Tricks to Get Expensive Tech for Cheap

Most people sleep on the best section at Best Buy which is the open-box deals. I’m telling you, it’s where the magic happens if you want brand-new tech without the brand-new price tag. We’re talking laptops, TVs, appliances, and gaming consoles. All stuff that would normally make your wallet weep. And no, it’s not junk. Here are some clever hacks to help you maximize your savings at Best Buy.

What Does “Open-Box” Even Mean?

“Open-box” items are electronics that are either customer returns, display models, or items with damaged packaging. Best Buy can’t sell them as new, so they slap a FAT discount on them and shelf them under the label “Open-Box”.

It’s important to know that Best Buy uses 3 different terms to describe the condition of this stuff.

1. Open-Box Excellent: This is the one I HIGHLY recommend you look for. “Excellent” usually means it’s basically new. Customer bought it, changed their mind, returned it, never even touched it, but because the seal’s been broken, Best Buy can’t sell it as new.

The reason I like “Excellent” is because the price difference between “Excellent” and “Good” is fairly negligible and you’re getting a product with much fewer “miles on the tires”.

2. Open-Box Good: These typically have some small cosmetic flaws but still works perfectly. Before you pull the trigger on a “Good”, be sure to inspect the item yourself if you can. You’ll want to select in-store pickup for this exact reason, more on this later.

3. Open-Box Fair: I typically try to avoid these. They’re usually missing an accessory or a little banged up. Unless you’re super handy or just don’t care that your $1,000 TV has a scratch down the side, skip this one. These often don’t have the original packaging as well.

PRO TIP: CHECK OTHER LOCATIONS

If you live in an area that has a couple Best Buy locations, get in the habit of ALWAYS checking both stores.

Best Buy pricing can be VERY weird and random, one store might have a laptop open-box for $999, another for $899. Same exact condition. It’s all inventory-based so one store might want to get rid of it quickly and they’ll price it accordingly.

How to Find These Deals (They’re Not Always Obvious)

Online

I think it’s fair to say the easiest way to find open-box deals is online.

Just go to any product page on BestBuy.com and look for the “Buying Options” box. If there’s an open-box version, it’ll show up there.

Or just search “open-box” and filter by whatever you’re looking for. There’s even a separate page with all the open-box stuff in one place.

But here’s what most people miss…the inventory is tied to your local store. So if it says nothing’s available, that usually just means your store doesn’t have any.

Change your ZIP code to the next town over, and suddenly that same TV is $300 cheaper 25 minutes away.

REAL LIFE EXAMPLE: SCORED $450 OFF A 65″ OLED

I got a GREAT email from Jess in Sacramento with some really smart things to look for when buying an open-box TV from Best Buy. I’ll let her tell ya about it in her own words.

“I recently bought an open box Samsung 75” 4k TV from Best Buy. When I asked about any deals, the employee wheels out the TV on a cart with a tragic-looking box. I asked, “Mind if we plug it in?” He said “sure”. We threw on a white screen video from YouTube to check for weird lines and dead pixels. Looked clean. I also checked the corners/bezels for bends and the back for stress cracks around the VESA holes. Stand had a cosmetic scuff, nothing terrible. Whatever.

The sticker said “missing remote” and I asked if stand screws and the panel spacers were in the bag…they weren’t. I had them write exactly what was missing on the tag and on the receipt. (If it’s missing and not documented, returns can get awkward.) I asked for another $100 off for the missing remote and hardware and the manager said “Done”. Brought it home and ordered a $16 LG replacement remote off Amazon. One of my better deals, don’t sleep on the open-box stuff.” 

Thanks Jess, great advice!

In-Store

When shopping in-store, you’ll want to look for most open-box stuff on endcaps, but don’t ignore the main aisles as they often get sprinkled in there as well.

Don’t confuse open-box items with Outlet/Clearance products that have red labels on them. Open-box item don’t have a a red label, but they do have a detailed description of its condition including appearance, parts, and included accessories.

Always ask an employee if you have any questions about the open-box product in question and they’ll let you take it out of the box (if necessary) and give it a good looksee so you can make an informed decision.

PRO TIP: PICKUP IN-PERSON

When buying open-box stuff from the Best Buy website, be sure to pickup your item in-person if at all possible, especially when buying something in the “Good” or “Fair” category.

You’ll be able to inspect it, make sure all the accessories are there, and bail if it’s not what you expected.

Let’s Talk Numbers (Because This Hack Isn’t Chump Change)

Here are real deals I’ve seen recently:

MacBook Pro 14” (M3 chip) — normally $1,599. Open-box Excellent: $1,249.

65” Samsung 4K QLED TV — new: $999. Open-box Good: $679. Because the box had a dent.

