Buying "Open Box" Products

Chet

Chet

Well-known Member
Location
PA, USA
People will buy a product only to find out that they don't like it or think it doesn't work so they return it. The retailer is then stuck with what to do with it. They will check it out to see if it's still good (hopefully) and try to re-sell it as open box for a reduced price.

I bought a broadcast TV recorder like that for half off. It wasn't that expensive so I took a chance and it worked fine. The instructions weren't very complete, so the original buyer probably didn't want to figure it out and took it back.

Now I have found an outlet that sells nothing but open box. I'm eyeing riding mowers that are many hundreds off from retail, but we're talking of spending over $1000 to take a chance, so I'm torn. Take a chance and luck out or get screwed?

Any experience with open box folks?
 

I've never heard of that term.. but I do know some companies who sell returned goods for lower than the original price ( refurbished.. as well).. Amaazon being one.. but there have been complaint which kinda proves they don't always check returns.. when people have found an item.. say a toaster.. which has still got breadcrumbs in it....or.. the item in the box is clearly not the same item which is advertised on the front of the box... .
 
Just last week I was in one of these stores for returned or overstocked items. There was a huge jar of peanut butter that was missing the lid and the label was ripped; at least the tin foil wrapping was still on it. Same price as in the grocery store. This place is popular. There’s usually not enough of a savings to make me want to buy anything there.
 

Jules said:
Just last week I was in one of these stores for returned or overstocked items. There was a huge jar of peanut butter that was missing the lid and the label was ripped; at least the tin foil wrapping was still on it. Same price as in the grocery store. This place is popular. There’s usually not enough of a savings to make me want to buy anything there.
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I wish we had those stores here,,
 
I've taken opened/damaged boxes of food from the senior give-away table that were donated by grocery stores, as long as the inner bag wasn't opened if there was one. Otherwise - no, and I never had a problem.
 
We have a fairly new place called 'Treasure Hunt'. It is returned goods from Amazon mostly. I went once but had no desire to hunt.
It seems to be busy all the time so people like it, I guess.
Everything is in bins. They have a set price on certain days. Like, say, Tuesday all bin items are $4.
My neighbor likes it and she's found some good deals.
They have a station where they will open an unmarked box for you.
 
Chet said:
Any experience with open box folks?
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On Amazon I always check to see if the thing I am buying is available at a lower price. They usually call it used, but most of the time it's just open box. Sometimes the price is less than half, sometimes its not much if any lower. I think the prices have been going up as more and more people are buying. I've never had a problem. Sometimes there are a few missing parts, Amazon always makes good on it.
Chet said:
Now I have found an outlet that sells nothing but open box.
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Interesting, what's the name of it.
 
Nah, I'm not for the open box thing. I'm OK with saving money, but do you really want to take a chance the thing was returned, because it didn't work. IF an open box store allowed returns, do you want to go through the time and hassle of filling out form #12A09- all 4 pages of it, returning it with copies of receipts and credit card payments, taking things back, etc.. Or do you want to pay the big bucks and not have the hassles?
 

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