Refurbished products offer top-notch deals

I am writing this on a recently purchased notebook computer, a Macintosh PowerBook G4. But my "new" computer isn't actually new, and it's not used, either. It is a "refurbished" model.

To the uninitiated, buying a refurbished product may seem like a compromise, as if you're settling for a machine likely to have dents, scratches, or unknown problems. In fact, buying refurbished allows you to knock a sizeable chunk off the purchase price of a PC, digital camera, or MP3 player, and still have a product that's essentially new, often with a warranty from the manufacturer.

My PowerBook arrived in an Apple Computer box with the requisite accessories and software, along with a one-year Apple warranty. Like new, as far as I could tell.

I've been a fan of refurbished computers for years. Until the late 1990s, finding refurbished products was a hit-or-miss affair, requiring you to scan mail-order catalogues and ads. Now, with scores of retailers offering refurbs online, anyone with patience and a talent for online sleuthing can scour the Web to find just the right deal.

I paid $2,049 for the PowerBook, probably about $500 less than a comparable new model. Prices for refurbs, in fact, often rival what you'll find listed for them on eBay or other auction sites.

The name "refurbished" is something of a misnomer. Typically, they're products returned by customers, for any number of reasons, and then tested at the factory to make sure they're in tip-top shape. Defective or damaged parts will be replaced. I've bought several refurbs, and all have been like new.

But you should exercise a certain vigilance in buying a refurb.

Judy Silver, vice president of marketing at Brooklyn, N.Y.-based RefurbDepot, advises consumers to buy only "factory-certified" refurbished products. These products have been returned to the manufacturer and tested by them. They also typically carry a manufacturer's warranty.

In particular, be wary of products labeled "reconditioned," says Silver. These may be used products, such as a group of computers previously under lease, then repaired and resold by a retailer.

"It's hard to get a customer to buy refurbished for the first time," says Silver. "Manufacturers really don't want consumers to know about refurbished products."

When looking for a refurbished product, don't expect to be able to walk into a store and pick up a refurb off the shelf. RefurbDepot and other retailers typically work with manufacturers and distributors to acquire "lots" of products. Sometimes they may buy 15 refurbs, sometimes 150. You don't know whether they'll have the product in a refurb or not, or how long they'll last.

"You've got to act quickly," says Silver, "Inventory changes all the time."

But don't act too quickly. I took several weeks -- or was it months? -- to find the right deal on my PowerBook, regularly checking in with Apple's online store, online retailers carrying refurbs, and dealmac.com, a site that compiles Macintosh deals. (Many of the major computer retailers, along with plenty of smaller ones, have Web pages listing refurbished products.) When I finally found what I wanted, for the right price, I called up the retailer to double-check that the product was factory-refurbished with a full warranty. It was. You can save money with refurbs, but you've got to be a savvy shopper.

By Allan Hoffman
Last updated: Monday, Dec. 2, 2002, 9:45 am