Sony WH-1000XM5 noise-canceling headphones — retail: $399. Open-box: $279. Still looked sealed.

LG – 27.1 Cu. Ft. Side-by-Side Smart Refrigerator — retail: $1,599. Open-box Excellent: $1,358. Looked brand spanking new.

Sometimes you can even apply student discounts to open-box stuff although not always, but it’s worth trying if you’ve got access to a .edu email address.

REAL LIFE EXAMPLE: MACBOOK SCENARIO

I recently got a great email from Mark in Dallas who broke down his recent open-box experience at BB. Thanks Mark, great stuff!

Here’s how it went down:

“I recently found a MacBook Air M2 with the little “Open-Box — Good” tag priced at $799. A new one sold for $999 so it peaked my curiosity. The lid did have a scratch on it but it wasn’t a deal-breaker.

I found the nearest the blue-shirt and asked, “Can we boot it up?” He plugs it in and lets me play around.

I started with About This Mac → System Report → Power and it shows 9 cycles, Condition: Normal.

I then checked out the ports and they looked unabused. The speakers sounded fine. And the trackpad clicked clean. Always CHECK these things before you make a decision!

Then I notice… there’s no charger in the box. I’m like, “Sooo no brick?”

I go, “If you can toss in the charger and cable and, y’know, maybe sweeten the price since there’s NO packaging and a scuffed lid, I’ll take this bad boy right now.”

He tells me to hang out for a minute, then comes back with a new charger and cable. While he was walking towards me he waves over a manager who knocks off another $40. Easy win.”

Learn to Negotiate an Even Better Price…

Let’s say you see an open-box item online that says it’s a $1,299 MacBook marked down to $999.

But when you check out the details, it’s classified as “Fair” condition and says something vague like “may have larger dents or scratches”.

If the item is in-store (or available for in-store pickup), you can absolutely negotiate the price down on these types of products…especially if it’s NOT labeled “Excellent Condition”. You just have to ask and be a little confident in your stance on why you should get a lower price.

Keep in mind that Best Buy wants to get rid of damaged items as they don’t want them taking up floor space in the store.

Here’s how I’ve done it:

When you find an open-box item you’re interest in ask to take it out of the box.

You’ll want to find any damage or “wear” and use that as your ammo to ask for a lower price.

At that point I like to say something like this:

“Hey, I saw this listed online as open-box fair condition, but the nick on the screen (or the wear, or the missing manual, whatever it might be) is a little more than I was hoping for. Is that the only big issue? If it is would you be able to take anything more off the price for me?”

The worst they can say is “No, sorry bud”. But I know for a fact that BB employees have the discretion to knock another 5–15% off without a manager’s approval.

This is especially true if the item’s been colleting dust for a while or they’re trying to move inventory before a new shipment comes in.

Also, if you’re buying a couple things, bundle it. As I’ve written about before, I once grabbed an open-box DVD player and asked, “If I take this and the TV today, can you do a little better on the price?” Boom! $75 more off. Just for asking.

No need to be pushy about it either, just be a normal human being and have the conversation.

Oh…And You Can Still Return Them

People always ask me, “But can I return it if it sucks?” Yep. Same return policy as regular stuff.

Usually 15 days, but 60 days if you’re a My Best Buy Total or Elite Plus member. I’ve returned open-box before. No weird looks, no drama.

And yes, you can still buy Geek Squad Protection for most open-box items. This way if you’re buying something expensive you won’t be stuck with it if it dies in a month. Just make sure the product is eligible for GS protection when checking out.

PRO TIP: SEE A DEAL? DON’T WAIT

Click fast, buy faster. Inventory changes constantly, believe me. I’ve literally had something in my cart sell out while I was looking for my wallet.

This is especially true at the beginning of the month when new stuff always gets added to the “open-box” category.

The Stuff NOT to Buy Open-Box

Some stuff is just a gamble, plain and simple.

I don’t mess with open-box personal care items (toothbrushes, razors, etc.), robot vacuums (they’ve probably already been to war), or anything with easily-damaged components like monitors that could have dead pixels.

Stick to gear that’s sturdy and easy to test: laptops, TVs, headphones, tablets, game consoles.

If it’s something with lots of accessories (cables, adapters, remote, etc.), check the listing to see what’s included so you know exactly what you’re getting.

Ask the Reader: What’s the most money you’ve saved buying open-box stuff from best Buy? Ever had any problems? Let me know.

By Kyle James

I started Rather-Be-Shopping.com in 2000 and have become a consumer expert and advocate writing about out-of-the-box ways to save at stores like Amazon, Walmart, Target and Costco to name a few. I’ve been featured on FOX News, Good Morning America, and the NY Times talking about my savings tips. (Learn more)