I recently made a purchase on Amazon Warehouse Deals. And, despite the fact that I have now made several purchases there over the years, I still wondered if I would get what I was hoping for. As in, no flaws, and a new product despite the condition being described as “Used, Like new”. I figured since I was wondering, my readers might be interested too.
So, here’s the deal. I did not realize this in the past but Amazon Warehouse Deals is considered it’s own seller on Amazon, and the rules applying to purchases may be different than other Amazon sellers.
You can find some great deals on items that are in brand new condition but there are a few things to be aware of. One, open box or used like new is most likely an item which has been returned and has damaged packaging. While there may be other cases, this seems to be the most common one. Once an item has damaged packaging Amazon will not sell it as new even if the item inside is completely brand new and unused. For this reason you can usually trust that you will get a new product when you purchase a “used like new” condition item from Amazon Warehouse Deals.
I’ve gotten some great deals on used, like new items on warehouse deals but I have not bought any products in their other conditions. And, while I have heard of people getting new items even when listed in other conditions, I would take their descriptions to heart and consider you will be getting a used product for listings other than “used, like new”.
There’s not much to lose in trying a purchase if you have Amazon Prime because you can get prime benefits on these purchases including free returns.
Various listing conditions of Amazon Warehouse Deals:
Used – Like New
A “like new” item sold on Amazon Warehouse is in perfect condition, however, due to the condition of the packaging, it does not meet Amazon.com standards for new product. Returned items with minor packaging defects are classified as “Used-Like New.”
Used – Very Good
If an item has cosmetic damage or blemishes, shows slight signs of use, has minor accessories missing, or the packaging has been replaced to better protect the item, we will assign the condition of “very good.”
Used – Good
If an item has large cosmetic damage or blemishes and/or missing accessories, we will assign the condition of “good.” It’s possible the packaging has been replaced to better protect the item.
Used – Acceptable
If an item shows signs of wear including scratches, dents, and other aesthetic problems, we will assign the condition of “acceptable.” It’s possible the packaging has been replaced to better protect the item, manuals may be missing, and the item may contain third-party attachments.
My Experience:
I have ordered several items in the past few years from Amazon Warehouse Deals. Every item I have received has been brand new and in perfect condition.
The only time I had an issue was with one purchase of a high chair. The tray did not slide smoothly despite the chair appearing brand new (it still had labeling stickers on it and was not used). My guess, is that someone returned it due the tray issue and Amazon did not realize it had any flaws and considered it used like new. I am guessing that tray issue was a manufacturer issue and not rrelated to Amazon Warehouse Deals at all.
I ended up returning the high chair because I was worried about the sticking tray and it was easy. I just printed my return label and arranged for UPS to pick it up since it was a large item. This was all free to me with my Prime membership. So, even though that purchase did not work out there is really nothing to lose when trying to score an Amazon Warehouse Deal.
Here’s how to find one for yourself:
- When you are shopping on Amazon and you are ready to purchase an item look at the price and notice the option for “Available at a lower price from other sellers, potentially without free Prime shipping.”
- Click on the “other sellers” link and this will take you to other options.
- If an Amazon Warehouse Deal is available it will show up here and you can select it. You will be able to tell if it has Prime shipping available.
- You will see the Open Box – Like New option or other description for other options.
- Another way to search Amazon Warehouse Deals is to go to the store front and do a search for whatever you are interested in.
Give Amazon Warehouse Deals a try here!
Amazon has an A to Z guarantee and this covers Amazon Warehouse Deals as well:
We want you to buy with confidence anytime you make a purchase on the Amazon.com website or use Amazon Pay; that’s why we guarantee purchases from third-party sellers when payment is made via the Amazon.com website or when you use Amazon Pay for qualified purchases on third-party websites. The condition of the item you buy and its timely delivery are guaranteed under the Amazon A-to-z Guarantee.
Between the A to Z guarantee and Prime membership benefits there is not much risk to making a purchase via Amazon Warehouse Deals. Please let me know if you have any questions about them at all!
Hi thank you for write good tips.i have some question. I live in South Korea.i want to buy a laptop.seller is Amazon Warehouse deal. It is used-like new item.it doesnt ship to Korea. So i should ship to shipping agency in California.But i heard Amazon doesnt refund when ship to agency. So if it has problem after i got. I cannot refund..so i dont know that i should believe Amazon Warehouse Deal or not.can you reply through E mail? qoduddml0819@gmail.com