Best Buy Open Box vs New: Is It Actually Worth It?
By Andrew Pizzello, CPA ยท 2026-04-15
Best Buy sells billions of dollars worth of open box products every year. These are items that were returned, had damaged packaging, or were used as display models. They get inspected, repackaged, and sold at a discount.
But is it actually worth buying open box instead of new? After tracking hundreds of Best Buy open box deals through our price tracker, here is what we have found.
What does "open box" actually mean at Best Buy?
Open box does not mean used. It means someone bought the product, opened it (or didn't), and returned it. Best Buy's Geek Squad inspects each item, tests it, and assigns it a condition grade. The product then goes back on sale at a reduced price.
Common reasons products end up as open box:
- The buyer changed their mind or found a better deal
- The packaging was damaged during shipping but the product is fine
- It was a display model at a store
- The buyer opened it, decided it wasn't what they wanted, and returned it within the return window
In most cases, you are getting a product that works perfectly. The discount exists because Best Buy can't legally sell it as "new" once the box has been opened.
Best Buy's condition tiers explained
Not all open box is created equal. Best Buy uses two main condition grades:
| Condition | What it means | Typical savings |
|---|---|---|
| Excellent - Certified | Geek Squad certified. Tested, inspected, includes all original accessories. Like buying new with a discount. | 10-20% |
| Excellent | Product looks and works like new. May have minor cosmetic imperfections on packaging only. All accessories included. | 15-25% |
| Satisfactory | Product works perfectly but may have minor cosmetic blemishes. May be missing non-essential accessories. | 20-35% |
| Fair | Product is functional but shows signs of use. May be missing accessories. Significant cosmetic wear possible. | 30-50% |
For most buyers, Excellent and Excellent - Certified are the sweet spot. You get a meaningful discount on a product that is functionally identical to new. We focus our Best Buy tracker on these two tiers because they offer the best balance of savings and quality.
How much can you actually save?
Based on deals we track daily:
- GPUs and graphics cards: 15-25% off retail. Open box RTX 4070s and 4080s are some of the best deals we see.
- Monitors: 20-35% off. Monitor returns are common because people upgrade or realize the size isn't right for their desk.
- Laptops: 15-30% off. High-end laptops see the biggest dollar savings, sometimes $300-500 off.
- Storage (SSDs, drives): 10-20% off. Smaller savings percentage-wise, but these rarely go on sale new.
- Audio (headphones, speakers): 20-40% off. Headphones are returned frequently, so open box stock is plentiful.
The key insight from tracking these prices over time: open box prices are not static. The same product can fluctuate 10-15% week to week depending on how many units Best Buy has in open box inventory. This is exactly why we built our price history tracker.
What about the return policy?
This is the part most people don't realize: Best Buy open box items have the same return policy as new items. Standard return window is 15 days (30 days for My Best Buy Plus/Total members). If something is wrong with it, you return it the same way you would return anything else.
You also get the same manufacturer warranty. An open box Samsung monitor still has Samsung's standard warranty. Best Buy's condition grade doesn't affect the manufacturer's coverage.
When to buy open box
Open box makes the most sense when:
- The product is Excellent or Certified condition
- The savings are at least 15% (below that, it's often not worth the minor uncertainty)
- You can pick it up in-store and inspect it before leaving
- You're buying a product category with low return risk (monitors, GPUs, SSDs)
When to skip open box
- The savings are less than 10%. At that point, buy new for peace of mind.
- It's a "Fair" condition item unless you've verified exactly what's missing or damaged.
- You need the product for a gift. The opened packaging can be awkward.
- The product is already heavily discounted new. Check our tracker to compare.
The bottom line
Best Buy open box is one of the best ways to save on tech if you know what to look for. Excellent and Certified condition items are functionally new at a lower price, with the same return policy and warranty.
The trick is knowing whether the current open box price is actually a good deal or if it's been lower recently. That's what our Best Buy Open Box Price Tracker is for. We record every price, every day, so you can see the full picture before you buy.