Has anyone used Overstock.com to buy refurbished goods?? Like camcorders?

[Mom of Sleepy Bashful and BabyDoc]

My friend has been researching this a little and wanted me to ask "my friends" what they have found.

She didn't tell me what brands but said that overstock runs products through 2 screenings before they can sell them. What do you think?

And what brands of camcorders have you been happy with?

Thanks all for your replies!

 

[Mom of Sleepy Bashful and BabyDoc]

bump

 

[weregoingtodw]

I haven't bought refurbished goods, but would strongly encourage you to read their return policy prior to shopping with them.

 

[arminnie]

I've bought refurbished products many times. It's generally a very good way to get a product at a good price. My sister has also done this several times.

My "new" computer is a refurbished Dell and I am very pleased with the computer - especially the price. I've bought telephones, kitchen appliances, cameras, etc.

I recently bought a Cuisinart coffee grinder brewer combo from Overstock.com. I had problems with it. The return policy was great. I sent an email to them and was sent a return prepaid label. It was quite painless. They did have a pretty short window for returns though, and they are very strict with it.

 

[Goofy4]

I've gone "refurb" on many purchases lately (NewEgg, RefurbElectronics, Overstock). Sometimes the packaging is original and looks unopened. Other times... My experiences were good enough to buy an expensive refurb TV 2 weeks ago.

The suggestion to pay close attention to the return policy is a good one. Also consider the manufacturer. Newegg.com has a blurb saying something to the effect that they don't test refurb items -- it's all up to the manufacturer. I'm not sure how much "screening" Overstock could do.

I think you're fairly safe with Overstock. Some vendors are much more "friendly" than others about returns. Overstock probably handles hundreds of returns a month, so it just part of their normal business routine. Some vendors will even tell you what their return rate is on a specific item.

My TV purchase was a risk... I understood that that most any return would be handled by the manufacturer, not the seller. I bought and extended warranty for added comfort (this time). So far, no problems, but I can't recommend such a big (size/weight) purchase for everyone. A camcorder... Depends on how sweet the deal is and how I feel about a scratch or other small cosmetic issue (they're usually not covered). Our Sony has been going strong for many years now.

 

[cowtownmom]

We bought 2 DVD/VCR players from Overstock.com last fall and they have both been great.