ELK GROVE, Calif. — Northern California is now fully in back-to-school season and that means spending a lot on school supplies.
Supply lists can include a lot of pricey technology and previously owned tech is one way to save money this school year. There are, however, some things to watch out for so the good deal doesn’t turn sour.
“The #1 thing we want people to know is you don't need to go out and buy a new $1,200 tablet or MacBook in order to get your kid back to middle, high school, or even college,” said Charles Bergman, a repair technician at uBreakiFix by Asurion in Elk Grove.
Used electronics can be great for a back-to-school budget but there are a few terms to know before running to Google to find a deal.
There’s a big difference between refurbished and used. Refurbished means an item was used then cleaned up, repaired or renewed by the store or manufacturer. On the other hand, used means it’s being sold as-is.
The savings can really add up. One major example of a refurbished product is Apple’s MacBook Air (M1, 2020). It retails brand new from Apple for $999 but can be bought refurbished from Apple for $849.
“Do not disregard those predecessors because the updates are just very incremental, whether that's performance or battery life,” said Brenda Stolyar, a product writer and reviewer for WIRED.
And look at the reviews, too.
“Sometimes those previous models have some issues and then they're fixed in the next-gen version,” said Stolyar.
Another option is refurbishing old technology you already own.
“You can come in, take your older laptops that you have lying around the house that you might not be using because they've been slowed down over time and have us refresh those [to] get those back up to speed,” said Bergman.
He says there’s hope even if it’s a device you think stopped working.
“The #1 thing that I see a lot of the time is tablets. When they come in, they think that their charger port is broken, but in reality, they just need to get a cleaning done. The amount of nastiness that gets pulled out of the charging ports from tablets, cell phone devices, even desktop and laptop computers, is phenomenal,” said Bergman.
Whether you’re buying refurbished or used electronics, here are the top things to keep in mind.
- They may not have the original box. Stolyar says to double-check and make sure you’re getting the proper accessories in the box.
- Don’t forget to double-check the warranty. Stolyar says 30-90 days is ideal but suggests a one-year warranty for students so it covers the entire school year.
- Find out about the return policy.
The uBreakiFix store in Elk Grove is planning a back-to-school backpack drive. They’ll be giving away 100 backpacks full of supplies and tech swag Saturday, Aug. 12.
All you have to do to reserve a free backpack is email them at elkgrove@ubreakifix.com.
