Comments on: Best Buy Selling Refurbished iPhone 3G’s

By: Louis

Louis — Mon, 23 Mar 2009 23:28:20 +0000

The 8GB refurb is selling for $99 on the ATT site. A $100 off! Is this a good deal? What are people experience with the refurb? It would be good if it is 1 year warranty like Amy said instead of the 90 days.

By: Amy

Amy — Tue, 03 Mar 2009 20:07:05 +0000

FYI- I received my refurb iphone from AT&T last week. It appears to be new- no scratches or marks of any kind. Also, and more importantly, there was a label affixed to the box that states “Refurbished iPhones have a full 1 year warranty.” The att website lists “90 days or more”, but the label on the box states 1 full year- I have no idea if this applies to all refurbs or not.

By: Stoopid

Stoopid — Thu, 19 Feb 2009 04:09:03 +0000

Wow, Bob, I’d like to meet a person as smart as you someday. I’ve been searching for a long time to have a deep discussion about Cydia.

By: bob

bob — Tue, 17 Feb 2009 20:39:41 +0000

The genius bar? Please… that’s one place where you can easily waste an entire afternoon in hope to talk to one of the bozo on duty! The guys working at the Apple store knew less than I did about the Iphone,especially if you start talking about Installer or Cydia!!!! Losers!

By: Mobile Phil

Mobile Phil — Thu, 15 Jan 2009 16:01:59 +0000

As an employee of Best Buy Mobile, I can validate what Steve posted. Most poeple who return Iphones do so with in the first 30 day and usually have reasons such as “didn’t like the touch screen” or “too much phone for me” or “not what I was thinking”. Apple does working professionals a dis-service by pitching the Ipone as a “business phone”. It is much more a personal entertainment device. My wife has an Iphone and loves it. I have a Blackberry and love it. But we use them for completely oposite functions.

By: icebike

icebike — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 22:45:04 +0000

@Steve: "The majority of people who are returning iPhones are those who don’t like the touch keyboard "

Based on what evidence?

Have you ever waited for an appointment at the Genius Bar? Phone after phone after phone replaced. All day long, every day they are open. They are being returned for defects, or because they bricked.

But that argument aside, it doesn't matter where the refurbs are coming from, Apple had to surrender the money or a new phone to acquire the old one, and they had to do so in quantities sufficient to feed three high volume retailers at a 99 dollar price point.

By: Scott

Scott — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 21:04:37 +0000

Only 50.00 off for a used phone. No thanks

By: Turley Muller

Turley Muller — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 20:25:19 +0000

You lost me. You save $50 for a used device with 30 day warranty, when the quoted text says at least 90 day warranty.

By: Steve

Steve — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 18:25:07 +0000

The majority of people who are returning iPhones are those who don't like the touch keyboard within 30 days. I've had zero problems or bugs with my iPhone, other than glitchy AT&T service.

Best mobile phone ever!

By: icebike

icebike — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 18:17:34 +0000

This makes three. TheRegister is reporting Walmart is also selling refurbs.

What does this say?

Apple is taking it in the shorts on warranty issues. Further, they have way more refurbs than anyone ever imagined, and they don't trust them enough to put them out into their own supply line at the Genius Bar.

Apple has stood behind this product very well. I know many people who have multiple replacement phones, and of those we've compared, all are new (very recent week numbers).

But just because Apple stepped up to the plate does not mean this is a good thing. Its a disaster in waiting for the bottom line, and a class action lawsuit lurking in the wings waiting for end of warranty for early adopters.

This is the most troublesome phone ever sold and Apple is not publishing return/warranty figures. If it were 2 or 3% they would be crowing about it.

If there are enough refurbs to sell at three different high volume outlets, you do the math.