Is Microsoft selling Refurbished consoles as new?

I bought a new console today at Best Buy, since mine broke and was out of warranty.

When I got home I looked at the manufacture date on the back and it said August 2006. Nearly a year ago it was made.

Not only that the Microsoft seal under the faceplate looks like it was taken off and put back on.

The box the console came in was brand new and sealed. The console and accessories look brand new.

The only problem is its almost one year old. Which means its been sitting in Microsoft's warehouse for over 8 months collectin dust before getting sent to the retailer.

I'm pretty upset because when I buy electronics I expect them to be brand new. Not nearly 10 months old.

What the **** is Microsoft doing?

most likely sitting in best buy's warehouse. I got an elite 2 weeks ago, and the manufacture date was may/ 1/ 07. everything was seald like new, but the disc tray tape had been taken off and put back on. It also had smuges on it like someone  had been playing with it. This system also was DOA, busted the same day I got it. I took it back got a new 1, with the manufacture date april/ 4 /07.

I would bet some stores sell refurbished as new, or returned systems that still work as new. I got my elite from game stop.

I bought my second Xbox 360 today from WalMart.  It came with two pack-in games which were actually in a plastic sleeve and taped onto the exterior of the 360 (when they should normally be inside the box).  Also, the included games were full retail copies, wheras they would normally have "Not For Resale" displayed on them so you couldn't re-sell.

Finally when I got home I looked at the manufacturer's date and it was March of last year.  The particular WalMart I bought it from opened in February of this year. 

Where do you check what date it was manufacture?trophylocoste

Yeah all this talk of refurbished 360s being sold as new ones is making me nervous lol. 

Microsoft shipped a lot of consoles out last year so they could meet their shipped target. This means that there are a lot of consoles that just sit in the back rooms and warehouses of stores. They are not used or refurbished. Next time you need a 360, lift the fllap and check the manufacture date before you buy.BioShockOwnz

Stores do not keep hundreds of 360s just sitting in the back. I don't know where you get your information but its completely WRONG.

I work at Best Buy and we get shipments of 360s usually once a week. Brand new 360s that come off the Best Buy truck are dated back in August.

Best Buy is not stocking excess 360s from last year. As far as the inventory for the store is concerned, we usually have about 30 or so 360s in stock.

[QUOTE="BioShockOwnz"]Microsoft shipped a lot of consoles out last year so they could meet their shipped target. This means that there are a lot of consoles that just sit in the back rooms and warehouses of stores. They are not used or refurbished. Next time you need a 360, lift the fllap and check the manufacture date before you buy.JohnWinger

Stores do not keep hundreds of 360s just sitting in the back. I don't know where you get your information but its completely WRONG.

I work at Best Buy and we get shipments of 360s usually once a week. Brand new 360s that come off the Best Buy truck are dated back in August.

Best Buy is not stocking excess 360s from last year. As far as the inventory for the store is concerned, we usually have about 30 or so 360s in stock.

Hmmm, you're wrong. I work at Best Buy, and we do have 360's stacked in the stock room, and we have 2 out on the shelf at all times.

Your store keeps 30 consoles out on the store floor at one time? :| We don't do that at my store. Also, 30 is a lot of consoles for a store to have at one time.

[QUOTE="JohnWinger"]

[QUOTE="BioShockOwnz"]Microsoft shipped a lot of consoles out last year so they could meet their shipped target. This means that there are a lot of consoles that just sit in the back rooms and warehouses of stores. They are not used or refurbished. Next time you need a 360, lift the fllap and check the manufacture date before you buy.BioShockOwnz

Stores do not keep hundreds of 360s just sitting in the back. I don't know where you get your information but its completely WRONG.

I work at Best Buy and we get shipments of 360s usually once a week. Brand new 360s that come off the Best Buy truck are dated back in August.

Best Buy is not stocking excess 360s from last year. As far as the inventory for the store is concerned, we usually have about 30 or so 360s in stock.

Hmmm, you're wrong. I work at Best Buy, and we do have 360's stacked in the stock room, and we have 2 out on the shelf at all times.

