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Microcenter CPU deals: R they selling the sub-standard parts?

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magellan

Member
Joined
Jul 20, 2002
What happens to all the CPU's that are rejected under Intel's insurance program? Can they legally sell them as new? Or do yesterday's Intel insurance returns become tomorrow's Microcenter's bargain bin deals?

What happens to CPU's that are returned as defective to Intel, but found to be functional? Can they also be sold as new?
 
Microcenter has 100% new and functional CPUs just like any retailer.
 
Any part I have purchased from Microcenter has been new, unless it is otherwise specified, i.e. refurb, or return.
 
I'm scratching my head as to what this has to do with Microcenter.

By law, all retailers must state when a item they are selling is not new in any way or form (returned, refurbished, used, etc).

Can a retailer ignore the law and try to sell off a used product as new? Sure they can. Which is why people stick with reputable retailers, and avoid the "fly by night", "too good to be true prices" types who would sell you a brick inside a XBox 360 box, just as easily as they would sell you a rebagded low end AMD chip made to look like a i7-5xxx.
 
What happens to all the CPU's that are rejected under Intel's insurance program? Can they legally sell them as new? Or do yesterday's Intel insurance returns become tomorrow's Microcenter's bargain bin deals?

What happens to CPU's that are returned as defective to Intel, but found to be functional? Can they also be sold as new?
Microncenter CPUs are brand new from the factory unless labeled as such (not sure they sell refurb CPUs?).

I would imagine they go for testing and then to the trash bin if it doesn't work at stock speeds and voltages.

If it is not new, it stands to reason that they couldn't sell it as new. Just like every other company that sells wares. If its not new it can't be labeled as new. There are instances where less than reputable companies try to do that, but not at MC.

If it isn't new it can't be sold as new legally... let's use our heads a little bit. :)
 
My only guess is OP is trying to figure out why MC sells their CPUs for cheaper than most any competitor?

Probably for a competitive advantage to get you in to buy the rest of the parts for your system.


Oh and to answer the question, of course they're new.
 
My only guess is OP is trying to figure out why MC sells their CPUs for cheaper than most any competitor?

Probably for a competitive advantage to get you in to buy the rest of the parts for your system.

Guess what, it works!

Over here like :facepalm: at this thread though...
 
What happens to all the CPU's that are rejected under Intel's insurance program? Can they legally sell them as new? Or do yesterday's Intel insurance returns become tomorrow's Microcenter's bargain bin deals?

What happens to CPU's that are returned as defective to Intel, but found to be functional? Can they also be sold as new?

^^^^^Conspiracy theory anyone? :D

I agree with Janus it gets you in the store, so you can buy other parts as well. I have 2 Microcenters within 30 miles of me and have been to both. What I've found is, if buying a Cpu and/or Motherboard you can't beat their prices. Their other components, unless on sale, are usually more expensive then what you can find on sites such as Amazon or Newegg.
 
^^^^^Conspiracy theory anyone? :D

I agree with Janus it gets you in the store, so you can buy other parts as well. I have 2 Microcenters within 30 miles of me and have been to both. What I've found is, if buying a Cpu and/or Motherboard you can't beat their prices. Their other components, unless on sale, are usually more expensive then what you can find on sites such as Amazon or Newegg.

Exactly. If I remember correcrtly, I got my i7-4790k with ASRock Z97 Extreme4 as a combo sale for around $290 and $100 respectively. Nearly $100 cheaper then anywhere else around the time of release. Even considering tax+gas, no other place (brick or online) was anywhere near their price.
 
Runlinx over at EOCF works in their corporate.

It is not partly about getting people to buy the entire system, it is all about getting people to buy the entire system

He claims they take a small loss on them , not sure if I believe that.

However you do not see anyone willing to even try to compete with their CPU numbers and combo prices

They bring instant gratification to the table as opposed to waiting it out for UPS
 
If I had a MC near me, I would buy my cpus from them without hesitation along with other stuff since they have a lot of great in-store deals. Be happy if you are near one :O
 
So what happens to the CPU's that Intel takes as returns on their no questions asked Intel insurance program?
What happens to the CPU's that are returned to Intel, AMD etc. that turn out to be functional? Open box sales?
Like someone else said, it's hard to believe MC is taking just a small hit on selling these CPU's, because no one else has them for similar prices anywhere.
 
So what happens to the CPU's that Intel takes as returns on their no questions asked Intel insurance program?
They may test them? If they do and find they are not dead, perhaps they resell them, labeled as refurb/recond? They don't ship them out as new... come on now.

Like someone else said, it's hard to believe MC is taking just a small hit on selling these CPU's, because no one else has them for similar prices anywhere.
I believe it. It is common for businesses to break even/lose a bit of money to gain floor traffic and gross bigger sales with more purchases. It is why these deals are "in store only".
 
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So what happens to the CPU's that Intel takes as returns on their no questions asked Intel insurance program?
What happens to the CPU's that are returned to Intel, AMD etc. that turn out to be functional? Open box sales?
Like someone else said, it's hard to believe MC is taking just a small hit on selling these CPU's, because no one else has them for similar prices anywhere.

What happens to EVERY computer part that gets returned to ANY manufacturer?
It gets tested, confirmed good/bad, then either returned to the owner or replaced and then sold as refurbished.

Not sure why you're trying to slander a perfectly good company.
 
I mean it's perfectly good ole fashioned sales tactics, get you in the door to buy more on the floor. They get you in with the incredibly priced cpu and MB combos deals and since your there you decide you need a couple of fans, a PSU, maybe some ram and that SSD, oh yeah that new case would look great sitting next to my desk instead of the one I have. I mean all that and you get it now as opposed to, in a week or so. Waitin' on buster brown deliver your products in smashed up boxes only to find out it doesn't work is always fun, now you got to send it back wait longer, when that 50 mile +/- one way trip is so much faster and more gratifying.
 
it's like the jenny lind baby stuff, it's the loss leader, they sell (and advertise) you the jenny lind baby crib for a slight loss and all the otherstuff at a profit.
at my street car shop we do an a/c service at a loss of about 18% but I make that, and more back in a/c repair.
Same with the 19.95 oil change, with every one of these, you're getting an airfilter.
 
I've had a lengthy discussion with a MC store manager about their policy of only allow a purchaser 1 CPU per month. This may only be at my location but they would not sell me 2 CPU's at the sales price. Anyhow, he said they go on sale at store cost prices. They aren't losing any money and gaining other purchases.
 
What happens to EVERY computer part that gets returned to ANY manufacturer?
It gets tested, confirmed good/bad, then either returned to the owner or replaced and then sold as refurbished.

Not sure why you're trying to slander a perfectly good company.

The thing is, I've never, ever seen "refurbished" CPU's for sale anywhere. How come there aren't any
other B&M companies having similar deals on CPU's? Why is it only MC?
 
One would think if you never seen them for sale that may help answer some of your questions... or at least lead you down a different path of subsequent questions...

You would have to ask the very few BnMs that sell CPUs to find that answer. I can speculate that it's not worth it to the others? Who knows...
 
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