Apple Raised the Price on Refurbished 2011 iMac

[wsympson]

Looks like all of them except for the base model 21.5" iMac just went up $60 from a day ago. Does this mean all the refurbs they are shipping out now are new 2011 stock that they are clearing out for the new models? Or is the supply just getting low so they are upping the price?

 

[pigoo3]

Looks like all of them except for the base model 21.5" iMac just went up $60 from a day ago. Does this mean all the refurbs they are shipping out now are new 2011 stock that they are clearing out for the new models? Or is the supply just getting low so they are upping the price?

Be very very careful when coming to this conclusion. You have to doubly make sure the iMac's you are comparing are EXACTLY the same configuration. Sometimes the iMac's Apple offers in the refurbished section can be slightly different in configuration:

- different graphics hardware
- more ram
- bigger hard drive
- slightly faster cpu
- etc.

I don't think that I can ever remember Apple increasing the price on a refurbished computer (same exact configuration). Usually once the price is set…it's set. But I guess there can always be a first time.

Nick

 

[wsympson]

Be very very careful when coming to this conclusion. You have to doubly make sure the iMac's you are comparing are EXACTLY the same configuration. Sometimes the iMac's Apple offers in the refurbished section can be slightly different in configuration:

- different graphics hardware
- more ram
- bigger hard drive
- slightly faster cpu
- etc.

I don't think that I can ever remember Apple increasing the price on a refurbished computer (same exact configuration). Usually once the price is set…it's set. But I guess there can always be a first time.

Nick

The mid-tier 21.5" selling for $1249 looks like the identical specs as a the one selling for $1189 a day ago. Same processor, same memory, same storage, same graphics card. I found it odd as well. That's why I'm wondering if these are all new machines they are selling as refurbished. My second thought was that demand for the 2011's increased after a number of Apple customers felt the 2011 was a better value model than the 2012 (after it was unveiled). Even at $1249 it's still a $250 price break on the the price of a new 2011 model.

 

[pigoo3]

The mid-tier 21.5" selling for $1249 looks like the identical specs as a the one selling for $1189 a day ago. Same processor, same memory, same storage, same graphics card. I found it odd as well. That's why I'm wondering if these are all new machines they are selling as refurbished. My second thought was that demand for the 2011's increased after a number of Apple customers felt the 2011 was a better value model than the 2012 (after it was unveiled). Even at $1249 it's still a $250 price break on the the price of a new 2011 model.

Usually when the price is set it's set. I can use a recent example of when Apple discontinued the 17" MacBook Pro's over the Summer. Whether the demand for 2011 17" MacBook Pro's was up or down (due to them being discontinued)…the price for them in the Apple refurbished section is still the same 4-5 months later.

iMac's have far less reason for there to be any price changes due to demand (up or down). The iMac line is not being discontinued…just no optical drive with the new models.

But I haven't been watching refurbished iMac prices as closely as you…so I'm sure you have a much better idea of what's going on. I'm just saying that it's very unusual for Apple to adjust the prices of refurbished computers…and if they did…the price would go down…not up.

- Nick

 

[chscag]

Yesterday afternoon I was in the Navy Exchange at the naval base in Fort Worth and they still had both the 2011 21.5" and 27" iMac models in stock. No price change on either models regardless of the way they were configured.

I agree with Nick, it doesn't make sense that Apple would raise the price on 2011 refurbished models. However, I do agree that what stock remains is going fast. If you see one, whether new or refurbished, buy it now.

 

[CanuckBoater]

I was looking at these yesterday (for optical drive) and wish I made a note of the prices.

Not that it would help - the price today is the price today.

 

[cwa107]

I'd bet money that demand has surged, following the release of the thin (but somewhat crippled) 2012 models.