Your store keeps 30 consoles out on the store sloor at one time? :| We don't do that at my store. Also, 30 is a lot of consoles for a store to have at one time.

WTF are you talking about? The only consoles Media leaves in the warehouse are PSPs and some PS3s. The PS3s are kept at customer service as well as Wii consoles when they come in. Excess PS3s are stored in the back.

360s are always put out on the floor. There is hardly no room in the media side of the warehouse to stock excess amounts of consoles.

Every store has to follow planograms. No store is different.

[QUOTE="BioShockOwnz"]Microsoft shipped a lot of consoles out last year so they could meet their shipped target. This means that there are a lot of consoles that just sit in the back rooms and warehouses of stores. They are not used or refurbished. Next time you need a 360, lift the fllap and check the manufacture date before you buy.JohnWinger

Stores do not keep hundreds of 360s just sitting in the back. I don't know where you get your information but its completely WRONG.

I work at Best Buy and we get shipments of 360s usually once a week. Brand new 360s that come off the Best Buy truck are dated back in August.

Best Buy is not stocking excess 360s from last year. As far as the inventory for the store is concerned, we usually have about 30 or so 360s in stock.

...? I used to work in Logistics & If demand does'nt allow them to stock the shelves they backstock it or ship it to other stores that need the supply. They also have a thing called transition where they get items months before it releases and they are labeled with a "streetdate". If retailers have something that sales quickly, given demand they are ordered ahead of time and backstocked untill needed so that they stay on schedule w/no rotation issues. (We got Holloween candy in July, Christmas decor, items & candy in August). So yeah, its more than likely your 360 has been sitting in a warehouse for quite some time, so dont panic, its normal.

[QUOTE="BioShockOwnz"][QUOTE="JohnWinger"]

[QUOTE="BioShockOwnz"]Microsoft shipped a lot of consoles out last year so they could meet their shipped target. This means that there are a lot of consoles that just sit in the back rooms and warehouses of stores. They are not used or refurbished. Next time you need a 360, lift the fllap and check the manufacture date before you buy.JohnWinger

Stores do not keep hundreds of 360s just sitting in the back. I don't know where you get your information but its completely WRONG.

I work at Best Buy and we get shipments of 360s usually once a week. Brand new 360s that come off the Best Buy truck are dated back in August.

Best Buy is not stocking excess 360s from last year. As far as the inventory for the store is concerned, we usually have about 30 or so 360s in stock.

Hmmm, you're wrong. I work at Best Buy, and we do have 360's stacked in the stock room, and we have 2 out on the shelf at all times.

Your store keeps 30 consoles out on the store sloor at one time? :| We don't do that at my store. Also, 30 is a lot of consoles for a store to have at one time.

WTF are you talking about? The only consoles Media leaves in the warehouse are PSPs and some PS3s. The PS3s are kept at customer service as well as Wii consoles when they come in. Excess PS3s are stored in the back.

360s are always put out on the floor. There is hardly no room in the media side of the warehouse to stock excess amounts of consoles.

Exactly, that also happens when you see mountains of a certain product with a giant sign at the top that says "sale." That means they have run out of room at the back & that the product is not selling. (Overstock)

[QUOTE="JohnWinger"][QUOTE="BioShockOwnz"][QUOTE="JohnWinger"]

[QUOTE="BioShockOwnz"]Microsoft shipped a lot of consoles out last year so they could meet their shipped target. This means that there are a lot of consoles that just sit in the back rooms and warehouses of stores. They are not used or refurbished. Next time you need a 360, lift the fllap and check the manufacture date before you buy.Pro_wrestler

Stores do not keep hundreds of 360s just sitting in the back. I don't know where you get your information but its completely WRONG.

I work at Best Buy and we get shipments of 360s usually once a week. Brand new 360s that come off the Best Buy truck are dated back in August.

Best Buy is not stocking excess 360s from last year. As far as the inventory for the store is concerned, we usually have about 30 or so 360s in stock.

