Best Buy open box items aren’t always as good of a deal as they appear | Source: Bestbuy.com
We’re all for saving money with refurbished electronics. Refurbished products are items that have been opened or used before, but they’ve gone through rigorous testing and come with guarantees and warranties to protect you in the event that something goes wrong. But open box items aren’t quite as good of a buy. That’s because open box items, like Best Buy open box products, are goods returned by customers, inspected by the retailers, and then resold at a discount instead of being returned to the manufacturer, according to Consumer Reports.
That’s not necessarily a problem in itself, since some estimate that just 5% of retail returns are actually defective. Odds are good that Best Buy open box products, as well as those from other retailers, are going to work fine and were returned for other reasons. They may have scratches or dents, but will typically have all of their accessories. The problem is that many retailers sell open box items as is, with no warranties, guarantees, or returns. And that’s not the only reason why open box items aren’t always as good of a deal as they appear.
There are plenty of good deals worth searching out on Black Friday, and plenty of deals you should avoid, but these are the five reasons you should think twice specifically about buying Best Buy open box items this Black Friday and Cyber Monday.
1. Best Buy open box products aren’t repaired by the factory
Best Buy open box items are all tested and inspected to verify that they work correctly, and to assign them a condition: Excellent-Certified, Excellent, Satisfactory, or Fair. But the company’s open box items aren’t inspected or repaired by the factory or by a factory-authorized facility. A small number of open box products were returned due to a defect and repaired. It’s impossible to know whether the model you’re considering was repaired, and if so, how thoroughly it’s been tested.
However, some product categories at Best Buy are eligible to be Geek Squad certified. According to a Geek Squad document (PDF), open box products in this condition look brand-new, without physical flaws, and include the original parts, accessories, and the original box. Additionally, the product has been professionally cleaned and then repackaged to offer the closest experience to buying new. If you’re wary of Best Buy open box products but find a certified model at significant savings, that can be a good compromise and get you what you want with less risk than the typical open box device.
