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My father-in-law wants an iPod and we're thinking about getting him one for Father's Day. My question is this... how are these refurbished iPods? Are they good enough to give as a gift or am I going to have to shell out the money for a new one? I guess the main thing I want to know is if they stamp "refurbished" on the side of these things or if they actually do look new and are packaged like new.

EDIT: One more thing, it doesn't look like the refurbished iPods sold through Buy.com are covered by the same 1-year warranty that Apple gives if you buy directly from them. Anyone have experience with these that mind sharing their thoughts? Thanks.

Refurb iPods look just like brand new iPods. I've got a 4-gig 2nd gen refurb. It came in different packaging (a cardboard box instead of the clear, hard plastic) which, I believe, had a sticker that said "refurbished".

As for functionality, I have noticed no difference between mine and a new one.

No idea about Buy.com's lack of warranty. Sry.

These are not refurbished by Apple. They are returns packed with generic accessories. Some have scratches, some do not.

Stay away!

Apple refurbished (from the apple store) gives you a new screen, new case, new battery & new accessories.

EDIT:
Apple store still has 149$ free shipping (+tax for some states) for the 8GB versions....

Thanks for the feedback guys. I was debating whether to buy from Buy.com and save a little and save on tax or directly from Apple. I guess I will be buying directly from Apple if we end up buying the iPod.

#4, I would highly recommend paying a little bit more, and getting something with a 1 year warranty, and you know will have mostly new parts. I bought 2 refurbished 1GB shuffles from the Apple store, and they had new cables, headphones, aluminum case, etc....and a 1 year warranty from Apple.

Read the reviews of the 4GB Nano on Buy.com and it's hit or miss:
http://www.buy.com/prod/apple-3rd-gen-ipod-nano-silver-4gb-model-ma978ll-a-recertified/q/loc/111/207471094.html#cRevSec

"Overall I'm somewhat satisfied with this purchase. The Nano works great - just as it should. My only gripe is my Nano came to me with a good sized dent and a chunk missing from the top. The damaged area catches on clothing and it can be a pain in the butt. Again this is cosmetic damage only, as the unit works flawlessly. Just keep in mind "reconditioned" doesn't necessarily mean perfect"

"I guess I am the unlucky one who didn't get a "like new" refurb. The refurb I received has two dings on the back, plus some minor scratches on the screen, and some ridges along the edges. Screen is angled slightly downward to the right. Otherwise, it seems to work fine."

Yeah, mine came direct from Apple who refurb'd it. I wouldn't trust Buy.com to refurb a turd.

DO NOT trust Buy.com for refurbs. Mine came with a scratched screen and third party cords. On the other hand, every refurb I've ever got from Apple has been mint. And Apple gives 6x the warranty.