Hmmm, you're wrong. I work at Best Buy, and we do have 360's stacked in the stock room, and we have 2 out on the shelf at all times.

Your store keeps 30 consoles out on the store sloor at one time? :| We don't do that at my store. Also, 30 is a lot of consoles for a store to have at one time.

WTF are you talking about? The only consoles Media leaves in the warehouse are PSPs and some PS3s. The PS3s are kept at customer service as well as Wii consoles when they come in. Excess PS3s are stored in the back.

360s are always put out on the floor. There is hardly no room in the media side of the warehouse to stock excess amounts of consoles.

Exactly, that also happens when you see mountains of a certain product with a giant sign at the top that says "sale." That means they have run out of room at the back & that the product is not selling. (Overstock)

You are 100% correct.

To the OP, lift the flap on the outside of the box next time.

[QUOTE="JohnWinger"][QUOTE="BioShockOwnz"][QUOTE="JohnWinger"]

[QUOTE="BioShockOwnz"]Microsoft shipped a lot of consoles out last year so they could meet their shipped target. This means that there are a lot of consoles that just sit in the back rooms and warehouses of stores. They are not used or refurbished. Next time you need a 360, lift the fllap and check the manufacture date before you buy.Pro_wrestler

Stores do not keep hundreds of 360s just sitting in the back. I don't know where you get your information but its completely WRONG.

I work at Best Buy and we get shipments of 360s usually once a week. Brand new 360s that come off the Best Buy truck are dated back in August.

Best Buy is not stocking excess 360s from last year. As far as the inventory for the store is concerned, we usually have about 30 or so 360s in stock.

Hmmm, you're wrong. I work at Best Buy, and we do have 360's stacked in the stock room, and we have 2 out on the shelf at all times.

Your store keeps 30 consoles out on the store sloor at one time? :| We don't do that at my store. Also, 30 is a lot of consoles for a store to have at one time.

WTF are you talking about? The only consoles Media leaves in the warehouse are PSPs and some PS3s. The PS3s are kept at customer service as well as Wii consoles when they come in. Excess PS3s are stored in the back.

360s are always put out on the floor. There is hardly no room in the media side of the warehouse to stock excess amounts of consoles.

Exactly, that also happens when you see mountains of a certain product with a giant sign at the top that says "sale." That means they have run out of room at the back & that the product is not selling. (Overstock)

Best Buy has NEVER put 360s on sale.

Does anyone in this forum know anything about working for retailers? Seriously you guys have no intelligence whatsoever when you think a retailer can discount a MSRP item. Retailers get fined for doing that. Managers get fired.

Exact same situation as the OP.  My friend bought a 360 at Target 2 weeks ago.  Had a manu date of 8/10/06.   I was really surprised at such old stock....   Either that or MS really is selling refurbs as new.  The factor seal was intact only the cut he made to open it with a razor blade.  Fresh stock should be about 2 months after manufacture date.  That was the case with my 360 and my ps3.  I think MS uses the manudate for warranty purposes so he might not even get a 1 year warranty its so old.  I told him to return it.

[QUOTE="BioShockOwnz"]Microsoft shipped a lot of consoles out last year so they could meet their shipped target. This means that there are a lot of consoles that just sit in the back rooms and warehouses of stores. They are not used or refurbished. Next time you need a 360, lift the fllap and check the manufacture date before you buy.JohnWinger

Stores do not keep hundreds of 360s just sitting in the back. I don't know where you get your information but its completely WRONG.

I work at Best Buy and we get shipments of 360s usually once a week. Brand new 360s that come off the Best Buy truck are dated back in August.

Best Buy is not stocking excess 360s from last year. As far as the inventory for the store is concerned, we usually have about 30 or so 360s in stock.

Microsoft ship to meet the target. But all the consoles just go to storing warehouses owned by seperate companies. Then the shops get them from there. It means Microsoft gets there targets and the shops aren't overcrowded with consoles. 

