (and 99 percent within the past year), or anyone who won't accept Paypal. Oh, and I don't buy at auction as a rule -- I prefer Buy It Now from a seller with an eBay store.

And most of the things I buy aren't just "used". I look for "factory refurbished", with a warranty and a return policy.

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I've bought a bunch of factory refurbished or open box items
May 12, 2015 12:42PM PDT

I bought my Mac, an iPod touch for my son, my Samsung Tab S, a Sony TV and a few non-smartphones refurbished or open box. Most were sold by reputable places like the Apple Store or Best Buy (or other retailer), but I bought the phones on eBay. As long as the products carry the same warranty, and can be returned if they don't work or I'm not happy with them, I don't care if they're "new". The discounts have always been substantial. For something a cell phone, I was willing to take a chance on eBay, and all the items I bought were fine. What can I say? I like saving money.

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Laptop
May 12, 2015 1:23PM PDT

Almost a year ago I bought a refurbished Dell laptop at dellrefurbished.com. The first one that arrived had an issue with the CDRW drive and they were very easy to deal with in exchanging it for another unit. They periodically offer sales for 40% or so off their already discounted prices. The Dell Latitude E4310 with Windows 7 was under $200 and so far so good. I'm primarily a MAC user but there are a few things I do where I just need Windows and find this easier than dealing with bootcamp or Fusion. Plus, it's nice to have a spare laptop.

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Pre-owned? Possibly.
May 12, 2015 3:42PM PDT

Phone, laptop, TV yes. Used car? Yes. Other gadgets? Probably not.

I am a little biased on this subject, because a lot of my business is buying used computers, refurbishing them, and reselling them to people who understand that the big box stores sell mostly cheaply made equipment, prone to breakage and hard to repair. My rules of thumb are to know your seller, unless you are spending a small amount of money you can risk losing.

How do you know your seller? By reputation, of course. On eBay, it's a solid seller rating. In and around town, it's mostly word-of-mouth referrals.

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I haven't bought any of the above...
May 12, 2015 3:45PM PDT

I do have lots of used tech. Most notably desktop computers, LCD monitors, LCD TV's & laptops. The only difference is I haven't bought them. I tend to like to buy tech new due to warranties and I'm a stickler when it comes to scuffs and scratches (they bother me, I have buffed out many devices over the years). Usually I get given "older" tech that I bring to life again. I get desktops from the mid-late 2000's that can work just fine for a media server or basic home computer with a little TLC, hard drive format and some cheap upgrades. I now have 13 working desktops that all run Windows 7 or better and all have their uses. I have also sold many of these computers I've upgraded. I have bought some VERY cheap pre-owned laptops ($40-$80) but usually because they need work and I'm the guy for the job. I've also been given a Samsung Galaxy S3, iPhone 4 and iPhone 3GS in the past year just because people didn't need them. The most common tech for me to buy used it portable media players/iPods. Lately I've got a 160GB iPod Classic (a friend I knew had one six months old that he barely used for sale just after Apple pulled the plug) and a 32GB iPod Touch 1st Gen to use in the vehicle (My 16GB Nano was getting too small lol). But in the end my main components are either personally built (such as my main desktop computer) or brand new. My vehicles are all pre-owned and so will be my first home but electronics are a hit and miss.

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Since used *electronics* are the subject, why cars and house
May 12, 2015 5:53PM PDT

If there was ever anything I learned during my years of education, it was that you get lousy marks if you fail to answer the actual question. So what's the point of mentioning houses, cars and other non-electronic things?

The question seems to me to be slightly warped, since the best pre-owned electronics gadgets I have are freebies - I run a freebie DVD system, and most of the laptops I play with are freebies. I don't spend big money on secondhand anything (and I have a sailing dinghy obtained from "Freecycle" locally here in the UK.

I've never had money to burn and prefer to spend it on essentials. Most consumer electronics are not in this category.

Regards,

David Walland

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automobiles are full of electronics now
May 13, 2015 3:15AM PDT

even have two computers, one for ignition and charging system, another for the other stuff.

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Used Electronics
May 12, 2015 6:00PM PDT

I bought an IPAD4 4G 228 GB from CEX for half the normal price, It is the best buy I have ever made. You also have a guarantee for 12 months and is very reassuring. Recommend them highly and no I dont work for them. I am a 65 yr old retiree and very fusy.

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It depends...
May 12, 2015 7:16PM PDT

I am not opposed to buying used and have on a few rare occasions. In some cases, such as the teenagers that might break them early, it may be wise. However there are cautions.

As we all know many modern devices have internal, non user replaceable, batteries. Typically these batteries have life spans of about 500 charges. They will still work but the time between charges gets shorter and shorter. So buying a two year old iPhone is likely already beyond that 500 cycle use. Perhaps for a teen this might be okay but not for me. Having a battery replaced by Apple may run $75-125. If you were able to buy an iPhone 5 for $200 and have the battery replaced you'd be ahead of the game. Most modern electronic devices will far outlast the internal battery.

The same is true for a wide range of devices with internal batteries. Most tablets, laptops, cell phones, and other gadgets have internal non user-replaceable batteries. For many of those devices there are no repair shops or manufacturer plans to replace the batteries. You may find bargains but for me I'll stay away from these devices. I search far and wide for devices with replaceable batteries.

