I’m looking into the AVP again with the recent OS update for it. I see some more “affordable” prices on eBay, but when Apple is the only place to buy the new ones it makes me wonder about how the setup process would go with a used device.
I must say that I have for some time avoided buying (or selling) anything on eBay after some bad selling experiences with scams and scoundrels.
I’d love to hear any feedback about buying an AVP on eBay.
Thanks!
The AVP has an activation lock, just like iPhones and other Apple devices. If it is logged in to the Find My network, then you won’t be able to reset or wipe it without the owner’s Apple ID credentials.
Someone selling a used AVP should remove the activation lock and factory reset the device before selling it.
If they don’t, then the buyer won’t be able to use it. Just a like a used phone or iPad.
I don’t know what kind of protections eBay provides to protect against sellers who don’t do this, but I’d say you should find out before buying a used device.
One quick way to think about using eBay to buy a used Apple Vision Pro is whether you think the savings from buying used offsets the time you spend on researching sellers and bidding plus potentially on dealing with seller/transaction/product problems.
Personally, given the AVP is a recently released, niche product coupled with a very short reliability record, I, if facing a similar choice, probably would end up buying directly from Apple (and waiting for official Apple refurbs to be offered if I didn’t have an immediate need).
Another issue with buying a used AVP is that unless you are lucky, you should budget an additional $200 for a correctly sized light seal. The light seal on the AVP built for someone else will likely not fit you. Also, if you wear glasses, you will need to purchase optical inserts, another $100-$200 add-on.
Through the Apple Store, you can determine what Apple thinks is the proper size for a light seal. However, many folks on Reddit have reported needing to exchange light seals to get the right fit. In the first two weeks after a purchase from Apple, you can make the exchange at no cost, but if you’re buying a used AVP, you’ll need to pay for every alternate.
So, if you purchase a used AVP, you should immediately go to an Apple Store to try various light seals to ensure correct sizing.
Thanks for the responses, you mentioned most of the reasons why I was asking about experience.
I have been watching for refurbs for many months. Some of the eBay sales I’ve seen are for “unopened box”, but scammers will scam.
I do have optical inserts from when I tried the AVP when they came out. I do know the specific light seal and other items based on the scan of my face before ordering. If I had kept that AVP I believe I would have had them refine the sealing bits of the device.
Unfortunately I was traveling a lot while waiting for the inserts and that significantly impacted my time to test the AVP before having to take it back to the Apple Store. I did take the lenses out of my previous prescription glasses and taped them to my eyebrows, it was quite a sight. They worked great until they didn’t. It was so nice to finally have the insert, but then it was time to travel again and I had to return the AVP. Apple did give me a bit of grace because of the insert delivery wait, but the schedule was not optimal for experimenting.
Regarding Activation Locks and all that jazz, I recommend to all my friends to buy their Mac computers from refurb store if they are not getting the newest computer. I am surprised i’m considering eBay after the issues I’ve had and helped friends deal with for devices bought on eBay.
Maybe Santa will work things out and bring one along next week, but that does seem unlikely. I just hope they go on Apple refurb before the next gen devices come out.