Ebay Cheap MacBooks UK (USA too?)

and the limit is?

For computers it's...
1 Desktop
1 Mini
1 Laptop
Per school year.

Jim

PowerBook G3 500 Mhz "Pismo" (Wonna buy it so I can get a MacBook?) Mac OS X (10.4.6)

Yes, but that limit isn't enforced. Scammers/anybody can easily buy as many as they want with the discount.

-Matt

Also remember if you buy a MacBook in the US and
import it into the UK, you will need to pay VAT and
customs duties on it which can wipe out any saving
you make.

This wasn't my experience. My boss purchased a MacBook Pro while in the U.S. and he didn't have to pay any VAT or customs duties on the way back.

This wasn't my experience. My boss purchased a
MacBook Pro while in the U.S. and he didn't have to
pay any VAT or customs duties on the way back.

Did he declare his purchase to customs?

However the topic in question is purchasing from eBay and not buying in person.

If you buy from a US seller off eBay and they send you the MacBook via the post they have to declare how much the item is worth and customs will accordingly charge you duty.

Could you provide links to the auctions in question.

The UK one you mentioned above was not a real bargain as such.

Some people will take a hit and sell off their MacBooks cheaper than they paid for them.

That one is very likely legit, but the price is hardly 75% of the list price (25% saving), just a 10% saving off the list price.

Though in theory you are covered by UK sales legislation if the seller is a business, however if the seller is a private seller you won't be. This could be problematic if the Macbook does not work.

...and you asked the buyer and got that information, or did you just make it up?

I e-mailed the seller and asked if they would accept £1275, they said no. I then asked if they would accept £1400 and they said no, it was £1499 and no haggling.

You asked "There are some extraordinarily cheap new Macbooks for sale on Ebay - are these legit? How come they are 75% or so cheaper than the Apple store?"

The overwhelming response has been if it is too good to be true it probably is, most of the MacBooks I have seen on eBay are scams, and even ones where they're probably not, the fact that the seller is willing to install pirated software would make me wonder if the product was genuine!

Where it looks likely it isn't then from what I have seen you can make a 10% saving, I have seen no evidence of 75% of list price except for the odd model here and there, but these have been used models and not new sealed ones.

No one here really knows which eBay auctions are legit, slightly dodgy or outright scams as they are Apple users like yourself.

You must be concerned otherwise I don't think you would have come here and asked your question.

You need to make that choice yourself.

Personally speaking I would not buy something like a MacBook Pro over eBay as the savings gained are not worth the risk of losing all my money and £1500 is a lot of money.

From your responses you would like to get a cheaper MacBook, the reality is just get a lower spec model from a reputable supplier, you will save money and have fewer if any worries.

If it is too good to be true it probably is.

Hi bobbyblue,

Every time that there has been a new Mac notebook release for as long as I can remember there have been associated internet scams in which people have done their dough trying to buy something for crazy prices. It happened with Pismos, it happen with the Titaniums, it happened with the Alu's.

These computers are still hard to buy retail in many places - with stocks running out soon after new deliveries arrive. Sure a few people may buy them and decide that its not for them but they aren't going to sell for much less than 10% off the retail price at the present time.

My advice would be to avoid ALL eBay sales of these computers until availability settles down, especially anything that looks "too good to be true", given the regular cons that have surfaced with new release Macs in the past.

Cheers

Rod

I might also add that the cynic in me starts wondering whether someone is simply trying to promote their own sales when the only valid links they provide examples of are to two computers, at prices that are far from exceptional, from the one UK dealer.

Still, I'm sure the poster would have read the terms and conditions here and have understood that if they provide links to something which they may benefit from financially that they have to declare such an interest. 😉

Cheers

Rod