Apple Begins Offering Refurb Products in China

January 20th, 2009 at 6:17 PM - News by Bryan Chaffin

Apple has begun offering refurbished products in China, an attempt to boost the company's position in the world's largest consumer market. Like refurb products offered in the U.S. through Apple's online Apple Store, the Macs, iPods, and iPhones offered in China will be products that have been returned or replaced and sent through the company's refurbishment process.

Reuters reported that the products currently being offered in China range from a 308 yuan (US$44) iPod shuffle to an iMac priced at a little more than 14,000 yuan ($2,047).

Apple has a track record of tightly controlling pricing on its products, even through third party retailers, in a way that few other electronics companies can match. That means there are few opportunities to buy discounted Apple products, which has allowed the company to position its refurb products as the avenue for those looking to buy Apple cheaper than retail.

As we mentioned above, China is the world's largest consumer market, but it's a market where Apple has very little penetration, something that analysts have pinned to the company's pricing, which places its products above the reach of even China's emerging middle class.

Refurbished pricing could help in that regards, though the relatively small number of goods involved won't singlehandedly boost Apple's market share in the country.