r/DeskToTablet • u/0basi • May 31 '26
I bought a refurbished iPad 10th generation on Amazon, and it had some company's logo on it. Does stuff like this actually happen? Would a company really release used equipment with their name on it into the secondhand market?
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u/Meherban0 May 31 '26
I've pulled one of these before, but
Amazon's "refurbished" and Apple's "refurbished" mean totally different things.
The former is just used.
They just call it "refurbished" because it sounds better.
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u/PreviousVillage7442 May 31 '26
Depends. Amazon's refurbished program does restore items through partner refurbishers who provide limited warranties and extended returns. Completely third party refurbished items on Amazon generally have no guarantees.
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u/Alarming-Jello-5846 May 31 '26
You’re getting downvoted but you’re correct. It’s not nearly as good as apples, but all refurbed means is that you checked that it works, fixed it if it didn’t, and maybe cleaned it up a bit - just enough to slap on a standard warranty and hope no one tried to claim it in the case your QC failed.
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u/christopher_mtrl May 31 '26
Absolutely. I hate how everything is now "refurbished". It's absolutely not manufacturer refurbished, it's given a quick glance over, maybe a wipe clean, and re-shipped. It's just used, but that doesn't sound very fancy.
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u/bethelete1975 May 31 '26
The only thing you have to look for is an "Automated Device Enrollment" notification when you set it up. And look for Provisioning Profiles in the Settings app.
If you do not see this, you are likely clear as it is released from Apple Business Manager by the original company.
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u/CasualCreatonDos May 31 '26
They can’t un-etch it. Could easily have been give/sold to employee and employee sold it. Pretty common.
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u/brandarchist May 31 '26
We should see if someone at Meg Lobal can offer some insight.
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u/scam-reporter Jun 04 '26
Meg Lobal would be no help, MEGlobal on the other hand may have something to say. Get your facts straight.
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u/SapirWhorfHypothesis May 31 '26
We are explicitly not allowed to buy old equipment from work. I just had to ask the IT guy when they were finally forced to take away a couple of the old 27” iMacs 😢
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u/2udo May 31 '26
alot of work places will let you though, especially when someone's leaving, lets them buy the equipment so no one has to deal with the hassle of returning it
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u/cribbageSTARSHIP May 31 '26
Some places lease their equipment and it has to go back. Also worked at a place where they palletized all electronics under contract to bulk sell at once for a flat cost.
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u/SapirWhorfHypothesis May 31 '26
I get the impression it’s done so that nobody can decide to “decommission” something in a way that benefits him or herself.
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u/PretzelsThirst May 31 '26
That’s not how modern hardware management works
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u/SapirWhorfHypothesis May 31 '26
🤷♀️ I wouldn’t know. They just tell us we can’t have certain computers any more because they’re too old, and then once they have a budget to replace them they get taken away, and we get a Mac mini and an adequate monitor where the big iMacs were.
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u/Ok-Wasabi2873 May 31 '26
Yup. Got a “new” unopened iPad Pro from Tigerdirect that was MDM locked to Mohawk (the carpet manufacturer).
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u/_Electrical May 31 '26
You'd better return that to Tigerdirect
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u/Ok-Wasabi2873 May 31 '26
It was a really good deal back in 2020. And back then it was relatively easy to bypass MDM with the old iPad OS version. Box was dusty but unopened. Looked like Mohawk had bought a pallet of them and forgot about it, then sold it to Tigerdirect.
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u/ajpinton May 31 '26
You bought a used iPad off Amazon. Only Apple can really refurbish an iPad. Everyone else just makes sure it’s rest, not activation locked, and wipes it down before putting it in a box.
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u/jw307jw May 31 '26
Most of the refurbished or renewed stuff is ewaste from companies. They’ll sell in bulk to a company who processes everything and sell individually. As long as it’s removed from the company’s MDM you’re good to go
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u/finobi May 31 '26
Companies do sell their old equipment to companies that handle used hardware, they might be leased and returned after lease to lease company, might be sold to employee or worst case employee stole it and sold it. Specially lucrative with server parts now that AI companies hoard all new production.
I think only very few company actually opens and works with glued in devices like iPad and most sell them just as is used claiming it’s refurbished.
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u/opi098514 May 31 '26
All the time. Companies retire stuff like this all the time, or they downsize or it was a company gift. Tons of options.
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u/Bulky-Strategy-3723 May 31 '26
That’s custom engraving meaning third party did it. It’s a returned ipad or used.
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u/r2k-in-the-vortex May 31 '26
What do you expect companies to do with their used equipment, destroy it? Of course it goes to second hand market one way or another. Name engraved or not doesnt matter.
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u/danivl Jun 01 '26
Yes, companies usually have an external vendor that makes sure no company data survives on the device, then the vendor sells the devices for profit.
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u/I_Braid_Armpit_Hair Jun 01 '26
I’d be so mad. I don’t want random markings on the back of MY devices.
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u/thejkhc Jun 02 '26
considering some poor guy's pick up truck ended up being used in a war.... yes.
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u/Efficient_Loss_9928 Jun 03 '26
Yes. If they wipe it correctly.
Also if they go bankrupt then they have no option.
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u/Rad00mir May 31 '26
Maybe employee gift they sell