The most conventional way to get one of the best MacBooks or PCs for college is to use Apple’s education or Microsoft‘s website. This houses various deals for students on devices like Surface, Macs and iPads, and Apple often throws in free extras when you buy through this store.

The caveat is that the deals you’ll find there aren’t always the best. Most Macs only come with $100 off – the MacBook Air is priced at $899 through Apple’s education storefront, as opposed to its regular $999 price, for example. A 10% discount is fine, but not substantial enough for some. That’s where buying refurbished comes in. Microsoft offers Up to $500 cash back with trade-in but it ends on September 30.

Buying refurbished electronics online can save money and reduce environmental impact but it’s important to know how to shop safely. Not all refurbished devices are created equal, and finding a trusted seller is key to getting high-quality tech at a great price.

In this guide, we’ll walk you through what you need to know to safely buy refurbished electronics online—so you can score reliable, affordable devices without the risk.

What IT Do put together a guide on buying refurbished goods. We’ll explain the differences between terms like refurbished, renewed, and recertified, and offer recommendations of the best places to buy refurbed goods and look brand new – but are significantly cheaper.

There is no legal definition for some of these terms, so different manufacturers might have different standards for what is truly ‘ready’ for resale. Arm yourself with knowledge of the below terms before buying refurbished tech.

• Refurbished – This is where returned goods are repaired by the manufacturer, verified to be in good working order and without defects, then made available for sale at discounted prices. Apple Certified Refurbished is an example, selling Apple gadgets that have been repaired but may have signs of superficial wear.
• Recertified – In almost all cases, recertified is used interchangeably with ‘refurbished’, and thus means the same thing.
• Renewed – This is where returned goods are inspected and tested to both work and look ‘like new’. Amazon Renewed is an example, offering a wide range of pre-owned goods.
• Open box – This is where products have been opened but remain largely unused, returned to the manufacturer for trivial reasons like it being an unwanted gift, the wrong color, or in some cases a store floor-model. The manufacturer performs a full diagnostic test to verify that its working and it goes up for resale.
• Like new – This describes when a product has been refurbished to a standard where it’s nearly impossible to tell the difference between the refurbished good and a brand-new version. Like new products should not only be in perfect working order but also have no signs of cosmetic wear and come with all the accessories packaged in the original product.
• As is – This is when goods are sold in a state described on the product listing and imagery, and implies there will be no warranty, guarantee, or buyer protection. It removes the seller’s liability in the case of a defect, so avoid at all costs.

Now that the terms are defined. Let’s find a suitable outlet for this endeavor.

Apple Refurbished

Apple Certified Refurbished offers products which include a one‑year warranty. The products are fully functional offer significant savings when you give an Apple device new life. You can even trade in your eligible device for credit. Visit Apple.com to shop and save.

Best Buy Outlet stores and Best Buy Outlet online

When you visit a Best Buy Outlet store, you can count on finding up to 50% savings on high-quality, brand-name electronics, TVs, appliances, computers and accessories, and more

Best Buy brick-and-mortar Outlet stores offer open-box and clearance items, while the Best Buy online Outlet offers four categories of products: clearance, open-box, refurbished and pre-owned. Here is an explanation of each category. Visit Bestbuy Outlet.

In-store and online:

Best Buy clearance: Brand-new, factory-sealed items that are end of stock or discontinued by the manufacturer.

Best Buy open-box: Items returned by customers or used as in-store displays that have been tested or inspected to verify proper working order and physical appearance, and assigned a condition: Excellent-Certified, Excellent, Satisfactory or Fair.

Ebay Refurbished

eBay Refurbished is your accomplice in stretching your budget. eBay offers the best value on the biggest selection of refurbished products from exceptional sellers with warranties as good as or superior to what’s offered on brand-new products.Because everyone should be empowered to get the exact products they want in the right condition at the right price so their dollars go further. Ebay offers an industry-leading warranty and 30 day returns in every purchase.

Recommended Ebay Refurbished

Certified Refurbished: The item is in pristine, like-new condition, backed by a two-year warranty. It has been professionally inspected, cleaned, and refurbished by the manufacturer or a manufacturer-approved vendor to meet manufacturer specifications. The item will be in new packaging with original or new accessories.

Excellent Refurbished: The item is in like-new condition, backed by a one year warranty. It has been professionally refurbished, inspected and cleaned to excellent condition by qualified sellers. The item includes original or new accessories and will come in new generic packaging. Visit Ebay.com for more on this program.

Favorite Ebay Tech Resellers 💙

PCs for People

Since 1998, PCs for People has been a driving force behind digital inclusion efforts in across the US. We are a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, our mission – Through electronic reuse PCs for People provides the opportunity for low-income individuals and nonprofits to benefit from the life changing impact of computers and mobile internet. They also offer discounted repair services. The organization has been in operation for 17 years and has multiple locations across the United States. Visit PCs for People.

Guarantee Cellular

Guarantee Cellular is an eBay seller known for selling a variety of electronic products, including computers, cell phones, smartwatches, and accessories. They have been active on eBay since 2000. They have a customer ratings of 4.9 out of 5, 99% positive feedback from over 100,000 shoppers and 4,323 reviews. Visit guaranteecellular.

Byte Depot

The Byte Depot is a computer and electronic parts business in the City of Industry, California, specializing in server & server parts, workstation computers, all-in-one desktops, motherboards, memory, graphics card, network card, sound card, routers, and AC adapters. Byte Depot is known for being a reputable seller on eBay, consistently delivering excellent service and receiving positive feedback from customers.Visit Bytedepot.

SIC/NAICS CODES FOR ELECTRONICS RESELLERS

SIC Codes

5734-015 – Used & Refurbished Computer Retail Stores

5093-046 – Electronics Recycling Wholesale

5734-011 – Computer Components, Parts, & Supplies Retail Stores

5961-051 – Electronics & Computers Internet Retailers 

7378-010 – E-Waste Electronic Recycling 

NAICS Codes

5932010 – Used Computers & Accessories Stores

423930 – Recyclable Material Merchant Wholesalers

449210 – Electronics and Appliance Retailers 

811210 – Electronic and Precision Equipment Repair and Maintenance