Maybe you got socks and underwear for Christmas but not that iPhone you had your eyes on. Perhaps you’re a victim of the iPhone Battery Gate and your old iPhone is as slow as walking with your grandmother after her hip operation. Or maybe after dropping it for the umpteenth time, it now looks like it has done 12 rounds with Mike Tyson? Maybe your cherished Apple device is just getting on in life and should really be consigned to a museum by now.
Unless you want to sign yourself up to a long contract with a network for an iPhone (and still shell out large sums of cash) you’re fairly stuck. That’s because as you no doubt already know, Apple products in the Apple store or in stores are kinda scary price wise and you’ll need deep pockets or very generous parents/partners/friendly Lotto winners.
The good news is that there are cheaper options to getting your hands on a new Apple iPhone, iPad or Laptop. So, sit back, relax and below is some advice on how to get the best deals on Apple products.
Recycle/Renew or Sell your old Apple product for Cash
If you already have an Apple product that you don’t need anymore or want to upgrade, you can either receive either cash or an Apple gift card in return for it taking it on a trip to the recycle motel. All you have to do is enter in the serial number, answer some brief questions about the current state of your device and you will either be offered a Gift card or a cash figure for your device.
Be prepared to be a little disappointed with the price offered. My old MacBook Air purchased for €1,100 in early 2014 is now only worth €256 recycled. Ouch. However, once you pick yourself up from the floor, then every little helps I guess and this is also probably a more profitable way to make some cash than the likes of CEX.
The alternative is to sell your old device privately on a private buyer/seller website like DoneDeal or Adverts where you will likely receive a much better return.
Apple Certified Refurbished Macs, iPads and iPhones
Apple offer refurbished products in their online store which are generally offered at a discount varying between 15-20%. These are either previously owned devices or devices which failed a post-manufacturing test. They’ve all been through Apple’s refurbishment process i.e. cleaned, fully tested, non-working parts replaced and come with a one year warranty. If you do have any doubts, maybe consider Apple Care which gives you limited protection past that one year warranty.
Check back regularly on the site as Apple adds new refurbished products frequently. If you don’t find the particular model and price point you are looking for, then you may be lucky the next time.
The cheapest Laptop listed as of early January 2018 is a 12” MacBook at €1,129. This includes 8GB memory and a 256GB SSD. This represents a 20% saving over the new model.
It’s worth checking out eBay, Carphone Warehouse and Amazon.co.uk who offer manufacturer refurbished iPhones, iPads and Macs. Make sure you choose manufacturer certified refurbished devices to ensure they are Apple refurbished rather than seller refurbished. If a seller only offers delivery to a UK address, you can use Parcel Motel to deliver to a virtual UK Address before shipping onto your Irish home address. Also, don’t forget to consider the impact of Sterling’s value versus Euro.
Online Auction Sites.
eBay offer some great deals for Apple Products through their auction sites. Check back regularly and have a good idea what price you should be paying like checking Apple or various stores such as Harvey Norman, PCWorld etc. Place your bid and be patient and do not be tempted to bid higher than the item is worth just to ensure you win the auction. Remember, you’re hunting for a bargain.
You may be need to partake in numerous auctions before landing the deal you want. Good luck!
High Street Store Sales/Promotion Events.
Check stores such as Harvey Norman, PC World/Currys, Power City regularly for weekend or mid week flash sales. There are New Year sales on at the moment and there are some big discounts available if your quick. Just be aware that Apple rarely allows discounts in retail but you can always chance your arm. There’s no harm in asking is there?
