Best Buy offers refurbished iPhones

Add electronics retailer Best Buy to the list of places you can get a used iPhone cheap.

Best Buy is now selling refurbished Apple iPhone 3G models at a $50 discount to brand-new, unused models, according to the Reuters news agency. The lower prices of $149 for the 8GB iPhone (normally $199) and $249 for the 16GB iPhone (normally $299)--with a two-year service contract with AT&T contract--apply to devices that were returned to the store within 30 days of their initial purchase.

The move comes a little more than a week after megaretailer Wal-Mart Stores began selling iPhones at $197 for the 8GB model and $297 for the 16GB model.

Refurbished iPhones are also available from AT&T, the sole wireless carrier for the devices. Apple itself has also sold refurbished iPhones in the past, but a check of its Web site shows no such offers at the moment.

Best Buy representatives were not immediately available for comment.

Update 11:05 a.m. PT: Best Buy put out its press release a little later in the morning. In addition to the pricing stated above, the company said that current iPhone users can upgrade to a "refreshed" iPhone 3G. It also said the refurbished devices are available now at 350 Best Buy stores and by the end of January will be available at all U.S. Best Buy stores that offer AT&T.

[nutjob]

you mean people actually return the greatest phone ever made, no wonder Jobs looks they way he does.

[BBYMGuy]

I work for Best Buy Mobile and the bosses have been making it very clear that these phones are not refurbished, but "refreshed". According to our employee news the phones are being fixed up by a third party company and not Apple, which is probably why you will not see Apple selling them. Personally I would just shell out the extra money for they new one just to be safe.

[nauj_solrac]

Does anyone know where I can purchase a used/refurbished 2G iPhone 16GB anymore whether in a store or online.

AT&T and the Apple store don't sell them anymore.

Are ebay, kijiji and Craigslist my only options?

Let me know.

Thanks.