WTF Do expect some guy in China to make the damn system for you the very day you buy it? This ain't Pappa Joe's Pizza you know, its complex electronics and like all complex electronics they don't make them on order, they make them by the millions and yes it takes a long time to sell those millions so they are gonna sit in storage.

I hate to see you buying a TV, OMG this TV wasn't made yesterday damn I want my money back! This thread is rediculous electronics aren't Pizza they aren't made to order.

I bet Best Buy has TVs on shelf that are 2 years old, you want them to just throw them away, and order new ones LOL 

Best Buy has NEVER put 360s on sale.

Does anyone in this forum know anything about working for retailers? Seriously you guys have no intelligence whatsoever when you think a retailer can discount a MSRP item. Retailers get fined for doing that. Managers get fired.

People are trying to help you and explain to you what is happening, and you are being mean and trying to look like a know it all. Not cool.

I don't think he meant that Best Buy was discounting 360's. He was also talking about stores and products in general, not just the 360.

You are trying to insult people, and you are trying to look more intelligent than others bragging about how you know retailers should handle things. Truth is, not all stores operate the same, and my store does indeed stock 360's in the stock room.

[QUOTE="Pro_wrestler"][QUOTE="JohnWinger"][QUOTE="BioShockOwnz"][QUOTE="JohnWinger"]

[QUOTE="BioShockOwnz"]Microsoft shipped a lot of consoles out last year so they could meet their shipped target. This means that there are a lot of consoles that just sit in the back rooms and warehouses of stores. They are not used or refurbished. Next time you need a 360, lift the fllap and check the manufacture date before you buy.JohnWinger

Stores do not keep hundreds of 360s just sitting in the back. I don't know where you get your information but its completely WRONG.

I work at Best Buy and we get shipments of 360s usually once a week. Brand new 360s that come off the Best Buy truck are dated back in August.

Best Buy is not stocking excess 360s from last year. As far as the inventory for the store is concerned, we usually have about 30 or so 360s in stock.

Hmmm, you're wrong. I work at Best Buy, and we do have 360's stacked in the stock room, and we have 2 out on the shelf at all times.

Your store keeps 30 consoles out on the store sloor at one time? :| We don't do that at my store. Also, 30 is a lot of consoles for a store to have at one time.

WTF are you talking about? The only consoles Media leaves in the warehouse are PSPs and some PS3s. The PS3s are kept at customer service as well as Wii consoles when they come in. Excess PS3s are stored in the back.

360s are always put out on the floor. There is hardly no room in the media side of the warehouse to stock excess amounts of consoles.

Exactly, that also happens when you see mountains of a certain product with a giant sign at the top that says "sale." That means they have run out of room at the back & that the product is not selling. (Overstock)

Best Buy has NEVER put 360s on sale.

Does anyone in this forum know anything about working for retailers? Seriously you guys have no intelligence whatsoever when you think a retailer can discount a MSRP item. Retailers get fined for doing that. Managers get fired.

[QUOTE="Pro_wrestler"][QUOTE="JohnWinger"][QUOTE="BioShockOwnz"][QUOTE="JohnWinger"]

[QUOTE="BioShockOwnz"]Microsoft shipped a lot of consoles out last year so they could meet their shipped target. This means that there are a lot of consoles that just sit in the back rooms and warehouses of stores. They are not used or refurbished. Next time you need a 360, lift the fllap and check the manufacture date before you buy.JohnWinger

Stores do not keep hundreds of 360s just sitting in the back. I don't know where you get your information but its completely WRONG.

I work at Best Buy and we get shipments of 360s usually once a week. Brand new 360s that come off the Best Buy truck are dated back in August.

Best Buy is not stocking excess 360s from last year. As far as the inventory for the store is concerned, we usually have about 30 or so 360s in stock.

Hmmm, you're wrong. I work at Best Buy, and we do have 360's stacked in the stock room, and we have 2 out on the shelf at all times.

Your store keeps 30 consoles out on the store sloor at one time? :| We don't do that at my store. Also, 30 is a lot of consoles for a store to have at one time.