I recently bought a new Nokia Lumia 635 smartphone, which has a user replaceable battery. While it lacks features so isn't a replacement for my Samsung Galaxy S3 (also replaceable battery) the Nokia is a substantial smartphone, and cheap ($70 new). If I were buying for a teenager I would more likely choose to go that route rather than a used phone with an internal battery.

DSLR cameras have finite shutter operations, often in the 100,000 to 200,000 range. That may sound like a lot but for an active amateur photographer, coupled with the high speed burst mode, that limit can be reached in a much shorter time than you might expect. Replacing a shutter might run $250. For that reason I would not buy a used DSLR camera.

Camera lenses may be a very good purchase. Old "glass" does not age and there are some very good lenses available that might be 10 to 20 years old. Some lenses with built in auto focus may need refurbishing but even adding that cost may still be quite a bargain.

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My Electronic Purchases
May 12, 2015 8:11PM PDT

I have purchased used cell phones and refurbished cameras on eBay in the past. I always check out the seller's rating, return policy and total cost. I just purchased a Nikon digital camera with 30X optical zoom at a great price and was able to purchase a Square Trade 3 year warranty which includes accidental damage caused by dropping, water, etc. I have always had good luck and was reimbursed full retail price for an item which was dropped years ago. I also had a repair done under warranty. More money in my pocket and I am totally satisfied with making purchases of used/refurbished electronics. Good luck!

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Fool me once, shame on you...
May 13, 2015 12:25AM PDT

I was once badly burned (as in "bad deal," not literally burned) when I purchased a "refurbished" TV at an otherwise extremely reputable brick-and-mortar store. I returned it to the store and exchanged it for a second refurbished TV, and it similarly malfunctioned. I returned it for credit and got something new.

A lot of stores take returned items, re-box them, and call them "refurbished," without making any effort to correct the malfunction that caused the return.

I will never again purchase any refurbished electronic product from anyone. Someday I might, if necessity dictates, buy a used car, but I will try to avoid even that if I can.

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Best value is used or refurbished, depending on item
May 13, 2015 3:45AM PDT

For a child, it only makes sense buy used or refurbished as their first phones. The responsibility, value, and care learning process lends itself best to starting kids off with products which aren't top of the line and the most expensive possible. I would certainly question getting a teenager even a refurbished iPhone 6 as their first phone. A 5 or 4s would do virtually all the same things, perform about as well, be a safer bet, and be a LOT cheaper if needing replacement. Reward them for taking care of their possessions with a new phone at the end of that contract.

Modern electronics have few moving parts, and if something is going to go wrong with a device, it usually would have happened already by the time a seller with a good rating offers something for sale as in good condition on Amazon or eBay. I've bought and sold many electronics items, from cameras to tablets, computers to MP3 players. I would shy away from things with moving parts and limited life-spans, like hard drives. If you follow some of the other posts' common sense rules, like choose sellers with good ratings, prepaid returns, shipping insurance, etc., you're pretty well insulated from failure. This goes for online sales especially. I've had worse luck with in-store refurbished, display items, and open boxes, but YMMV. If cosmetics aren't that important, minor scratches might save you some more money, but don't buy anything that may have been dropped.

Apple products especially lend themselves to buying used. I can't believe how fast their latest thing starts appearing on the used market. If you want a watch, wait a few weeks, and get it used for less. There are many tiers of this, starting with Apple's own refurbished marketplace, then used on Amazon, and others, with diminishing reliability and support, but still pretty solid due to Apple's track record.

Refurbished electronics are sold for various reasons, and as others have said, some are just barely opened and restocked. But some are unpopular models for various reasons which the manufacturers are simply trying to unload. This can run the gamut from items which were badly designed, to entire runs of certain models which were lemons. If there seems to be a lot of a particular item for sale, expect the worst. I actually prefer used to refurbished for a lot of things.

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why not!
May 13, 2015 3:19AM PDT

I have bought a pre-owned SONY AV-300E amplifier for about 30 EUR to use with my RFT 60 watt RMS loudspeakers.
it was a best decision as nowadays they don't know anymore what HIFI stands for! Good 80's in audio area leading world!
you can see now new cars with lots of plastics... I preffer 00's models! that was some peak in auto industry. We have now lots of new functions but quality is drastically lowering despite new draconic quality rules...

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sure
May 13, 2015 5:52AM PDT

I have bought refurbished and used electronics, with mostly good results. I have a few rules I generally follow. First, the savings must be significant. For a small ticket item, it must be at least 50% off, for a more expensive item, 25% ,preferably more, otherwise, it's just not worth it, especially if there are warranty issues, missing accessories, etc.

There are certain items I would be very wary of. I generally do not consider buying TVs or monitors refurbished. I'm too afraid they've been returned because of bad pixels. Even new items sometimes allow a certain number of dead pixels. That would drive me nuts. I'd be the guy returning the new unit, not the guy suffering with the refurbished one.

I generally avoid used items with rechargeable batteries that may not have been replaced with new (unless the price is so good that I can replace the battery and still consider it a bargain).

I've had good luck with Desktop PCs. I've bought GPS units for $30 to $40 that worked great, compared to $100 to $250 for the same thing.

I've had good and bad experiences, but nothing so bad that has soured me to the experience.