I recently decided to purchase a Mac Mini to do some mobile app development, after a few years of being away from the mobile app industry. Not surprisingly, it is still costly to purchase Apple hardware. So here are a few things that I discovered while hunting for good deals on used/refurbished Apple products.
- It’s unlikely that you will find a used bargain on websites like eBay or Amazon. Most Apple products seem to retain their perceived value even after being used for a few years. With that said, there are a few exceptions and you might get lucky if you are looking for a product older than a few years that doesn’t run the latest version of OSX/iOS. If you use eBay, make sure you learn how to use an auction sniper service.
- Keep an eye on Craigslist for people that are looking to get rid of their Apple products. I have seen several offers (like this one for a MacBookAir) that seem undervalued compared to identical postings on eBay.
- Check out the Apple Refurbished store. Their inventory is quite volatile, some days a product will be available, then a few days later it will be out-of-stock. Without having to keep on constantly checking their website, use a notification service like refurb-tracker. When the items you are looking for become available, the tracking service will notify you via e-mail or text.
- If you are a student or a faculty (or *cough* *cough* if you have a .edu e-mail) you can take advantage of their student discounts.
How do you find deals on Apple products? Would love to hear suggestions in order to improve this list.