WTF are you talking about? The only consoles Media leaves in the warehouse are PSPs and some PS3s. The PS3s are kept at customer service as well as Wii consoles when they come in. Excess PS3s are stored in the back.

360s are always put out on the floor. There is hardly no room in the media side of the warehouse to stock excess amounts of consoles.

Exactly, that also happens when you see mountains of a certain product with a giant sign at the top that says "sale." That means they have run out of room at the back & that the product is not selling. (Overstock)

Best Buy has NEVER put 360s on sale.

Does anyone in this forum know anything about working for retailers? Seriously you guys have no intelligence whatsoever when you think a retailer can discount a MSRP item. Retailers get fined for doing that. Managers get fired.

Where did I say they put 360s on sale? ROFL! Comprehension check.

BioShockOwnz

Best Buy has NEVER put 360s on sale.

Does anyone in this forum know anything about working for retailers? Seriously you guys have no intelligence whatsoever when you think a retailer can discount a MSRP item. Retailers get fined for doing that. Managers get fired.

People are trying to help you and explain to you what is happening, and you are being mean and trying to look like a know it all. Not cool.

I don't think he meant that Best Buy was discounting 360's. He was also talking about stores and products in general, not just the 360.

You are trying to insult people, and you are trying to look more intelligent than others bragging about how you know retailers should handle things. Truth is, not all stores operate the same, and my store does indeed stock 360's in the stock room.

Yes, and thank you. JohnWringer: Every retailer has backstock of something unless their out. And the retailer can sale at whatever price they want, they are the ones who has to pay the difference not the MR, meaning they lose money..

I bought my second Xbox 360 today from WalMart.  It came with two pack-in games which were actually in a plastic sleeve and taped onto the exterior of the 360 (when they should normally be inside the box).  Also, the included games were full retail copies, wheras they would normally have "Not For Resale" displayed on them so you couldn't re-sell.

Finally when I got home I looked at the manufacturer's date and it was March of last year.  The particular WalMart I bought it from opened in February of this year. 

SPHYNXA

There's actually a very possible and simple explanation for this.  Poor Backstock rotation.  You honestly think every store keeps every item properly rotated so the old always sells first and the new last when every single item looks identical?

I'd even say they barely accomplish that with Film and Ink Cartridges at most stores(those expire). 

[QUOTE="SPHYNXA"]

I bought my second Xbox 360 today from WalMart. It came with two pack-in games which were actually in a plastic sleeve and taped onto the exterior of the 360 (when they should normally be inside the box). Also, the included games were full retail copies, wheras they would normally have "Not For Resale" displayed on them so you couldn't re-sell.

Finally when I got home I looked at the manufacturer's date and it was March of last year. The particular WalMart I bought it from opened in February of this year.

gatsbythepig

Sue me. 

lol to all those who think retailers backstocking consoles in a warehouse is a smart move.

If that is what BestBuy does, wow.  Correct me if I'm wrong but the moment you purchase them from MS, you get an invoice that has to be paid in X amount of time.  The best way to work it is you sell the hardware before you pay the invoice.......you think they'll just keep the X360's in a warehouse for months at a time?  I've never worked at Best Buy but that seems to be a waist of money.  Why not just order X360 hardware when you need it?  Backstocking Hardware when retailers just about make ZERO profit off of is not a good business plan.  Oh yeah, in case you didn't know the cost of hardware to Best Buy is about the same as what they sell it.  I know this because I buy straight from a distributor....they don't make the money off the hardware, they make it off the games and mostly off the accessories. 

Why in the world would Best Buy back stock X360's.......is there some kind of issue with MS not able to fill orders in a timely matter during spring/summer?

For anyone that has a 360 and is almost out of warranty, ring Microsoft and say something like "My 360 keeps freezing up" and then say you'll see how it goes and say you'll call back if it keeps freezing. THEN when it does f*** out like mine, 3 weeks out of warranty, tell them you wanted to get it fixed while it was in warranty cause it kept freezing. MS wouldn't fix mine for free so I told them I wanted to get it fixed months before hand 'cause it kept freezing. I actually did call them for this reason 9 months after getting the 360 and the operator noted that I called (as they do) and after I explained the above the manager said "Yeah, you called a few months back and said you were having problems.. OK we'll fix it for free". Now I have a new 360. Great console, real bad hardware.tool_rage

Absolutely,exactly what i think of the Xbox 360. 

