14 DAY TRIAL // Auction site eBay has launched a new web-store exclusively designed to market and sell refurbished Apple products, including iPads, Macs, and iPod media players.
Similar to Apple’s Special Deals section, eBay’s Refurbished Outlet sells “Apple Certified Refurbished Products,” which means that every single one of those devices comes with the same quality ensured by Apple Inc. in Cupertino, California.
Customers get full one-year warranty, a new battery (for portables like the iPad or iPod), complete burn-in testing, original OS re-installation, manuals and cables inside the shipping box, and the assurance that the final quality inspection was carried out by Apple.
It’s like buying your product brand new, only cheaper.
Speaking of which, iPad prices start at $469.00 / €367.00 for the 3rd-gen model with Retina display and 32GB of NAND Flash; 4th-gen iPod touches sell for as little as $179.00 / €140.00, also with 32GB of storage; and 13-inch MacBook Pros go for $1,149.00 / €900.00.
According to Apple, its “Certified Refurbished” products undergo a stringent refurbishment process before being re-commissioned for sale.
Each device, whether it’s an iPad or a Mac, gets fully tested, refurbished with replacement parts as needed (including a new battery), and gets returned to “like-new” condition.
The item is then given a new refurbished part number and serial number and it gets placed into a Final QA inspection prior to being re-added to stock.
The products are also repackaged (with manuals, cables, new boxes, etc.) and pre-installed with the original OS.
Customers are promised a fully-functional unit that meets Apple's premiere quality standards, complete with documentation.
Customers can also opt for an AppleCare Protection Plan for Apple Certified Refurbished Products.
Per eBay, “All Apple Certified Refurbished products are covered by Apple's One-Year Limited Warranty. For extended coverage, you have the option of purchasing an AppleCare Protection Plan…”
“AppleCare extends the complimentary coverage […] to two years from your purchase date. It can be added anytime before the limited one-year warranty expires, and can be purchased on the Apple Online Store or at an Apple Retail Store,” the company states.