I'm guessing your in the US. Under US consumer law if buy a product and return it in full working condition the company is only allowed to sell it as refurbished, even if it was never opened. Thats when compaies like Dell and Apple have special stores on there site where you can get brand new products at discount.DELTAsnake

Canada.  I'm not sure what laws apply here under that scenario.

When i first got my 360 i noticed that the box had been taped close when i got it home, but i turned it on and migrated my account and i noticed a profile was already on there too

so i deleted it and it still works like brand new ::knock on wood:: so if it works it really isn't a big deal

Stores do not keep hundreds of 360s just sitting in the back. I don't know where you get your information but its completely WRONG.

I work at Best Buy and we get shipments of 360s usually once a week. Brand new 360s that come off the Best Buy truck are dated back in August.

Best Buy is not stocking excess 360s from last year. As far as the inventory for the store is concerned, we usually have about 30 or so 360s in stock.

Not completely wrong all major chains have huge warehouse distribution centers and that is where allotted of stock goes when not in holiday season. Just because there is not a surplus in your immediate store does not mean that they could not have been in some warehouse somewhere for a few months.

I'm guessing your in the US. Under US consumer law if buy a product and return it in full working condition the company is only allowed to sell it as refurbished, even if it was never opened.

Fist of all those laws vary from state to state. In my state of Texas if you returne an item having never been used and unopened it can be put right back on the shelf and sold as new. I have worked in enogh retail stores to know that and they have all done that because it is a new item if unopened.

I bought a pro new at future shop at this time last year for 399 that died 2 weeks ago. There are marks on the back that make it look like its been opened before. If ms sold me a refurb as new I would not be overly impressed. Why else would it look like its been pried open?

I bought a pro new at future shop at this time last year for 399 that died 2 weeks ago. There are marks on the back that make it look like its been opened before. If ms sold me a refurb as new I would not be overly impressed. Why else would it look like its been pried open?

barstoolpr0phet

[QUOTE="Pro_wrestler"][QUOTE="JohnWinger"]

WTF are you talking about? The only consoles Medialeaves in the warehouse are PSPs and some PS3s.The PS3s are kept at customer service as well as Wii consoles when they come in. Excess PS3s are stored in the back.

360s are always put out on the floor. There is hardly no room in the media side of the warehouse to stock excess amounts of consoles.

JohnWinger

Exactly, that also happens when you see mountains of a certain product with a giant sign at the top that says "sale." That means they have run out of room at the back & that the product is not selling. (Overstock)

Best Buy has NEVER put 360s on sale.

Does anyone in this forum know anything about working for retailers? Seriously you guys have no intelligence whatsoever when you think a retailercan discount a MSRP item. Retailers get fined for doing that. Managers get fired.

who cares as long as it works? Do you look at EVERY piece of equipment you buy to see when it was made? If so I think you may have a case of OCD. JoshChambers

[QUOTE="JoshChambers"]who cares as long as it works? Do you look at EVERY piece of equipment you buy to see when it was made? If so I think you may have a case of OCD. rob1101

[QUOTE="rob1101"][QUOTE="JoshChambers"]who cares as long as it works? Do you look at EVERY piece of equipment you buy to see when it was made? If so I think you may have a case of OCD. BaconB1ts123

who cares as long as it works? Do you look at EVERY piece of equipment you buy to see when it was made? If so I think you may have a case of OCD. JoshChambers

Not all consoles were made recently, they still have stock of old consoles sitting in warehouses and on the shelves of retailers. Ask before you buy, I bought another 360, but made sure to look into the little hole that said it was manufactured Dec 2008 meaning it's the new Jasper model with the 150W power supply. They didn't give you a refurbed box, you only get those back sometimes if you get the RROD.